Gaming has certainly evolved over the years, and the best example of this comes in the form of the marvelous RPGs players have access to nowadays. But Techland's iteration of an open-world RPG, Dying Light, is one that is rather unique, as it focuses on surviving against a world that's overrun with mutated zombies.

The original Dying Light, released back in 2015, was a gigantic success and received numerous nominations for Game of The Year and other accolades. Now, developer Techland is back once again, as the long-awaited sequel to Dying Light is releasing worldwide to gamers soon.

In the lead-up to Dying Light 2's release, we're going to run over everything you need to know surrounding Techland's latest entry, so you can get amped for another adventure within Dying Light!

Dying Light 2 Stay Human Release Date

Techland

Although Dying Light 2 was originally set to release back in the spring of 2020, it received numerous delays and has now finally been confirmed to come out in early 2022.

More specifically, the release date for Dying Light 2 is currently slated for February 4th, 2022, and this shouldn't change in the coming days before it premieres worldwide.

Dying Light 2 Platforms

Before the game debuts, it's always good to get up to speed on the platforms and editions that Techland are going to be releasing for their new sequel.

For those who don't already know, Dying Light 2 will be releasing on the following platforms and will allow up to four players on most of these:

• Xbox Series X|S
• Xbox One
• PS4
• PS5
• PC

Dying Light 2 Editions

Unlike the first Dying Light Stay Human, the sequel isn't releasing on the handheld Nintendo Switch, but we suspect this could come later down the line in the coming years.

Although it's good to know what platforms the game is appearing on, for most AAA titles – especially ones of Dying Light 2's caliber – we're going to be receiving multiple editions so that if you're a hardcore fan, you have the choice but to opt in to one of these.

First, we have the regular edition of Dying Light 2 Stay Human, which will run you $59.99 USD and can be purchased via standard retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Gamestop.

Moving up a tier, the Deluxe Edition is going to cost $79.99 USD and will come with a few goodies for shelling out the additional $20.

Techland

It'll come bundled with the following bonuses:

• Steelbook for retail copies
• Story DLC 1
• Weapon Charm
• Digital Soundtrack and Artbook
• Legendary Outfit
• Legendary Skin
• Legendary Paraglider Skin

Last but not least, we have the Dying Light 2 Stay Human Ultimate Edition, which will cost $99.99 USD and will come bundled with the following:

• Story DLC 1
• Story DLC 2
• "Legendary" skin pack
• Exclusive weapon charms
• Wallpapers
• Digital comic
• Digital soundtrack
• Digital artbook
• 2H Night XP Boost
• Crafting items

Techland

Keep in mind, if you pre-order Dying Light 2 you'll also gain access to some additional outfits and other bonuses.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human Gameplay Trailers

In the lead-up to the release date of Dying Light 2, Techland has gone ahead and premiered numerous trailers for players to check out to see if they're interested in the sequel to Stay Human.

With this said, down below are all the recent trailers and gameplay footage for Dying Light 2.

 

Although there are other trailers showcasing some of the campaign mechanics around the game, we're going to touch on them down below in their own designated sections.

Along with the ample amount of gameplay trailers, we've had a cinematic trailer that has been revealed just weeks before the new release window for the game.

Based on what we see here, there's going to be a key focus on parkour moves and other varying aspects of the game this time around.

 

How Long Will Dying Light 2 Take To Complete

A hot topic in the gaming industry as of late has been the newly announced completion time it's going to take for players to fully conquer Dying Light 2.

Techland's social media accounts posted some clarification into the confusion regarding the rumored 500 hours it would take players to complete Dying Light 2.

In total, the main campaign is going to take players roughly 20 hours to complete, and that's if they don't detour to complete any additional side missions or other diversions.

All side missions and the main story will take you around 80 hours, and for those hungry for absolutely everything in Dying Light, the game is going to take a staggering 500 hours to complete!

Techland on Twitter

Dying Light 2's Vast, Open World

One of the biggest selling points of the first game was the immersive open-world that Techland announced, and this is once again the case as they've built a world set within the dark ages of humanity.

Essentially, players will be moving west to a settlement called Harran, and new details have emerged that signal that the new map for Dying Light 2 is nearly four times larger than the original game.

Furthermore, in gameplay trailers, we've gotten some insight into how expansive the map truly is, and players are in for a treat.

 

There's a ton of abandoned buildings for players to check out and hopefully traverse within without coming across some crazy and extreme situations.

Dying Light 2's Narrative Choices Explained

Techland

Before we dive into the complexity and the nuances of the story, it's important to talk about some of the narrative choices you can make. 

It appears that choices in Dying Light 2 are going to be more immersive and expansive than in other games, as Techland has stated in multiple interviews the impact they're going to have on player's games.

Lead Designer Tymon Smektala has noted the following on the game's narrative and how choices will affect crucial moments within the game.

"There are no good choices in Dying Light 2 ...These are your choices and that's your ending. You have to live with it, whatever it is. It comes from you, what happens in the game."

For instance, back during E3 2018, Techland showcased some of the choices and how they directly have consequences with how the story is going to play out over the course of the survival zombie game.

The gameplay trailer showed how during missions there are going to be numerous choices players can make. For example, upon catching the assassin who killed your friend, you can either kill them right away or hear them out.

 

The human settlement in Dying Light 2 that Aiden Caldwell will be parkouring around has an endless amount of decisions that players will dive into when the game fully releases in February.

Dying Light 2's Brutal and Creative Combat

 

One of the drawing components of every Techland game has been the immersive and brutal combat that they add within each game. We first witnessed this during Dead Island with the vast amount of weapons and extensive melee combat they had to offer.

Within Dying Light 2 we're going to get a lot of the combat mechanics we saw in the previous game, but now, players are going to be able to craft some rather creative weapons.

Along with the sheer amount of weapons we're going to be able to find, including electrified wrenches, they'll be a wide array of new zombies for players to battle.

We've seen some terrifying ones in the lead-up to the game's release window, and this is largely due to the game's day/night cycle.

Dying Light 2's Day/Night Cycle

Techland

The game's world is going to drastically change over time, similar to the original game, as over the course of a player's save, the world is going to mimic a day/night cycle throughout Aiden Caldwell's experience.

Basically, you'll have a sizable amount of your missions spread across both the day and night, and you'll have to use a wide array of your combat skills in order to beat some of these missions. Furthermore, to survive the zombie apocalypse, you'll need to take advantage of some of the UV lights stationed around the map as we witness within the first Dying Light.

Developer Techland announced during one of their showcases for the new game that there's going to be some zombies that are rage-filled killers and only come out during the nighttime.

While Aiden is exploring the last human settlement on the western front, there are also going to be countless abandoned structures we'll be able to explore once night falls.

Dying Light 2 Brand Manager Anna Kubica spoke to GamesRadar on how the day/night cycle is going to function and how players are going to have to manage being infected throughout the game.

"Managing infection can be controlled by UV light exposure – if you stay in the sun, you're safe… at least until nightfall."

Dying Light 2's Story Summarized

Although we don't want to spoil too many details surrounding the story for Dying Light 2, there have been some details published pertaining to the new adventures our character, Aiden Caldwell is going to embark on.

Set 20 years later after the events of the first game, you play as Aiden Caldwell, who is a part of one of the clans within the game, the Outcasts. Techland has also detailed that in the upcoming zombie sequel, Aiden is an infected survivor.

Digital Foundry spoke to Lead Designer Tymon Smektala, who noted the following on the setting of the game.

"It's a setting that explains, presents a world where the civilization has gone back to [the] dark ages," Smektala said. "Right now, everything is brutal, primal, and merciless. Chris Avellone helped us to define that world, define the rules that govern it, and [helped] define the factions that operate in the city."

This plays to your advantage. Unlike in the original Dying Light, you'll be able to execute superhuman moves all while gaining access to certain items such as the grappling hook.

Throughout the story, you'll meet tons of interesting and unique characters that are going to shape the way the game plays out, and choice is evidently more important than just a few dialogue options during missions.

Dying Light 2 Factions

Techland

You're going to encounter three different factions within Dying Light 2, and you'll have direct control of how the story plays out in their own regards. You'll be able to side with one or the other, and doing this will also directly affect the functionality of the other factions.

The three factions within Dying Light 2 are as follows:

• Peacekeepers
• Opposed to the name itself, this faction used brute force in order to establish what they believe is going to be the ideal world.
• Renegades
• Led by ex-convicts, the Renegades are violet, ruthless, and will stop at nothing to gain what they desire.
• Survivors
• Last but not least, the Survivors are amazing at adapting to every situation and are known for having strong forces and gardens on rooftops.

As noted above, over the course of the game, you're going to be able to interact with each faction and its leaders, and it's up to you to decide whether or not you're going to align yourself with one or the other.

Keep in mind, Peacekeepers, Renegades, and Survivors are all going to grant you different benefits compared to other factions, so it's up to you to see which ones you would rather have access to.

Is Rosario Dawson In Dying Light 2?

 

American actress Rosario Dawson, known for roles in projects such as Daredevil, The Mandalorian among other hit TV shows, has been cast as a character within Dying Light 2.

As shown in the accompanying trailer we've embedded for your convenience, she'll play Lauren, who we can assume we'll get to interact with along the way in Dying Light 2, and maybe some quests will revolve around her.

Lead designer Tymon Smektala noted the following to Xbox Magazine on having a top-tier actress such as Rosario Dawson within the game.

"So sometimes in crucial moments for the narrative where we feel there’s a space for you to think back and realize that maybe what you decided to do wasn’t the thing you really wanted to do, even if that’s not a 'good' thing... there are a couple of instances where we give you a chance to rewrite those decisions."

From the trailer, we can sense that Rosario's character is surely a tough woman, and we're bound to see her on multiple levels during the game.

Does Dying Light 2 Have Co-Op?

Techland

One of the biggest lures to the original game was the ability for you and up to three other friends to jump into the world of Dying Light, whether you're PC gaming or playing on Xbox/PlayStation.

Thankfully, leading digital publisher Techland has already confirmed in comments to PCGamesN that "the choices and the narrative and the consequences you have in your own game are really huge and your friends could have chosen differently."

Producer Malgorzata Mitrega has also noted that "in Dying Light 2, co-operation mode will have a host."

Having a full-fledged RPG centered around a massive city and making it cooperative play is certainly an ambitious project, but Techland has a proven track record.

Dying Light 2 Minimum System Requirements

With the new release window, players looking to try Dying Light 2 Stay Human on PC will more than likely have the necessary components in order to run the game at multiple settings.

Here's a quick breakdown of internals you'll need to run Dying Light 2.

Minimum System Requirements

• CPU: Intel Core i3-9100 or AMD Ryzen 3 2300X
• RAM: 8GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 560 (4GB VRAM)
• OS: Windows 7
• Available storage space: 60GB HDD

Recommended - Ray Tracing Off

• CPU: Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB
• OS: Windows 10
• Available storage space: 60GB SSD

Ray Tracing On - Minimum

• CPU: Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB
• OS: Windows 10
• Available storage space: 60GB SSD

Ray Tracing On- Recommended

• CPU: Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 10GB
• OS: Windows 10
• Available storage: 60GB SDD

Dying Light 2 Skill Tree Explained

 

One of the core aspects of Dying Light 2 Stay Human is once again going to be the skill tree that players will have to pick and choose from what attributes they want to concentrate on their player.

This time around, we're going to have skill trees for the following attributes:

• Combat
• Parkour

So, as opposed to the original game, we're going to be missing one of the trees, which was Survivor, so players won't have to allocate as many skill points to gain advantages within the game's world.

Some of the beloved skills are coming back to Dying Light 2, and this was showcased in some of the gameplay trailer, as the vaulting off of zombies and dropkicking is back yet again.

Techland has noted the following on the skill tree for Dying Light 2:

"While performing specific in-game actions, players will earn experience points in one of two areas-parkour and combat. Traversal actions like climbing, jumping, or vaulting will be rewarded by progressing a parkour-centric experience bar. The more complex and skillful movements players perform, the more experience will be gained. Likewise, to earn combat-centric experience points, players should take the fight straight to enemies and perform combination attacks to net even more experience points.

"Completing quests can quickly fill both experience bars, and players shouldn't neglect the new abilities they pick up along the way, which can be used in concert for bigger experience gains. For example, with the right timing, the combat skill Grapple can throw enemies to the side using their own momentum. Follow up with Stomp for an opportunity to instantly kill enemies you've just thrown to the ground. Many such inventive combinations exist for players to incorporate in their playstyles.

"Of course, these combos extend to parkour skills, as well. Dart temporarily increases your running speed, and combined with Double Jump, a Skill that helps you jump higher while vaulting obstacles, all sorts of unreachable places open up."

What Else Will Dying Light 2 Have?

Over the course of the first Dying Light, there have been multiple instances where the content related to the game is looking sorta similar to the first.

What we mean by this, is throughout the game there's going to be parkour challenges, competitions if you're playing with friends, that'll certainly keep the story interesting. As well, players can expect a flurry of functional building that you'll be able to enter.

Top image via Techland

This article was written by Nick Farrell, a multi-platform editor and writer in the games industry.