The sequel to Techland’s well-received survival horror action game Dying Light, Dying Light 2 Stay Human looks to continue its predecessor’s unique blend of parkour, first-person melee action, and survival horror gameplay. First revealed in 2018, Dying Light 2 looks to expand upon the first game with a branching narrative and a much larger city to explore.
The game has had something of a tumultuous development, with Dying Light 2 having suffered multiple delays and long periods of time passing with little information from its developer. In September, the game was pushed back yet again, this time from its expected December 2021 release to February 2022, with Techland stating that it needs more time to polish and optimize the title.
Fans looking for more information on Dying Light 2 may be able to glean some more data from the Pan Europen Game Information group’s listing for the title. The game's page on the site shows the game received a PEGI 18 rating, which is to be expected given the bloody action of the first game. The rating states that the game includes graphic violence, decapitation and dismemberment, and detailed blood and gore effects, as well as strong language.
The game’s PEGI listing also cites the game’s purchasable in-game items, such as additional weapons and outfits, hinting that micro-transaction may be a bigger part of Dying Light 2 versus the original title. Finally, the PEGI info page also mentions a character in the game taking his own life by jumping from a tower, should the player character be unable to stop him, teasing possible branching outcomes and narratives, a big part of the game.
While a PEGI '18' rating was likely anticipated by Dying Light fans, the fact the game now has a concrete assessment by the European rating board bodes well for the game hitting its upcoming release date in early 2022. The listings’ mention of microtransactions is interesting as well, as the first Dying Light title did not feature much in the way of in-game items purchasable with real money when it was first released, although they have been added to the title over time.
Of course, Dying Light 2 isn’t the first game to feature microtransactions nor is it the only game to suffer from multiple delays. The much-anticipated Halo Infinite famously had a lengthy delay shortly before it was supposed to originally launch in 2020. Still, being that the first Dying Light was released way back in 2015 and the sequel was first announced in 2018, fans have to wonder what state the game will be in when it finally does release after such a long development period.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is set to release on February 4th, 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch (Cloud Version), Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.