Harran, Turkey, has been afflicted with a lethal virus, a rabies-like mutation. The sick target defenseless victims and spread the illness. The authorities isolated the entire region, demolishing the bridges and erecting a massive wall around it. The issue is that there are many healthy individuals in the plague-ridden metropolis who must now struggle for existence. Kyle Crane is an agent tasked with locating confidential papers. Their content might be useful in the battle against the infection. The main character joins a group of survivors sheltering in a building and battles a deadly gang lead by a terrible dictator named Rais. The plot is unoriginal and very predictable. This is not to say that it is not delightfully led. There are some fascinating plot twists and turns, and the colorful supporting characters push you to keep going.
In comparison to Techland’s earlier zombie game, the well-received Dead Island, the landscape developed for Dying Light appears to be far more lifelike. The heroes we meet are not a group of vacation castaways who are unable to deal with the peril they face, but rather a community that fights for survival as best it can. The skyscraper’s construction transforms it into a little metropolis with its own organizational points – a field hospital, a command center, and a storage. One of the flats has been converted into a school so that the children may forget about the disaster outside for a bit. The Tower’s residents are not passive. They’ve formed a special team of “runners” who scour the city for food, medication, and other necessities. When our hero is rescued by scouts after an unsuccessful landing in the city, he becomes one of them.
Another motivator is the unlucky circumstance of catching the illness. Crane uses an antizine medication to delay the course of the sickness. Regular airdrops provide access inside, although the pace of the scouts is dependent on the supply’s consistency – Rais’ warband also dispatches soldiers whenever something is dropped over the city. The campaign consists of a series of narrative missions that take us to various locations on the globe. However, the game’s and world’s layout encourages you to explore and finish minor objectives dispersed across the metropolis. Random occurrences significantly diversity the map’s exploration, causing us to deviate from our intended path in order to save people, intercept a humanitarian drop, or secure a hideaway before the night falls. The main narrative takes roughly twelve hours to finish, but completing all missions, side quests, and challenges can double or even treble this time. In Harran, there is always something to do, and the activities are not pushed. Everything matches the environment and makes you want to play the game even more.
The game, like Dead Island, takes us via the hero’s eyes. It is, however, an urban jungle rather than a beautiful island. The movement model is radically different, yet it is a lot of fun after a short training period. Survival is only dependent on our agility – parkour turns out to be the only route out, and it works fantastically. Zombies move slowly and congregate in the streets, making building rooftops, automobiles, walls, and other elevations safe havens. Of course, escaping is not always feasible, so knowing how to fight oneself against a probable bite is beneficial. In this circumstance, any pipe, beam, or hunting knife will suffice. A kick can also be used to deflect an approaching punch. The combat model is clean and enjoyable. Crushing the skulls of ravenous creatures is thrilling play, and the complexities of a battle with a real man force you to adapt your approach and prepare your strikes. Every battle tool you come across may be improved. Upgrades are classified into two categories. Some provide wholly new traits and greater damage from fire or lightning, while others boost existing attack, stamina, or useful numbers. We discover initiatives of utterly insane toys and supplementary equipment over time. Additional equipment includes Molotov cocktails, pyrotechnics, flares that drive away monsters at night, and details that increase our abilities.
Even guns arrive later in the campaign, which radically transforms the gameplay. It may be more effective, but it also generates more noise, which draws the attention of the afflicted in the vicinity. We may also use weapons to effectively scare off criminals armed with clubs – no one will disagree with the owner of the pistol. With each action, Crane advances one of the three possible skill trees. Climbing and jumping from roofs builds Agility, which eventually improves physical performance and unlocks extra moves. The second tree is in charge of battle, offering powerful hits as well as resistance to attacks. The third tree represents general advancement, which ensures survival – decreased vendor costs and the capacity to create new goods or consumables. Each improvement boosts your odds of survival, so much so that the survival element is pushed to the side in the second part of the game, replaced with a paradigm more akin to an action-adventure RPG. The hero grows more dynamic and lethal, which means he takes more chances, which frequently results in dramatic deeds straight out of a Hollywood film.
The variety of infections also prevents boredom. Because the ill evolve, we see acid-spitting abominations, gigantic brutes brandishing heavy weapons, and corpses releasing gassed innards on the road, in addition to sluggish zombies. With a boom, the latter might attract another sort of infected. We eventually learn to deal with all monsters, but only until it becomes dark. In Dying Light, time continues to pass – day changes to night, and the infected get stronger, but they are not the main concern. When the sun goes dark, the most dangerous monsters emerge from their lairs. This time, the game adds a stealth aspect – groping, slowly, we move towards the nearest refuge. Everything goes to hell as soon as someone recognizes us. Beasts howl around us, vicious beasts fly in, and we are forced to flee in terror towards human settlements.
Once we’re in the secure zone, we can sleep through the night. However, keep in mind that Agility and Survival scores are increased at night, so taking the risk might pay off. When darkness sets, the game sharpens its claws and becomes more intense, and adrenaline prevents you from breathing for a minute. There’s also nothing better than a quickening heartbeat and the sight of the words “You Survived the Night” as daylight breaks. Exploring the infected city with other gamers is enjoyable. At any moment, up to three participants can join the game to leap on the roofs and maul the living dead together. The gameplay alters just slightly – the missions are expanded with new tasks, the goal of which is to kill as many zombies as possible or to reach the designated location as rapidly as possible. Adventures in a group may appear simpler with time, but that’s what New Game Plus mode is for: upping the difficulty bar. There are several activities in Dying Light. In addition to the campaign, there is a “Be the Zombie” mode. In this version, we take on the character of a night hunter, an evolved mutant who roams the city killing other players. Their mission, however, is to destroy the night hunters’ nests. The mutant is extremely agile. It can jump long distances because to its adhesive tentacles. After one successful hunter jump, a reckless player will perish. Playing cat and mouse is entertaining, however because we played before the premiere, waiting for other people to join took a long time.
On the console or PC, there are no significant technical flaws. The disadvantages are that texture loading is occasionally obvious and that features of objects are not visible from a certain distance. Reflections on smooth surfaces are likewise imperfect because they mimic reflections while really reflecting something quite different. Shadows are also an issue, especially when extra lighting is present, such as our flashlight. All of this, however, contributes to a well-designed city and overall high-quality graphics. Interesting interior arrangements and scenography create a survival feeling – the metropolis towering in the backdrop, looking serene and pleasant, hides numerous perils that we will confront on the journey. Dying Light incorporates features from other games, but it does it in a clever, non-boring manner that gives a distinct gaming experience.