http://nerdreactor.com/2011/06/20/hands-on-impressions-of-dead-island-4-player-co-op/
You have one of four characters to choose from; Xian Mei, Logan, Sam B, and Purna. Depending on which one you choose, your character will have unique attributes different from the others. I got the Xian Mei, so I was good at knives and short range weapons. That game takes stamina into account, so you can't just go blindly flailing your arms.At one point, I picked up a sledgehammer and when I tried to use it, my stamina dropped drastically. Clearly this weapon was meant for someone else.
