One of the things that sets theDying Lightfranchise apart from other zombie games is its traversal system. Parkour is an integral component ofDying LightandDying Light 2in that it provides players with unique ways of interacting with the game world. With parkour, players can climb up things, perform acrobatic leaps and rolls, and can interweave some of these moves into combat. Players feel a sense of exhilaration when performing parkour in theDying Lightgames as it gives them an extra boost of adrenaline when running away from Infected.
Daylight is a relatively safe time for players to explore, scavenge, and complete objectives, Nighttime, on the other hand, is a different story. While the nighttime in the firstDying Lightis a constant fight for survival,Dying Light 2’s nights are quite tame by comparison. Should Techland ever decide to push for another sequel, it should look into the first game and make nights more terrifying.
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Dying Light’s Nights Are For The Daring Or Suicidal
When 9 pm hits every day in the firstDying Light, almost all the lights in the city of Harran go out. Players can barely see 2 feet in front of them, thus making the use of a flashlight necessary. The darkness is also when the Infected become more active. Standard Infected can climb and run after players and special Infected like Night Walkers can detect players and draw other Infected to their location. The strongest of all the Infected are without a doubt the Volatiles, which are extremely powerful, durable, and fast. A single Volatile can quickly put an end to a night run should it manage to get within melee range of a player. All of these night Infected are present in Harran from 9 pm to 6 am, whereupon they retreat back into the city’s dark corners or go back into a sleep-like state. Their presence during these times is what makes nighttime inDying Lightso scary. The standard Infected areconstantly on the prowl for Kyle Craneon street level while the special variants can be found both on the street or up on rooftops.
It’s the special Infected players have to watch out for. Apart from being stronger and faster, these zombies can quickly alert others to players' locations and triggera Chase - a special event inDying Lightthat players must escapefrom by either eluding their chasers' lines of sight or going to the nearest safe zone. A Chase’s level can increase the longer players run from the Infected pursuing them, with more Infected joining in on the fun the higher the level gets. The catch here is that experience gained during nighttime activities is significantly higher than daytime adventures, so it is in players' best interests to weigh the risks and rewards before doing anything at night.
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Dying Light 2’s Nights Aren’t That Scary
In contrast to its predecessor,Dying Light 2’s nighttime incursions are far more manageable for series veterans and anyone who has spent some time with the game. Nights aren’t completely pitch-black anymore asthere are streaks of moonlight that permeate the streets of Villedor. Likewise, almost all the Infected can only be found on street level. In fact,Dying Light 2makes it a point to tell players that they will be fine as long as they stick to the rooftops.
Players have to get into quite a lot of trouble to agitate a group of Infected. They must first anger a Howler - a special type of Infected found only inDying Light 2. Howlers take some time to notice threats before they alert other Infected and start a Chase, giving players ample time to take them out stealthily or with a single powerful attack. Should a Howler manage to initiate a Chase, multiple Infected start running toward the player just like in the original game. The caveat here is that it is only during these later Chase levels that Volatiles appear.The Volatiles are still strongbut their limited presence and the difficulty of increasing a Chase level in the sequel make them almost mythical in nature. Save for Volatiles, the rest ofDying Light 2’s special Infected don’t pose that much of a threat.
Dying Light 3 Would Be Better Copying The First Dying Light’s Night Mechanics
WhileDying Light 2’s nights allowed players more leeway to explore Villedor, they ultimately made the Infected less of a threat. The game defined parameters that players could work around rather than adapt to - which is what the firstDying Lightdid. Rather than giving players strict rules to follow at night,Dying Lightforces players to think on their feet, thus creating a sense of immediacy and dread. It ultimately boils down to the tone Techland wants for the nextDying Light.Dying Light 2gives players a lighter, more exploration-based experience, but very few things can top the terror of going through the nights in the firstDying Light. At the very least,Techland’s penchant for post-game supportshould makeDying Light 2a more enjoyable experience in the years to come.
Dying Lightis available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
