In one form or another, zombies have been a popular formula in the world of horror storytelling. From Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s monster to George A. Romero’s zombie shufflers to the pop-culture phenomenon ofThe Walking Deadcomic book series and its live-actionTV adaptations.
The thought of someone rising from the dead to have a cannibalistic instinct to make us lunchtime dinner will forever resonate and play on our inner fears. This is why zombies in video games have collaborated so well, as a horror universe can be created with imagination and little in terms of restriction.
In franchises such asResident Evil,Dead Rising,Dead SpaceandDead Island, zombies in video games are something that won’t be going away anytime soon. One other popular zombie video game franchise is from the original Dead Island developers,Techlandwith Dying Light.
Advert
Advert
In 2015,Dying Lightwas released and taking what Techland had previously learned withDead Islandin 2011, the studio blended its open-world approach with parkour gameplay that would even put Assassin’s Creed to shame.
Dying Lightalso had a great sense of horror, especially when night falls and the creatures would become deadlier than ever, in particular with its relentless Volatile zombie type that will pursue the player until they are killed or have found safe haven.
Then in 2022, Techland’s sequel arrived withDying Light 2: Stay Human. At its core, the sequel promised to be bigger and better than its predecessor. Sadly, however, it could be argued that the sequel may have lost some of its horrors with its colourful and vibrant new map of Villedor.
Advert
Advert
“We really wanted to bring back the night fromDying Light 1, but we kind of overdid it in the first version of [Dying Light 2],” said senior producer Michał Borecki. “So we tried to find a balance between the scary dark nights [of the first game] and the more approachable nights inDying Light 2. We think we’ve struck the balance [between both games].”
So what changes will the update make? For starters, Volatiles will be a threat in the sequel and players will have the choice of an optional filter that will make nighttime in the game darker. What’s more, Borecki said that the flashlight and sound effects will also be improved to make it more accessible for players to use stealth tactics, parkour will also be enhanced and more. The ‘Good Night, Good Luck’ update will go live on 29 June 2023.
Advert
Advert
“Techland’s long-awaited zombie RPG mostly delivers the goods in style, providing an expansive - if not entirely original - an open-world playground that’s filled with epic action, pleasingly brutal combat, and some difficult choices. The end of the world has never been so entertaining. Just try not to rush through the main story, okay?”
Dying Light 2: Stay Humanis out now for PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
Topics:Dying Light 2,Techland
