Escape Dead Island is a spin-off from the main Dead Island series, outside of the main canon, developed by a different developer. The game is played from a third-person perspective and features cel shaded visuals with action words similar to comic books. In this survival action game, you control Cliff Calo as he travels with two friends to the Banoi archipelago's Narapela island to investigate strange events. Your main goal is to gather evidence by taking pictures with your camera, proving the Geopharm corporation is active on the islands.
Unlike the main series, Escape Dead Island has a linear set of objectives and does not feature an open world design. The game's tutorial takes place before the rest of the game, where you control operative Kilo Two who infiltrates a Geopharm facility to discover the identity of the mole. Xian Mei from the main game series also appears as a character in the game.
The gameplay involves attacking enemies with melee weapons and minor gunplay using a pistol and shotgun due to scarce ammunition. Stealth is essential, as groups of enemies cannot be attacked simultaneously. Infected react to movement and sound, making it necessary to use stealth tactics. You can dodge, crouch, sprint, kick, push infected out of the way, and target specific enemies.
The game features a stamina meter that drains after a set number of attacks, requiring you to wait for it to refill before continuing. Unlike previous games in the series, weapons cannot be customized, and they are provided at certain points in the game. There are no RPG elements or an upgradable character system. You can use a rope and grappling hook to move around and find keycards to open doors.