Techland’sDead Islandpromised to deliver an open world zombie experience unlike any other, but it was trapped in development hell. Eventually,Dead Islandsaw release and while it earned somewhat mixed reviews, became a cult hit for horror fans. For its next game, Techland decided to return to the open world zombie genre that it explored withDead Island, but with a twist.
Dying Lightfrom Techland is similar toDead Islandin many ways, but improves on the original game’s formula with some key new features. For example,Dying Lightintroduces a new day/night cycle that is integral to the gameplay. At night, zombies are far more vicious and deadlier, forcing players to find shelter if they want the best chance at survival.
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Dying Light’s day/night cycleis a huge new addition that ratchets up the intensity quite a bit, but it’s also noticeable for its parkour movement system. WhereasDead Islandhad fairly limited movement,Dying Lightallows players to climb and jump around the game world in a manner that’s not unlike Ubisoft’sAssassin’s Creedgames orMirror’s Edge.
Dying Lightalso differs from its predecessor through its tone, which is considerably darker and more serious thanDead Island.Dying Lightis a grim survival story, with shocking deaths, disturbing imagery, and horrific moments that are sure to stick with players long after the credits roll.The Followingexpansion builds on the base game’s story in meaningful ways and is also worth playing for any horror fans looking for a solid zombie game experience.
Horror fans don’t have to play throughDying Light’s twisted story alone.Dying Lightsupports up to four players for its co-op mode, which boosts its replay value significantly. Some horror purists may think that playing in a group hurts the scare factor, butDying Lightis still full of plenty of unnerving moments and jump scares that will keep players on their toes, whether they’re playing solo or not.
WithDying Light, Techland solidified itself as the top studio for open world zombie games. BothDying LightandThe Followingexpansionearned strong reviews from critics, and so it’s no surprise that expectations are high forDying Light 2.Dying Light 2is greatly expanding the parkour mechanics from the originalDying Light, and that combined with its presence on next-generation consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X makes it one of the most-exciting horror games currently in development.
Dying Lightis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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