Techland's Infected in Dying Light 2 really do feel unique in a lot of ways compared to zombies in other media, though it is silly that they're as scared of using the word "zombie" as the rest of them are.Whether it's how they become Infected, how it progresses, or how the infection is fought, it's a pretty fresh take on the concept, especially with that ending. And, to prove that, let's take a look at some of the lesser-known facts of the Infected in the massive success that is Dying Light 2: Stay Human.
7 The Original Virus Started As Simple Rabies
For one, this isn't some magical zombie disease or brand-new virus, it actually has a basis in something medical. Basically, the GRE in Dying Light 1 took Rabies, an already scary and almost always fatal viral infection, and modified it into The Harran Virus (or THV) players see in DL1.
It makes some sense, given the way Rabies turns animals into rabid beasts, that the Harran virus would turn humans into rabid undead.
6 There Are Different Variants Between The Two Games
Now, this is where the lore differs between the two titles. This isn't because Techland retcon'd a bunch of established lore, but rather because the version of THV seen in Dying Light 2 is GRE's second attempt — a different variant.
In the first Dying Light, the different variants of the Infected, such as Screamers, Goons, Bolters, and so on, became these modified forms based on how they lived their lives as humans. Buff people would become Demolishers or Goons, for example.
But, in Dying Light 2, this has changed with THV 2.0. Now, it's the chemicals that the GRE dropped all over Old Villedor that slowly mutate the infected into these different forms, with the Infected's exposure to UV light modifying how their transformation progresses as well. This also sort of explains why these chemicals are so deadly to Infected humans, as it likely forces the infection to progress to the next stage.
5 Volatiles Aren't Just Regular Infected
The Volatile Infected, whether in DL1 or DL2, are straight-up terrifying. These heavily armored beasts are overwhelmingly aggressive, relentless in their pursuit, and bloodthirsty at all times. But, what exactly is a Volatile, and how does a regular Infected become one?
Well, in Dying Light 1, a Volatile was actually an alternate evolutionary path for the Infected. Essentially, Volatiles (or even Virals) would kidnap humans or round up other Infected and take them to the Volatile nests. Then, they would slowly be transformed into this Volatile form. The exact way this was done is still a mystery, sadly.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human's version of Volatiles are a bit less...exciting in their backstory. Instead of this "hive transformation" story, they become Volatiles just by staying away from UV light for a long time, which is exactly why beginner players find themselves in trouble going inside during the day.
4 The Virus In DL2 Is Not The Harran Strain
To explain a bit more how the virus in DL1 is so different from the virus seen in DL2, let's go over its progression. Basically, after the events of the first game, a cure for The Harran Virus was finally found. But, not all too long after, the GRE started working on weaponizing this virus again in secret, modifying it for dastardly purposes. Sometime after that, the virus got out again, and the whole world was infected in an event called "The Fall."
So, the Infected seen in DL2 are not exactly the same. For one, they're way more susceptible to UV light and are a bit less susceptible to ragdolling (just kidding). But, the most important difference is that infected humans don't need Antizen to stay "human" anymore. All they have to do is stay under UV light, whether from the sun or a UV lamp, and the infection is held at bay.
3 Small Children Are Immune To The DL2 Strain
This next neat little fact is sprinkled in through dialog with an ex-GRE scientist Veronika in Dying Light 2. To sum it up, she basically explains that this new strain of the virus no longer works on young children, meaning the "Screamer" Variant Infected are no more.
This explains why Aiden sees a fair number of children throughout the course of DL2, as they're still at risk of being killed by the Infected, but they don't have to worry about infection. It's a good thing from a mechanical standpoint too, as having the player kill children, zombified or not, is always risky business.
2 They Eventually Start Falling Apart
Something else that Dying Light 2 elaborates more on throughout its story is the concept of what happens to the Infected over a long amount of time. Remember, during the events of DL1, The Harran virus was relatively new.
But, in Dying Light 2: Stay Human, it's been fifteen years since the world was infected with this new strain, and Degenerate Infected are now rampant. Basically, these are zombies who have been around for a long time and exposed to quite a lot of UV light, either from the sun or UV lamps/flashlights. They're the least dangerous form of the Infected, as they shamble around with parts of their body literally falling off. They're still dangerous and can still Infect others, Peacekeeper or Survivor, but aren't as much of a worry as the other Infected.
1 There Are Examples Of Sentient Infected
Lastly, let's talk about some of the Infected lore dropped during the events of The Following DLC for the first Dying Light game that many players went back to in the Platinum edition. Basically, throughout the course of the DLC campaign, Crane finds out that this blue smoke that the Faceless and their leader "Mother" are using actually infects people, but makes them docile as well. But, when this liquid is taken as a drink rather than inhaled as smoke, the effects are entirely different.
The best proof of this is Mother herself, who is literally a sentient Infected with telepathy who can control herself during the day and reverts to her base instincts at night. So, there's been proof that the Infected can keep their sentience, which is a terrifying thought.
Dying Light 2 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.