Dying Light 2: Stay Human Release Date, Trailer, And Gameplay - What We Know So Far

"Dying Light" became a surprising gaming hit when it released in 2015, in large part thanks to its weapon-based combat, parkour mechanics, and co-operative gameplay. It received several strong reviews, resulting in a 75 Metascore and sales numbering in the millions (per VideoGamer.com). Buoyed by that success, developer Techland announced a sequel just a few years later.

"Dying Light 2: Stay Human" takes place 20 years after the events of the first game in a fictional European city. Following the mass spread of the virus, civilization has reverted to the Dark Ages, with the City serving as the only remaining human settlement in the world. The follow-up introduces a new protagonist, Aiden Caldwell, who possesses superhuman abilities. Originally a member of the roaming faction known as the Pilgrims, Aiden travels to the City in search of a cure to the virus, his missing sister, and his lost memories. Can't wait to jump back into the zombie apocalypse? Here's what we know so far about "Dying Light 2."

Revealed at E3 2018, "Dying Light 2" worried fans when it hit several bumps along its development journey, resulting in multiple delays. After initially aiming for a Spring 2020 release window, Techland announced in January of that year that it needed additional time to deliver on its vision (via Twitter). Over a year later, the developer revealed the new launch target alongside an extensive gameplay trailer: December 7, 2021. While playtesting the title, Techland made the decision to push the release back yet again to February 4, 2022, citing the need for "more time to polish and optimize it."

It seems the latest launch date may stick, with Techland even announcing additional pre-order bonuses to help push sales. Fans of Rosario Dawson should consider snagging the game early, as doing so unlocks the exclusive Reach for the Sky skinpack. Designed in collaboration with the actress, the pack adds several skins for her NPC, Lawan, some of which can even be used to customize the player character's appearance. A cross-gen title, you can pick up "Dying Light 2: Stay Human" for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Techland has released several trailers for "Dying Light 2: Stay Human." The most recent, a cinematic trailer shared at The Game Awards 2021, offers a look at everyday life for citizens of the City. Faced with danger at every turn, survival may mean sacrificing your humanity in the process. This highlights one of the sequel's core themes: Do ethics, morality, and decency have a place in a society on the brink of collapse? Or is it every man for himself?

A week later, Techland unveiled a behind-the-scenes segment for the cinematic trailer, delving further into how (and why) the team created the sequence. "There's one rule in the City that all residents are familiar with," stated Techland CEO Pawel Marchewka. "Day is for humans, and night is for monsters. However, there is an exception to every rule." In the trailer, a father sets out on a desperate search for a UV light to protect his son before night falls. Forced to choose between his child and lives of two strangers, he steals a UV light from a residence, leaving the inhabitants to die at the hands of the infected. 

"We wanted to give players a taste of the fact that there will be no clear-cut decisions in 'Dying Light 2,'" explained chief creative officer Adrian Ciszewski. The cinematic drives this point home when the father falls to his death, leaving his young son alone in the world as the stolen UV lamp shatters on the ground.

The gameplay in "Dying Light 2" will feel familiar to fans of the first title, though Techland has invested considerable resources into improving the shortcomings of the original. As Aiden, players traverse open world environments using more refined parkour abilities. According to lead designer Tymon Smektala (via IGN), the team focused on blending the movement mechanics with the intense melee battles on which the franchise has built a reputation.

One of the main distinguishing factors in "Stay Human" is the greater emphasis on the day and night cycle. Sensitive to UV exposure, the infected huddle within buildings in large numbers while the sun is up. Once night falls, the infected flood into the streets. This makes getting around more dangerous, but also leaves resources ripe for the taking if you reach and enter a structure. Player choice also plays a much larger role, influencing how the story unfolds and the in-game environments. Techland designed these choices and consequences to compliment the 2-4 player co-op system.

"In co-op you always play in the host's world, so you make decisions and you change the world and you can invite other players to join you," Smektala told RealSport101. "That's why we also always wanted to make your decisions change the world, because then when you visit your friend's world you see they are different because you've played it differently." Of course, you can uncover the various outcomes through multiple solo runs, but Smektala described co-op as "a different experience."