`Dying Light 2' builds on the amazing gameplay
Techland has emerged as one of the top developers in Poland based on the strength of its zombie games. “Dead Island” put the developer on the map, and the open-world undead game “Dying Light” made a big splash.
That project was successful enough that it spawned a battle royale spinoff and several expansions. All that work has led to a six-year gap between the original and the eventual sequel — “Dying Light 2: Stay Human.” That's a lifetime in video games. Trends come and go and gamers' tastes evolve. The big question facing “Dying Light 2” is if Techland can innovate enough to keep the gameplay fresh.
Life in a zombie world
The sequel is bigger and bolder as players take on the role of Aiden Caldwell. He's known as a Pilgrim, a traveler of sorts who goes between cities in a world that has been overrun by the undead for the past 15 years. A new strain of the virus that wreaked havoc in Harran spread through the world and ended civilization in an event known as the Fall.
Aiden grew up in this world and was subjected to experiments by a shady organization called the Global Relief Effort. During one of these tests, a fire broke out in the lab and he was separated from his sister, Mia. As an adult, he's searching for her and uncovers a lead that sends him to the European city of Villedor. That's where elements of his past catch up to him and he becomes a key player among the city's warring factions.
“Dying Light 2” brings back and expands the parkour moves that made the original remarkable. With enough leveling up, players can wall run, drop-kick enemies and leap seemingly impossible distances across rooftops. In real life, a lot of the stunts would end up shattering bones but Aiden is special because of the GRE experiments performed on him, and that gives him an edge when dealing with the undead as well as with aggressive factions in Villedor.
Parkour that skyscraper
The traversal feels instinctive and natural but takes practice as players learn to read the environment and how to handle the handholds, pipes, ropes and monkey bars that are strewn across the rooftops. Players gain additional abilities with the paraglider and grappling hook later in the game. Those become essential as Aiden enters the high rises of the Central Loop with its soaring high-rises.
Villedor's verticality and diverse architecture makes it a fascinating city to explore. Players can parkour across rooftops or open apartments while trying to rush to their destination. They'll also face obstacles as they figure out how to reach seemingly out of the way landings.
When it comes to combat, the campaign gives players several ways to dispatch zombies and thugs. Players can block and evade attacks and then counter with a swing of their own. They can opt for a stealthy approach and methodically take out adversaries one by one. If an enemy is too powerful, Aiden can craft traps and explosives to take it out. The beauty of the combat is that there's a few ways to tackle a dangerous situation, and if it gets out of hand, the system is flexible enough that it can accommodate new tactics.
The only complaint is that melee weapons have a finite durability. Players can find ways to extend them, but they can't be repaired indefinitely. Eventually, everything is disposable.
In addition, because of Aiden's infection, he slowly turns into a monster when he stays in the dark. It's another layer of worry especially when traversing enclosed buildings or running through the night.
So-so storytelling
“Dying Light 2's” foundation is strong, but unfortunately, the mission design, characters and narrative fail to be as compelling. Aiden's quest to find his lost sister, and his unexpected connections in the city of Villedor, push the story along but there isn't really a cohesive theme behind the side quests and other activities. The inconsistencies of the mission designs and the overall writing is jarring, as quests prove to be comedic at times, or deadly serious in others, as Aiden meets all types of survivors with a screw loose.
That's to be expected after the end of the world, but many of the quests and activities don't seem to add to the depth of characters. The one notable hallmark of “Dying Light 2” is that player choices have a notable impact on the shape of the narratives, and the decisions Aiden has to make are often difficult as they choose which side to support — the Survivors or the Peacekeepers.
None of the factions is entirely good and each has its dark side. The other issue with some of the mission designs and the way they are laid out is that it's not always clear what to do next. It can be hard finding an objective, or players may inadvertently sell a treasured item instead of giving it to a child.
Despite those flaws, “Dying Light 2” still finds ways to suck players into its post-apocalyptic world. The progression system is good enough that players will want to unlock all the moves and level up Aiden's stamina and health. The mystery of his past and his mission will hold players' attention long enough that they can enjoy the wild ride in Villedor, showing that Techland's zombie formula can still be relevant today.