As promised just a few days ago, Techland has unleashed the first extensive gameplay footage of Dying Light 2. This new 26-minute look at the sequel constitutes the gameplay shown to press during E3 2019. There’s plenty on display, too. The gameplay demonstrates just how much the series has changed since the first entry. Most notably, parkour, combat, and decision-making have all received incredible upgrades.
See what the next Dying Light chapter has on offer in the gameplay demo below:
The footage centers around one primary mission–the city in which Dying Light 2 is set is running out of drinking water. According to a few people in the know, a character named the Colonel seems the only person able to solve the issue. The protagonist, Aidan, and three other men plan on meeting with the Colonel. However, this all quickly goes sideways when one of Aidan’s friends, Frank, mysteriously becomes wounded, causing a fight to break out.
Frank’s injury demonstrates how the choice system works. Aidan can either stay with Frank or choose to chase after the people who harmed him. Both have consequences. In the gameplay above, Aidan goes after the enemy. The footage then opens up the game world a bit, showcasing the city’s District 2. There are a total of seven regions in the city, all distinct, each introducing “new parkour moves, enemies, and gameplay mechanics.”
Most interesting is how combat and parkour can be mixed together for one smooth experience. In fact, according to the gameplay demo’s narrator, the number of parkour moves has doubled since the original Dying Light. This is on display as Aidan races across rooftops, dodges infected creatures in Dark Zones, and navigates his way around myriad obstacles. It’s a sight to behold.
When Aidan finally catches up to the person he thinks shot Frank, he’s presented with yet another binary option. Kill the suspect, Steve, or threaten him. By threatening him, Aidan ensures his own access into the Colonel’s compound. Killing Steve would’ve resulted in Aidan’s having a much harder time progressing through the mission.
Combat also warrants mention, as it, too, has seen improvements. Weapon mods return, but they aren’t the star of the show here. Instead, players will be able to use parkour more freely in combat. This is thanks in large part to the grapple mechanic. In the demo, Aidan uses it to get himself out of tough spots and to attack enemies with objects in the environment. It seems safe to say no two players will approach combat in the same manner.
Dying Light 2 doesn’t have a solid launch date, but will come to the PS4, PC, and Xbox One in spring 2020.
