Dive into the ever-expanding world of Dying Light as its sequel crests the horizon
PC gamers like to joke about their “Steam backlog,” the list of games in their Steam library that they just haven’t gotten around to playing. It’s perhaps a sign that gamers can be compulsive shoppers, but it also shows just how many excellent PC games are published every year. Even if gaming was your full-time job, you’d have trouble keeping up with all the new content.
That’s why it’s remarkable when a game keeps the attention of a community for years at a time. Dying Light launched all the way back in 2015, yet it still holds a spot in Steam’s Top 100 list of most-played games. That doesn’t happen by accident. A game only earns enduring popularity when it’s lavished with responsive support and compelling updates.
That’s why we’re thrilled about the upcoming Dying Light 2. We’re working with the game’s developer, Techland, to create a special dual-screen experience in the sequel for users of our unique ROG Zephyrus Duo 15, and we’re offering free codes for Dying Light and Dying Light 2 to folks who purchase this innovative gaming laptop. Check out the full details here.
What’s a zombie-slaying gamer to do while Techland wraps up development on Dying Light 2? You might be surprised by how much there is to do in the original. Between its co-op mode, massive expansion, upcoming DLC, and sprawling open world filled with unexpected challenges, Dying Light has more than enough to keep you satisfied until its sequel drops. Here are five aspects of the game that are worth checking out while you wait.
He who fights with monsters might take care
An easy way to get a fresh look at Dying Light’s campaign is to do it with a friend. The first time I played the campaign, I did it solo. I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time while I figured out key bindings or the game systems. Besides, there’s a certain tension to being alone in the dark. In surprise encounters with the vicious infected, there’s nothing to rely on but your own reflexes and the gear you piece together from scavenged parts.
Image source: Gamesplanet
With a friend, the mood of the game changes. A partner opens up so many options for overcoming obstacles and dealing with the shuffling swarms of infected that it’s easy to go a little overboard. With a little coordination, you’ll soon be bouncing mobs back and forth, luring them into your partner’s traps, and running distractions for each other.
If you and your friends don’t play on the same schedule, you can still enjoy Dying Light in cooperative mode. The game will seamlessly hook you up with people to play with if you have cooperative mode enabled in the game menu. As with any online matchmaker, the quality of your teammates will vary from session to session, but I’ve yet to be teamed up with a player who wasn’t communicative and helpful.
Lest he thereby become a monster
Dying Light offers ample opportunity for teamwork, but it also lets you unleash nightmares on other players. In its “Be the Zombie” zombie, you can assume the form of a Night Hunter and invade other players’ servers. As this fearsome creature, you’ll have a range of abilities at your disposal for chasing down opponents. The more players you kill, the more experience you’ll gain toward skill points that you can spend in a Night Hunter-specific tree.
Image source: Gamesplanet
Beware, though, because the players you attack aren’t exactly helpless. They can team up with up to three other players to end your predations. Once they destroy your hunter nests, your reign of terror will be over.
Just go explore!
In ways small and large, Dying Light rewards exploration. There’s plenty to do across the map, even if you’re just scavenging for crafting mats. Along the way you might find some of the base game’s 100 collectible zombie statues.
Image source: Gamesplanet
Some of my favorite encounters are in Dying Light’s quarantine zones. According to the game’s lore, these are areas where the military tried and failed to contain the infected and resorted to blocking them off instead. Typically, these zones are filled to the brim with zombies of all kinds, but if you’re able to overcome the hordes you’ll gain access to some fantastic loot.
For me, each quarantine zone feels like a self-enclosed puzzle, an opportunity to play the game a little differently than I ordinarily would. The ill-named Sunny Apartments, for example, are filled with smoke due to a heating system failure. I was reminded of the claustrophobia-inducing short viewing distance in Silent Hill as I peered up a flight of stairs through the haze for any sign of enemies. The smoke slowly suffocates your character, so you have to move carefully while dealing with the infected.
Continue the story in a massive new zone
Perhaps you’ve got an itch for more of Dying Light’s excellent storytelling. “The Following” DLC greatly expands both the game world and its plot. The playable area it adds is enormous, roughly the size of both of the original game’s maps put together. If you love the base game, but its ruined cityscape has become a little too familiar, this expansion will be just the ticket.
Image source: Gamesplanet
“The Following” takes you out of the zombie-infected slums into nearby farmland. Without revealing too much of the story, your character heads into this area to investigate a group rumored to have discovered a way to become immune to the infection. This group turns out to be a secretive cult. Dig into the mysteries and intrigue surrounding their purported immunity, and you’ll be rewarded with a very satisfying ending.
Smash some skulls in the upcoming Hellraid DLC
As if all this wasn’t enough to keep you occupied in Dying Light until November, there’s even more content on the way this summer. On August 13th, Techland will launch a fantastical new gameplay mode in the Hellraid DLC. This expansion adds a supernatural arcade machine to the original game that challenges players to “Insert Soul.” Interacting with the machine will send your character to another dimension overrun with hellspawn.
Image source: Gamesplanet
It’s definitely a thematic departure from the main storyline and world, but I won’t be able to say no to the prospect of Dying Light’s excellent movement and fighting mechanics paired with a scenario straight out of my favorite classic ‘90s dungeon crawlers. Hellraid will have its own progression system, and as you level it up you’ll be able to take some of the DLC’s medieval weaponry back with you into the slums of the base game. I’m more than ready to swing a warhammer through the zombie-infested ruins of civilization.
All the action you can handle today and more on the horizon
Even in 2020, Dying Light is a fantastic value, especially for those who nab a copy of the game and its sequel when they purchase the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. That laptop’s innovative second screen, powerful cooling system, and top-tier hardware will get you primed and ready for the release of Dying Light 2—or any other PC game that catches your attention, for that matter.
Image source: Gamesplanet
While you wait for the sequel, Dying Light has a lot to do right now and even more on the way. If you haven’t already, dive in and get your first taste of its parkour-fueled zombie-slaying action. If it’s been a while since you last romped over the rooftops of Harran, come check out all the new content. Somebody’s gotta bash these zombie heads. Why not you?
| ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 | |
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| Availability (USA) | ASUS Newegg Amazon B&H Microsoft |
