Dying Light 2 Review Roundup: Ambitious But Imperfect
Techland's Dying Light 2 Stay Human manages to climb above its predecessor it many areas, but the post-apocalyptic title seems a little rough around the edges. 2015's Dying Light created an interesting zombie survival experience by combining parkour traversal and weapons-based combat in an open-world environment. Considered one of the most anticipated games of 2022, Dying Light 2 promises to break new ground by improving and evolving each of these core gameplay pillars.
Like its predecessor, Dying Light 2 Stay Human is an action role-playing survival horror game centered around survival, combat and exploration. The sequel takes place in a European metropolis called The City, roughly four times larger than the first game's map, which has been overrun by the undead hordes. The first game's emphasis on parkour is retained, with brand-new gadgets like a grappling hook and paraglider further enhancing the player's movement abilities. Long-range weapons have been almost entirely removed, putting a much stronger focus on brutal melee combat. Techland claimed that Dying Light 2 would take 500 hours to complete back in January, though the developer eventually clarified this statement to present a more realistic completion time of around 50 hours.
Early reviews of Dying Light 2 suggest that the sequel has improved upon the first game, though it appears to fall short in certain areas. Open-world exploration and thrilling combat seem to be the project's greatest strengths, with The City offering a wide range of content for gamers to tackle. However, technical issues appear to sully the experience for many, and Dying Light 2's generic storyline has also drawn criticism. For more in-depth discussion of the game, a breakdown of various Dying Light 2 reviews can be found below:
Cade Onder - 3.5/5 - Screen Rant
"Dying Light 2 may not match the ambition that it had promised years ago, but it still delivers an experience that substantially evolves its predecessor's formula in a satisfying way. Dying Light 2 is a leap forward for the franchise, even if it's not going to set the industry on fire with further innovation. Thanks to its fluid and refined gameplay and a distinct world filled with content, it's hard not to be entranced by this sequel even with its shortcomings."
Eric Switzer - 3.5/5 - TheGamer
"Dying Light 2 is a game with a troubled development, and unfortunately, it shows. I know how much the first game grew significantly over the years with patches and content updates, and I can only hope that this one gets as much support, because it still needs a lot of work before it becomes the game we were first promised back in 2018, if ever."
Owen S. Good - Not Rated - Polygon
"Dying Light 2’s appeal is, ultimately, more game than story. Perhaps Techland’s developers were presented with their own vexing, profoundly consequential choice, where they had to choose to save one structural component or the other. If so, they picked correctly. This is a video game, after all, and a well-balanced combat system, plus exhilarating parkour with effortless contextual moves, can save even the weakest story. Vice versa seems impossible."
Travis Northup - 7/10 - IGN
"Another in a long series of big, ambitious games whose potential greatness is visible just beneath a grimey layer of bugs, Dying Light 2 Stay Human could very likely become the stellar zombie survival adventure it’s meant to be someday. For now, though, it’s best added to your backlog unless your irritation with crashes and technical issues is outweighed by eagerness to dance across rooftops with its excellent parkour, which – when everything works – is an unforgettable way to explore the last city’s open world and join in the post-apocalyptic stories of its many weird and distinctive characters. No patch can fix the forgettable main plot or the protagonist I couldn’t pick out of a police lineup even after 80 hours in his shoes, but Dying Light 2’s streets tell their own stories."
Jordan Middler - 3/5 - Video Games Chronicle
"Dying Light 2: Stay Human feels like it lost its direction somewhere along the way. It begins as an interesting zombie game wherein the threat feels tangible, your character feels weak, and the world feels primed for a dynamic story. However, the further you get into the game, a lot of its early ideas feel sidelined for a generic zombie plot, uninspiring combat, and the absence of any kind of danger."
Mark Delaney - 6/10 - GameSpot
"Dying Light 2 is a perplexing game. Its story and characters are headache-inducing, and it appears to lack polish in many areas. But even a dozen hours after I rolled credits, I've found myself going back to the game to do another parkour challenge, rummage through another abandoned science lab, or just see if I can get from Point A to Point B without ever hitting the ground. It's rough around the edges and it asks players to invest a lot in its weakest element, but once you realize the story, like gravity, is only going to pull you down, you can begin to defy it and enjoy the things Dying Light 2 actually does well."
While Dying Light 2 appears to have its fair share of faults, ongoing support from Techland could potentially improve the experience over time. The developer has revealed that five years of Dying Light 2 post-launch support are planned, with this content coming in the form of new stories, locations and in-game events. Techland supported the series' first installment until 2020, a similar five-year timeframe, with large expansions and smaller content packs serving to add fresh new content and improve flaws.
Reviews indicate that Dying Light 2 successfully delivers an intense post-apocalyptic open-world experience, with players leaping across rooftops and battling zombie hordes with improvised weaponry. Unfortunately, technical issues and a lackluster story prevent the experience from being truly great. With Techland already announcing post-launch support, the developer can hopefully fix Dying Light 2's drawbacks to create a more polished title.
Dying Light 2 will release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on February 4.