For a long time it was quiet about Dying Light 2: Stay Human, but now the title has a release date and the developers are talking again. We tell you everything you need to know about the game.
At first glance, Dying Light 2: Stay Human may look to some like just another zombie game in which we shoot our way through hordes of onrushing undead with a lot of firepower. But the title is far more ambitious and aims to advance the genre with sophisticated mechanics in game world and gameplay.
After it has been suspiciously quiet around the title for a while, the developer Techland has not only revealed a concrete release date, but also news about the gameplay and the story. In this article we have prepared all the information about Dying Light 2 for you, so that you are always up to date.
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Dying Light 2: Insane DLC plan promises new content by 2027
Dying Light 2 is supposed to get five years of updates and DLCs. But developer Techland’s insane promise isn’t that far-fetched
After Dying Light 2’s 500-hour playtime was recently the focus of attention, developer Techland has now spoken out about its post-release plans for 4 February 2022. And again, a number is causing a stir. Because (a tweet from the team) announces ambitious update plans:
We guarantee to expand the world of Dying Light 2: Stay Human for at least five years after launch with new stories, locations, in-game events and all the fun stuff you love!
Dying Light 2: The DLC promise is believable
What at first glance reminds one of tiresome marketing statements of the brand “We have a ten-year plan for Destiny” and makes one think of service games has a tradition at Techland. Even the indexed predecessor of Dying Light 2 was supported with new content for an exceptionally long time after release, the vast majority of it free of charge.
When we played the pre-release version, however, we were already very impressed by the content included in the launch version. You can find out more in the gameplay video
By the way, the picture accompanying the Twitter post also talks about in-game items. Already in the first Dying Light, Techland added more weapons to the zombie slayers’ arsenal after release. A large paid add-on was also part of the content strategy for the open-world game back then. Meanwhile, there is no exact roadmap for Dying Light 2’s post-launch support.
Want to know what will happen AFTER the premiere? We guarantee to expand the world of Dying Light 2 Stay Human for at least 5 years post launch with new stories, locations, in-game events and all the fun stuff you love! DyingLight2 StayHuman pic.twitter.com/SgaNynkrzI
– Dying Light (@DyingLightGame) January 14, 2022
What you need to know now about Dying Light 2
Story: What is Dying Light 2 about?
Not much is known about the plot of Dying Light 2 yet. No wonder, after all, they don’t want to give everything away in advance. In the course of an E3 appearance, however, they revealed a few details about the story of the protagonist and his motives.
A real family story: The main character of the game is called Aiden and was apparently born into a world afflicted by a virus. He has a sister named Mia. Together with her, Aiden was subjected to medical experiments as a child, as the two apparently showed special talents. A fire separated the siblings and Aiden lives with the guilt of leaving his sister behind.
However, in the year 2036, where the action of Dying Light 2 is set, Aiden comes across a clue that Mia is still alive and how he can find her.
Newcomers are also welcome, by the way. Techland already explicitly emphasised that players will not need any previous knowledge from the first part of the series to be able to understand the story of Dying Light 2. They don’t want to unnecessarily limit the target group, which would be the case if only connoisseurs of the first game were to get through the storyline.
Gameplay: How does Dying Light 2 play?
Developer Techland itself describes the setting of Dying Light 2 as “modern dark medieval“, alluding to one particular feature of the game in particular: There are virtually no firearms! Instead, people once again resort to axes, hammers and, of course, bows and arrows. But if need be, a misappropriated heating pipe will also do!
Dying Light 2 is supposed to be a mixture of parkour challenges, action-packed battles against humans and zombies and unravelling your own past. It is up to you which of the factions you complete missions for. With every path you take, you advance the story. The story is supposed to be more complex than in the first Dying Light.
- Combat system: If it comes to a fight, as already mentioned above, you don’t have any big guns to defend yourself. Instead, you have to block with your melee weapon, counterattack and thus defeat your adversary. In addition, it plays an important role from which direction you strike and which parts of the body you target, because enemies react differently depending on the hit and the weapon. According to the developers, you should not underestimate the AI: Not only the zombies, but also the human opponents are supposed to persistently pursue you even across rooftops.
- Weapons: As already mentioned, Dying Light 2 relies primarily on melee weapons. Classic firearms will not exist apart from one exception. However, this does not mean that there is no variety: The developers have compiled over 200 weapons that you can find and use in the course of the game. You can see a few examples here:
Many of these weapons can be taken from your enemies, but you will only receive a standard version. With mods, you can further improve the weapons, for example by attaching a new blade or equipping them with fire, ice and electricity.
The time of day plays a particularly important role in your forays. It is not only your decisions that define the world. A glance at the clock also tells you which urban places you should better avoid. While the zombies don’t pose much of a threat during the day, at least outdoors, they pursue you relentlessly at night.
- The problem with the undead’s preference for dark places: The particularly good loot can only be found in the shadows. Even during the day, you won’t be able – and won’t want – to avoid visiting dark buildings or the underground metro
- Scripted missions: In an interview with GlobalESportNews Techland revealed that there will always be scripted missions. More immersion is to be created through more options in the decisions.
- The city alignment: These choices affect gameplay and determine which elements appear in different parts of the city. For example, depending on which faction you support, you will receive more parkour aids on rooftops or traps to use against enemies.
- Parkour: Of course, parkour plays a big role in Dying Light 2. We climb, slide, jump and sprint through the city – and can even make use of wall jumps, among other things. Thanks to countless animations, traversing the city from the first-person perspective should feel very fluid and always comprehensible.
However, we can also make use of aids to move around. With a grappling hook, for example, we can cross chasms with ease, while a paraglider brings us safely to the ground. This should be very helpful when you consider how high some of the city’s skyscrapers are. Ultimately, the height should not be an obstacle, according to the developers in a video interview, but should allow the player to advance to even greater heights.
In addition, the parkour system can also be used in combat. For example, you can stun an opponent, then use it as a jumping off point to dropkick the second opponent out of action as well. Players who master the parkour system should even be able to use it to fight without having to touch the ground once.
Multiplayer: Is Dying Light 2 playable in co-op?
Yes, Dying Light 2 will offer a co-op mode. As in the predecessor, all missions of the game will be playable with up to three friends. However, there is one crucial difference: You can also play the prologue and the final missions with friends and do not have to complete them solo. Your teamwork will not end at the climax of the action, but you can fight together until the end.
However, this option poses challenges: After all, you have to make many decisions in the course of the story of Dying Light 2, which should affect the progress of the story and also the game world. How is that supposed to work in co-op mode, where you don’t always agree?
In order to prevent any problems from arising in the first place, two important cornerstones have been established for co-op:
- Items you have collected and your character’s progress will be preserved. An evening in co-op should therefore always be worthwhile for you.
- The host’s story is played. When you enter a co-op campaign, you are in the host’s storyline. Important decisions are voted on, but the final decision is made by the owner of the campaign. Your own story progress remains untouched, so you can’t mess anything up in co-op.
You can see a few clips from the co-op mode in the following video – we have already fast-forwarded to the right place for you: - Raytracing Effects: The new ray tracing effects in Dying Light 2 are supposed to contain effects based on geometry and stable ambient occlusion. This is to create correct dynamic shadows that take into account the size of the sun in the sky and allow for global illumination
- DLSS and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution: DLSS and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution shall also be available.
- Direct Storage: According to the current status, Direct Storage will not be available. According to Techland, this will require profound changes to the engine.
- Audio system: The audio system will be WWise by Audiokinetic, which is one of the best-known companies in the field of interactive media.
Platforms: What is Dying Light 2 being released on?
Dying Light 2 will be released for the PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, as well as PS4 and Xbox One. On PC, you’ll have the choice between Steam and the Epic Store.
While owners of a home computer can look forward to the best possible picture quality anyway – provided they have powerful hardware – owners of the current consoles can also rejoice. Because Techland has promised a free NextGen upgrade for the PS5 and the Xbox Series X.
PS4 and Xbox One owners will also be able to enjoy the upgrade at no extra cost as soon as they upgrade. A quality mode including ray tracing and a performance mode with 60 FPS playback are to be available for selection.
Pre-Order: What editions are available of Dying Light 2?
- Pre-Order Bonuses: Dying Light 2 (you can already pre-order). Those who grab it before release can enjoy a pre-order bonus: the “Reload” skin pack, which gives your character as well as weapons and equipment a unique look.
- Editions: Dying Light 2 is available both digitally and physically in three different versions, each of which comes with additional gimmicks and in-game content. The respective versions of Dying Light 2 differ as follows:
- Standard: Contains only the main game – Cost: 60 Euro
- Deluxe: Includes the main game and additional digital content: Another legendary skin, weapon talismans, a digital comic, plus artwork and the soundtrack. Buyers will also receive the first story DLC for free. The physical version comes as a steelbook – cost: 80 euros
- Collector’s Edition: Contains the main game, all content of the deluxe variant and additionally more crafting items as well as free access to the second story DLC. The physical version is limited, comes as a steelbook and also offers physical gimmicks: The “Defender of the City” statue, A paper artbook, a UV torch, a map of the game world and three postcards that you can send to your family for Christmas – Cost: 100 euros (digital) / Physical: Not yet known.
DLC and Season Pass: What happens after the launch?
Techland has also already commented on the plans after the release. Like its predecessor, Dying Light 2 will also be provided with additional content for years to come. However, this does not mean content cut from the retail version, as lead game designer Tymon Smektala pointed out in an interview:
“Dying Light 2‘ is already full of content that we plan to deliver on release day. But we also plan to support the game long after that, as we did with Dying Light – every day we have new ideas!”
Game World: What do we know about the Open World?
Compared to the predecessor, the city in which the action takes place will be four times as large. In Dying Light 2, you will also move nimbly and gracefully across the rooftops and through the street canyons of the open world. The way you move is strongly influenced by the sport of parkour.
Within the city, there is supposed to be variation. While some areas have been overrun by the infected and every step there is extremely dangerous, in other places the various factions have gained the upper hand and restored a certain order.
Players can be particularly curious to see how the decisions they make will sometimes have a drastic effect on the game world. If you help a faction to conquer a water tower, for example, a dictatorship will be established in that part of town. The alternative: we’d rather help the bandits. Then a flourishing black market will develop in the same place.
By the way, these changes in the game world will not stop at the NPCs. According to Techland, even important characters will bite the dust if they are affected by one of your decisions.
Zombie types: What do we know about the enemies?
As in the first part, a wide variety of monsters will make your life hell in Dying Light 2. In addition to familiar adversaries, new zombie types were also introduced, which differ from each other not only in their external appearance:
- Banshee: The graceful zombie lady is armed with fearsome clawed hands and wears a tattered evening gown. The new enemy type lurks mainly on rooftops to swoop down on unsuspecting survivors. In its bloodlust, the banshee can be interrupted by brief moments of lucidity and henceforth lets go of you.
- Howler: This zombie sees itself as the guard dog of the pack. If you meet a Howler, it will not attack you immediately. Its primary task is to alert other zombies with a loud cry.
- Revenant: This new enemy type has tentacle-like outgrowths on its back with which it can catch its opponents. In addition, it is not particularly fast, but can buff other zombies with a yellow mist.
- Demolisher: The muscle-bound giants already existed in the first Dying Light, where they were protected by armour plates. The gigantic tanks could dish out a lot, but were extremely slow. In the new trailer for Dying Light 2, a demolisher could also be seen, but without armour.
Sleeping Beauties: These are zombies that are in a kind of trance. Judging by the new trailer, these infected are very sensitive to loud noises and should best be sneaked around.
- Volatile: The most dangerous zombie in the game. The Volatile embodies the most advanced mutation level and seems to be extremely dangerous. It is not yet known what abilities the new enemy type possesses. However, this type seems to be particularly agile and fast.
Trailer: What’s to see already for Dying Light 2?
During the long development period, several trailers and gameplay videos have already been released for Dying Light 2, all of which we will of course list for you.
In May 2021, the developers came back with a new gameplay trailer that offers an extensive look at the game world and the fast-paced melee combat. If you’ve always wanted to play Mirror’s Edge with zombies – here you go:
Another video is to show you the extensive changes to the game world, which will be based on your choices. Entire city districts will develop differently, which should be especially beneficial to the replay value:
At E3 2019, the protagonist Aiden introduced himself in a trailer. Accompanied by his monologue, you get a glimpse of further locations and their inhabitants in the dangerous city:
More info & Trailer at Gamescom
On August 26, 2021 at 8pm, developer Techland will host its own showcase for Dying Light 2 as part of this year’s Gamescom. Lead game designer Tymon Smektala will host the show, which will include a new gameplay trailer and reveal more about Dying Light 2’s parkour, combat and factions.
In addition to new details about the protagonist Aiden’s melee combat skills and numerous new killing tools, there will also be new info on the story to see. In the course of the game’s story, you will have to choose between the factions Survivors, Peacekeepers and Renegades. These come into conflict with each other, as they want to rebuild society in different ways. At Gamescom, the developers will explain how the faction system works and what you can expect from it.
What questions about Dying Light 2 still remain open for you? What do you think of the information published so far? Let us know in the comments.
