A dark story that proves once again humanity’s fragility
Dying Light 2 is set 15 years after the first game and introduces a new cast of characters. The sequel deploys Aidan, the main protagonist, on the outskirts of the fictional European city of Villedor, one of humanity’s last bastion. Aidan is a Pilgrim, one of the few humans who dares to venture into the world to deliver messages or goods between the few remaining settlements across Europe. Pilgrims are an accepted evil in a world that’s been overrun by a ruthless plague that infected all the population and turned most of it into zombies. However, Aidan’s motives for becoming a Pilgrim are different as we’re going to find out in the game’s prologue. This sets up the stage for an epic story of betrayal, survival, hopes and dreams. As I make my way to Villedor, which hopefully, will be the end of my journey, the world around me feels empty, save for the occasional zombies roaming the wilderness. Nighttime though, it’s a completely different story. While the prologue that ends once you made it to the city is meant to teach you the basics, it’s hardly enough to prepare you for what’s coming. Dying Light 2 narrative kicks off pretty strong at the beginning of the game and although the game tries to lead you off the beaten path by throwing a bunch of side-quests and activities at you, these aren’t interesting enough to make it worth your time. By far the star of the game is the parkour intertwined with combat moves. Nothing gets even close to it, which is both good and bad at the same time. The original game is by no mean notorious for having a great story, but I would have expected some kind of improvement to this aspect as well. Although you’re a complete stranger to the people in Villedor, you’re suddenly embroiled in the politics and intrigues involving the two major factions controlling the city: Survivors and Peacekeepers. While looking for you sister, you are invited to take sides in this fight for domination over the few resources still left in the city. Unfortunately, the only aspect where your choices matter is the layout of part of the city you offer to one of the factions. Personally, I went Survivors for the most part because they provided me with more traversal options in those regions, whereas Peacekeepers offer more combat-oriented improvements to the zones, something that I absolutely didn’t need. It’s like that with many of the decisions that you have to make in the game, which is kind of disappointing. On the bright side, everything related to movement and combat is on a completely different level.
