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There may be a Dead Island follow-up already in the works at publisher Deep Silver, but the third sequel isn't a true successor to the first person zombie-slaying title. Rather, that distinction belongs to Dying Light, the new IP from original Dead Island developer Techland.
Techland may not have the Dead Island name, but Dying Light very much plays the part of a spiritual successor, albeit for a next-gen audience. It has the open world exploration, the brutal melee combat, and the free form narrative beats.
To better illustrate those points, publisher Warner Bros. has released a new trailer for Dying Light that tries something a little different. Rather than a straightforward, meticulously planned trailer, this latest footage adds an interactive dynamic to the proceedings.
Throughout the trailer viewers can choose how they want the situation to play out. For example, if they want the player character to flee from a horde of zombies, they can urge them to do so. However, if they want to let the zombie blood fly, players can indulge that desire as well.
Ultimately, the interactive trailer is something we've seen before, but this Dying Light footage executes on the idea perfectly. It communicates how the free form combat (or lack thereof) of the game can influence players' decisions, and offers some really impressive moments. And if you didn't go after the propane tank about halfway through the trailer, we'd suggest going back and giving it a look. It's a pretty impressive little touch.
Back at E3 2014, Dying Light impressed us from a technical perspective, even if it was, at its most basic, a refined version of Dead Island. And while the fact that Deep Silver announced a third Dead Island only confused the issue further, despite the fact that Dying Light was one of our most anticipated games unveiled in 2013.
However, smart touches like parkour-inspired traversal mechanics and zombie enemies that don't just boil into mindless hordes seemingly help elevate Dying Light above its predecessors. More trailers like this and we'd bet Dying Light will be one to watch early next year.
What do you think of the Dying Light interactive trailer? What impresses you and what do you have concerns about?
Dying Light releases January 27, 2015 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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Follow Anthony on Twitter @ANTaormina