Ever bought a game on hype, only to wonder halfway through if it was actually worth it?
That’s the exact spot many players land in with Dying Light 2. The reviews are all over the place, with some praising the gameplay and others pointing out a story that never quite delivers.
I had the same question when looking back at the game after its updates. The movement, combat, and open-world design kept pulling me in, but I also noticed where the experience still fell short.
This Dying Light 2 review breaks down what actually works, what still doesn’t, and whether the game is worth your time and money right now.
About Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2: Stay Human comes from Techland, the studio behind the original Dying Light back in 2015.
It launched in February 2022 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, with a cloud version later reaching Switch.
You play as Aiden Caldwell, a Pilgrim who crosses into a walled settlement called Villedor while searching for his missing sister.
The city runs on daylight rules: infected roam the streets but stay mostly contained, while parkour, scavenging, and faction politics shape how you move through it.
Since launch, Techland has kept updating the game, and the current build ships as the Reloaded Edition, which folds in the Bloody Ties expansion and years of balance and performance fixes.
That backstory matters, because the version reviewed here is not the one that shipped on day one.
What Dying Light 2 Actually Offers?
In my opinion, the story never became the reason I kept playing. The gameplay did.
Exploring Villedor, finding new paths, and testing new tools are where the game feels strongest, which is why the rest of this Dying Light 2 review focuses more on the gameplay experience.
That same trade-off between story and open-world exploration shows up across other open-world adventure titles too.
1. Villedor’s Parkour is Dying Light 2’s Biggest Strength
The first time I crossed a Villedor rooftop without touching the ground, I understood why the movement gets so much praise.
Even simple jumps and climbs feel satisfying because the city is built around vertical exploration. At the start, your options are limited.
You run, climb ledges, and use basic movement to get around. Later, tools like the paraglider and grappling hook completely change how you approach the city.
The grappling hook was the moment traversal really opened up for me. I found myself returning to areas I had already visited because places that once felt unreachable suddenly had new routes.
That sense of gaining freedom is what keeps exploration interesting.
2. Combat and The Night Risk-Reward Loop
The day-night cycle is one of the systems that shapes how you play Dying Light 2. During the day, exploring feels safer.
You can search buildings, fight enemies, and complete objectives without constantly watching your back. Night changes the entire mood.
Stronger infected appear, chases can begin, and staying outside becomes a gamble.
I remember getting caught out for just a few extra minutes and having to escape across rooftops while everything behind me kept getting worse.
At first, night runs feel like something to avoid. But the danger is also what makes them worth doing.
The rewards are better, progression is faster, and the tension is the same reason players seek out games built around risk-reward survival loops.
Once I stopped treating night-time as a threat and started planning around it, the system became much more interesting. Instead of running away from danger, I was choosing when the risk was worth taking.
3. How Co-Op Changes the Dying Light 2 Experience
Playing Dying Light 2 with three other players is where some of the chaos becomes more enjoyable.
I spent a weekend running around Villedor with friends, and the random moments, failed jumps, and messy fights made the experience much more fun.
Co-op works best when you treat it as a way to add more unpredictability to the game rather than a completely different mode, the same appeal that pulls players toward chaotic co-op games in general.
You can explore, complete missions, and take on infected together, but the core experience still feels built around the solo campaign.
The Biggest Problems With Dying Light 2
The story is where Dying Light 2 struggles the most. Mainly because several smaller issues slowly make the main plot less engaging.
Story, Aiden Caldwell, and the Plot
Aiden’s search for his sister gives the game a clear starting point, but I never felt fully connected to him as a character.
His journey should have been the emotional center of the game, yet I often found myself more interested in the city around him.
That becomes a bigger issue because Aiden is involved in almost every major conversation and mission. I kept playing to explore Villedor, unlock abilities, and see what was next, not because I cared about his story.
The main story also has pacing problems. Some missions had interesting ideas, but the details did not always stick with me after they ended. I just couldn’t bring myself to care.
The side quests often made the world feel more alive, with stronger characters and more memorable moments than parts of the main campaign. That contrast highlights the weaker parts of Aiden’s story.
Bugs and Technical Jank
I ran into my share of bugs while playing too. Nothing completely broke the game, but small issues showed up often enough to affect the overall polish.
There were strange animation glitches, and a couple of quest markers sent me to places where nothing was there. In those moments, I had to restart the mission before things worked again.
None of it ruined my playthrough, but these little problems made the experience feel less smooth than it should have been.
For a game built around movement and immersion, even small technical hiccups stand out.
What You Should Know Before Buying Dying Light 2?
Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I bought this. The version you play today isn’t the version that got reviewed in 2022.
1. How Did Dying Light 2 Improve After Launch?
A lot of early reviews focused on the issues Dying Light 2 had in 2022. Bugs, rough systems, and uneven moments affected how people saw it at release.
Techland continued supporting the game the same way developers behind games that grew stronger after launch have fixed problems, adjusted systems, and improved the experience over time.
The version available now includes much of that work, giving new players a smoother experience.
I played the newer version, and it felt more polished than what I remembered from early footage. Traversal felt cleaner, technical problems appeared less often, and some parts of the game flowed better.
That does not mean every complaint disappeared. The story issues and uneven moments are still there. But an old launch review should be treated as a snapshot of that time, not the final version you are buying today.
2. Why Waiting for a Sale Makes Sense?
I would not rush to pay full price for Dying Light 2. The game has enough content to justify a purchase, but discounts make the value much easier to appreciate.
It goes on sale regularly and is often included in bundles. Waiting for the right deal can turn a game with some flaws into a much easier recommendation.
3. How Does Dying Light 2 Feel Compared to Dying Light 1?
Here’s a quick look at how the two games compare if you’re trying to decide where to start:
| Aspect | Dying Light (2015) | Dying Light 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Parkour feel | Grounded, weighty | Bouncier, faster |
| Setting | Harran, one dense city zone | Villedor, larger and more vertical |
| Traversal tools | Grapple unlocks late | Paraglider and grappling hook |
| Story focus | Tighter, more linear | Bigger cast, more player choice |
It’s not worse, just a different feel. Took me a few hours to stop expecting the old rhythm.
Is Dying Light 2 Worth It?
Yes, I think Dying Light 2 is worth playing. Just know what kind of game you are getting into.
- The biggest strengths of Dying Light 2 are still its fast movement, satisfying combat, and a design philosophy shared by open-world games that reward exploration over plot.
- The story is where expectations need to be adjusted. I finished the game because I enjoyed spending time in Villedor, not because I was deeply invested in Aiden’s journey.
- If you enjoy open-world games where gameplay, movement, and exploration matter more than the plot, Dying Light 2 offers a lot to enjoy.
- If you need a strong story to keep you engaged from start to finish, some parts of the game may feel disappointing.
My advice is simple: wait for a sale. At a lower price, the parkour, night runs, and chaotic combat make the weaker parts much easier to overlook.
Go in expecting a great playground rather than a story-driven adventure, and Dying Light 2 becomes much easier to enjoy.
If you enjoy this kind of buy-or-skip breakdown, our Sonic Frontiers review takes the same approach for a very different genre.
Conclusion
This Dying Light 2 review comes down to what you want from Villedor.
The story still struggles to make Aiden’s journey feel as strong as the world around him, but the parkour, night chases, co-op chaos, and combat make the game much easier to enjoy today.
The Reloaded Edition also helps because the current version feels cleaner than the one players judged at launch.
I would not call it a perfect sequel, but it is a much better buy when the price drops. Wait for a sale, grab the version with updates included, and give the rooftops a real chance.
Would you play Dying Light 2 solo or in co-op? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dying Light 2 Considered a Good Game?
Yes, most reviewers rate it well for its parkour, combat, and open world. The story is widely seen as its weakest part, but the gameplay alone makes it worth playing.
Is Dying Light 2 a Hit or Flop?
Neither exactly. It sold well and built a lasting player base through years of free updates, but mixed launch reviews, mostly tied to the story, kept it from top-tier status.
What Made Dying Light 2 Bad?
The main complaint is the story. A forgettable protagonist and a meandering plot left many reviewers unimpressed. Bugs and technical jank added to the criticism, though as a smaller issue.
Is Dying Light 1 or 2 Better?
It depends on what matters to you. Dying Light 1 has more grounded parkour and a tighter story. Dying Light 2 offers a bigger world, bouncier traversal, and more tools, at the cost of narrative depth.
