Its name was first announced to the public during E3 2018, three years after the launch of the original game, only to be delayed in 2020 by its developer, Techland, with no established release date.
Following another delay in 2021, it was confirmed that Dying Light 2 would finally be released in 2022, with additions and improvements to almost all features including playability and one of its biggest lures: mobility.
Beyond its open world, first-person combat and zombie atmosphere, Dying Light stood out for its opportunities for parkour between rooftops to go from one spot to another.
Climbing ledges, jumping from cornices or running up walls are just some of the movements that have been maintained, with twice as many available in Dying Light 2, which features around 3000 animations.
Hooks, ziplines and paragliding are just a few of these additions, which will allow players to explore Dying Light 2 in a frantic way, trusting Techland to have provided yet another rich, attractive open world.
The day-night cycle will be just as important as in the original game, with zombies that become more aggressive at night and which players are never safe from, even on the rooftops.
The sun slows down these enemies, but at night the character becomes their prey. The infected will gain the ability to push, cause more damage and even climb and jump between buildings, just like the player.
With regard to fights, as before, the sequel will focus on bladed weapons and body-to-body combat, with the chance to also use crossbows, shotguns or spears in certain situations.
As part of the company's investment in a bigger and better instalment, the map will be four times bigger and divided into seven regions, with The City, the final location which is set in Europe, at the centre.
Even though the first Dying Light game had a traditional narrative with main and secondary missions, one of its biggest appeals was world exploration and everything that players could find within it.
However, for this second instalment the developer wanted to place more emphasis on the story, writing it with interactive industry veteran Chris Avellone (Knights of the Old Republic II, Fallout: New Vegas, Prey).
According to Avellone, the game would feature sandbox storytelling, in which every decision would have genuine, demonstrable consequences in the world of the game; a scenario and story that reacts to players' choices.
Moving away from the rather relaxed, light atmosphere of the first game, Techland wanted to add a darker, more serious feel to Dying Light 2, with themes such as betrayal, disloyalty and scheming.
The team also featured writers from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, who confirmed that they had been inspired by works such as The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones, in which the humans are just as dangerous as the monsters.
Dying Light 2, developed by Techland, Square Enix and Deep Silver, will finally be released on 4 February 2022 on Playstation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series S/X, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch.
