In just one week Dying Light will kick off this year’s avalanche of AAA game releases. Why should you care? Well, it has zombies, and plenty of them.
Although Dying Light is a zombie-based game, it isn’t as predictable as you might think. Actually, it has some great new ideas in addition to blending mechanics and game elements together that have become gamer favorites in the past few years.
Also See: The Great Debate: Dying Light vs. Dead Island 2
Below you can educate yourself on what Dying Light is all about, and become equipped to handle its January 27th release.
Dying Light - Everything You Need to Know
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There are ranged weapons, but melee is emphasized
Similar to Dead Island, Dying Light has a ton of weapons, only a few of which are ranged (i.e. pistol, shotgun, etc). So, most of your engagements will consist of you heading face first into a pack of zombies armed with a melee weapon. It's a dangerous place to be, so you'll need to learn how to evade attacks and avoid combat altogether when faced with insurmountable odds.
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Crafting is an ingredient to success
When the sun is out you should be the lookout for materials and weapons in the game world. These items are used to craft superior tools and weapons that give you an advantage in the post-apocalyptic world.
If you've played Dead Rising, what's here will be familiar. You'll be able to craft exotic weapons that absolutely devastate hordes of enemies.
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Four-player co-op adds teamwork to the game
Although Dying Light can be beaten alone, the game was designed with co-op in mind. You can group with up to three other players in full drop-in/drop-out co-op where each player will earn experience and level up, offering a chance for everyone to specialize their character. Strong groups will support each other with complementary skills, and focus on each player being an expert at a particular element of the game, whether it be trapping, kiting, tanking, or crafting.
There will be no split-screen, so all multiplayer will be online based.
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Play as a zombie against your friends
If you feel like competing with other players, you have Zombie Mode at your disposal. This mode is similar to Left 4 Dead's Versus mode and particularly close to Evolve's structure where one player plays against a team of four. The single player is placed in the role of a Night Hunter Zombie, equipped with powerful attacks and the ability to improve through a skill tree. The Hunters have the advantage of numbers and equipment, but have to communicate to survive.
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Made by the same studio as Dead Island
Dying Light shares some common traits with Dead Island, and for good reason; it's made by the same studio. Techland has been around for more than a decade, but is most recently known for Dead Island and Dead Island: Riptide, two survival horror games that managed to feel quite different from other games on the market.
Let's be clear, Dying Light isn't part of the Dead Island franchise. Techland emphasized this fact when it announced the game. Nonetheless, there are some qualities that both games share, such as the first-person view, the intense melee battles with zombies, and open-world design.
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A serious tone
One thing that separates Dying Light from Dead Island is its much more mature tone. This isn't a game that kids around. It's grim with gore and the sort of dialog you'd expect in a post-apocalyptic world. If you're looking for a good laugh, this shouldn't be your destination.
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When night falls, it's time to hide
As hinted by the name of the game, its day/light cycle is an important part of the experience. During the day, zombies are slow and only mildly threatening. When the sun vanishes from the sky, it's time to brace yourself.
At night not only is visibility affected, but zombies are far more mobile and menacing. So, you can think of it as a toggle between an action and stealth game, where at night you want to avoid conflict for the sake of your own health.
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Parkour, parkour!
Unlike virtually every other zombie game on the market, in Dying Light you're actually mobile. You aren't stuck walking around like a tank, and instead can jump up and climb obstacles, run quickly, and navigate complex terrain. This is an extremely important part of the experience, allowing you to adventure and traverse the open-world without requiring a vehicle.
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It was delayed to 2015, and the PS3/360 versions were canceled
Dying Light was supposed to launch last year, but Techland delayed it to ensure that it could deliver on its original vision, stating that it had a "desire to innovate".
A few months later the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions were dropped from the plans so that Techland could focus on the next-gen and PC versions.
