Dying Light 2: How Leadership Failures and False Promises Killed a Sequel

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At one point, there was considerable anticipation surrounding Dying Light 2, with many gamers eagerly awaiting its release as one of the most highly-anticipated sequels in the gaming world.

Initially, the shocking victory of the first game raised high hopes for Techland, suggesting they’d hit the jackpot. Yet, rather than delivering a groundbreaking successor, players encountered a follow-up that seemed uncertain, overloaded, and unclear about its identity.

Beneath the public facade, the game’s journey to launch unfolded a tale of weak management, discarded content, and an aimless plot, which fell short in meeting the expectations set by its predecessor. From the onset, the development process was fraught with difficulties.

Despite an impressive debut at E3 2018, things quickly fell apart behind the scenes. The inner workings at Techland became chaotic, with insiders suggesting that the CEO exerted excessive influence over creative decisions, often straying into areas beyond his area of expertise.

Developers frequently found their projects being discarded without clear reasons. One moment, a project might be approved, only to be reworked the following week due to an unexpected change in the executives’ preferences or mood.

In the studio, a unified leadership system was not established and instead, power was concentrated in a single individual. This person made spontaneous decisions that ultimately shaped the entire design of the game. As morale deteriorated, so did the project’s progress. The storyline, which many believe to be Dying Light 2’s most significant drawback, was also problematic.

Originally envisioned as an immersive experience featuring significant player decision impact, interwoven plotlines, and deeply emotional character clashes, the project ultimately transformed into a flimsy construction that was repeatedly revised – a total of six times.

In the initial stages of its creation, Chris Avellone – known for writing Fallout: New Vegas and Knights of the Old Republic 2 – was taken off the project. This early departure, combined with changes in direction, resulted in a script riddled with inconsistencies. Characters would appear without a clear reason, only to vanish again, creating a disjointed narrative flow.

The plot had its flaws, but the gameplay tried to make it work.

In the urban landscape of Villedor, the architectural structure offered a vertical layout that amplified the thrill of parkour, providing innovative methods for navigation. However, this was not sufficient to maintain the intensity, and the combative aspect – quite literally – lost its impact. The graphic violence and realistic physics, characteristic of the initial game, were moderated in their presentation.

The traps seldom functioned effectively, recovery periods were excessive, and maintaining weapon durability became tedious. Features such as weapon repairs, a fundamental aspect of the original game, either disappeared or were concealed behind certain charms, requiring payment.

In the game Dying Light 1, while some players had enjoyable experiences, these moments were primarily due to the dynamic and unpredictable environment, rather than a compelling narrative. The game truly shone during its eerie night-time scenes, where stepping outdoors was always an exciting yet dangerous prospect.

In the sequel, nights are no longer mandatory, and instead of the volatile stalkers automatically appearing in the first game, they’re now manually triggered during chase levels. This shift from fear to control is a thrilling experience for those craving tension. The tranquil rooftops and less chaotic paths have somehow diminished the raw intensity of survival horror, making it feel less authentic.

Although adjustments were made to the difficulty levels, many players found the game’s atmosphere too cheerful and optimistic compared to Harran, missing its grittiness and desperation. What hurt the most wasn’t merely the game falling short—it was that it did so after years of anticipating a more substantial experience.

techland advertised complex narrative paths, critical decisions, and far-reaching impacts. However, most of these aspects seemed underdeveloped. The choices meant to shape the game environment felt insignificant. Even significant actions appeared to have no effect on various factions.

In certain instances, destroying a building didn’t significantly impact the plotline of the story. A character whom you deceived eventually forgave you rather quickly, as if skipping several missions. The semblance of choices crumbled due to hasty scriptwriting.

Despite numerous updates over the years, Dying Light 2 continues to exhibit issues such as stuck quests, glitchy cinematic scenes, and unexpected multiplayer drops. In certain instances, players have resorted to using rollbacks to rectify corrupted save files. This demonstrates that the game remains fragile even in the year 2025.

While the developers have undeniably improved aspects like gameplay and balance in updates, it’s challenging to ignore that some fundamental problems within the game persist. These issues are deeply rooted in the game, but they don’t completely overshadow the positives. If you were to focus solely on Dying Light 2 as a parkour-focused game with zombies, there’s still a lot of enjoyment to be found.

1. The grappling hook, glider, and endurance boosts expand your movement possibilities. The music has a positive vibe rather than an ominous one. Sub-stories such as Alberto and Vincenzo’s journey provide emotional depth, delivering more touching scenes compared to the main narrative itself.

2. With the grappling hook, glider, and added strength, you have numerous ways to navigate your environment. The music is optimistic rather than eerie. The side tales of Alberto and Vincenzo bring a deeper emotional connection, offering more poignant moments compared to the main storyline itself.

3. The upgrades for grappling hooks, gliders, and stamina broaden your choices for getting around. The music takes on a hopeful rather than disquieting tone. Side quests like Alberto and Vincenzo’s saga supply more heartfelt moments compared to the main story itself, adding emotional richness.

4. The addition of grappling hooks, gliders, and vitality upgrades expand your travel options. Instead of being unsettling, the music takes on a hopeful tone. Side quests like Alberto and Vincenzo’s journey provide more heartfelt moments compared to the main storyline itself, enhancing emotional depth.

5. The grappling hook, glider, and vitality boosts open up new avenues for movement. The music is uplifting rather than foreboding. Side quests like Alberto and Vincenzo’s narrative provide more emotional resonance compared to the main story itself, offering deeper connections.

Yet, these brief moments serve to highlight the absences even more. Pushing the boundaries of creativity may have been Techland’s intention, but it seems they overlooked the elements that initially captured players’ hearts in the original game.

The game suffered from grandiose claims, incomplete implementations, and a narrative that failed to resonate, leaving its essence severely compromised, making it hard to recognize as a genuine follow-up.

I’m still holding onto hope that things will improve, as Dying Light: The Beast demonstrates Techland’s commitment to rectifying past problems by refining their focus and enhancing the game world. However, I can’t help but feel a sense of disappointment with Dying Light 2, as it seems the damage has already been done.

The anticipated follow-up, however, was marred more by misguided leadership rather than its triumphs.

Or:
Despite an optimistic start, what should have been a promising sequel was ultimately overshadowed by poor management.

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2025-04-15 10:12