Although the height of HBO’s Game of Thrones viral sensation has long since passed, there are still many lovers of the George R.R. Martin adaptation, and there is more coming to the big screen for the series. House Of the Dragon, an adaptation of Martin’s Fire & Blood, focuses on the Targaryen Civil War and will release eventually. But it’s not just within its own universe that Game of Thrones’ influence can be seen, stretching even to the recent release of Dying Light 2.
Perhaps one of the biggest draws to Game of Thrones is its general lack of “plot armor.” Fan-favorite characters died at the drop of a dime and oftentimes came in shocking, surprising ways. Ned’s execution and The Red Wedding both show how a good use of a timely (or untimely) and startling death could be. Several mediums, including games, have tried to mimic this, but few have ever lived up to that high mark. SPOILERS AHEAD FOR DYING LIGHT 2.
Dying Light: A Quick Note on Death
Of course, it should be noted that every game to feature multiple deaths doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is following Game of Thrones’ lead (of sorts) on the topic. It’s about the amount, sure, but also the impact. Dying Light, the first game, had a ton of deaths in it, including beloved characters like Rahim and Jade. In a zombie world, this only makes sense, but the deaths weren’t shocking or surprising or overwhelming. They were paced and intentionally designed; Dying Light 2, on the other hand, follows Game of Thrones into the world of supposed-to-be shocking, overwhelming death.
Dying Light 2 and Game of Thrones
What Game of Thrones does well that games struggle with, at least in this regard, is keeping the deaths as surprising as they can be. Viewers cheered for the death of some characters, while other characters got the proverbial knife in their back. Dying Light 2 throws an overwhelming and at-first surprising amount of death at the player, though some are based on choice, but it fades quickly. Players will quickly become numb to the various possible deaths in the game.
- Dylan
- Hakon
- Birdie
- Veronika
- Everyone in the Bazaar except Sophie and Barney
- Everyone in the Metro Tunnels
- Frank
- Williams
- Cliff
- Damien
- Jack
- Lawan
- Waltz
- Mia
There are more deaths that may go unlisted here, but it’s enough to show that any character in Dying Light 2 doesn’t really have “plot armor.” Its existence or the lack thereof does not make for a surprising, shocking, and understandable death—it may give some characters a more epic death—but it’s hard to balance an overwhelming amount of death that remains surprising.
The truth is, whereas Game of Thrones strung its viewers along and many characters could have died at any minute, Dying Light 2 players will be so accustomed to death within just a few hours of the game that each one thereafter loses any real emotional attachment. That’s not to say anything against Dying Light 2, as some love it and some hate it, but death in it is far too commonplace to be effective—even for a story and world filled with zombies.
Dying Light 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.