Is Dying Light 2 Worth Playing?

When it first launched in 2015, Dying Light rapidly rose to become known as one of the greatest zombie games of all time. It took the zombie apocalypse and introduced a dynamic parkour mechanic, bringing a sense of verticality into an already well-established genre. However, when Dying Light 2 launched in 2022, it was somewhat studded with issues, despite ranking as the most-played zombie game in Steam’s history (concurrent users). Today, we’re here to answer a question many are asking: is Dying Light 2 worth playing?

For this guide, we’re talking mostly subjectively – you’re getting the honest truth from someone who has poured many hours into the game. This is an unbiased, fact-driven guide, and it’ll help you figure out whether Dying Light 2 is worth playing.

Is Dying Light 2 a Good Game?

As an experience, Dying Light 2 is mostly fine. It’s an expansion on its predecessor, with the story taking place some fifteen years after Dying Light, the original title. At this point, the entire world has succumbed to ‘The Harran Virus’, leaving the human race in tatters. It’s certainly post-apocalyptic, and one of the most redeeming factors of Dying Light 2 is the expansive and beautifully crafted open world.

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There’s a strong focus on parkour and verticality, but there’s something missing from the first game. For instance, the parkour and freerunning feel somewhat buggier than before, and you’ll often find yourself misstepping, pressing the wrong inputs, or quite simply plummeting to your doom. There’s also a drop in the ‘satisfaction’ found in combat in Dying Light 2, with the overall feel being more arcadey than realistic.

With that being said, Dying Light 2 is a good game, at least for a few dozen hours. There’s a mostly predictable story in place and a plethora of side content, but ultimately, it’s not anything we’ve never seen before. It’s a zombie-slaying title at its core, with a few interesting RPG mechanics thrown in for good measure. It looks gorgeous, but there are many bugs and glitches still plaguing the environment.

Is Dying Light 2 Worth Playing?

Honestly, it is.

If you’re a fan of this genre, you’ll have a great time with Dying Light 2 purely for the fact that it simply feels post-apocalyptic. As a fan of the genre myself, loving games like Fallout and The Last of Us, Dying Light 2 fits the bill perfectly. If you can overlook the predictable, somewhat empty story, the bugs and glitches, and the performance issues, you’ll have a great time. Is Dying Light 2 worth buying? That’s entirely up to you – if you want to part ways with the money, then by all means do so.

There’s plenty to sink your teeth into (no pun intended) in this zombie epic but be prepared for some repetitive experiences. Also, you’ll need to invest a good few hours before you start to gel with the game. When you first get involved with Dying Light 2, you’ll notice how painfully underpowered and poorly equipped your character is. With time that’ll change, but it’s a sorry investment for the first two or three hours.

Have fun out there.