Recent reviews by hell♡kitty

Sometimes you have to
become a monster to stay human.

This promising tagline sets the stage for a raw and emotional journey through a post-apocalyptic world. Unfortunately, the reality falls far short of expectations.


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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Product received free of charge.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀This review was written after the game's release.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Most critiques focus on bugs present at that time.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Since then, many issues have been addressed :)


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OVERVIEW ↴

Dying Light 2: Stay Human is an action role-playing survival horror game set in a sprawling, zombie apocalypse-themed open world. Taking place 22 years after the original Dying Light, the game introduces a new protagonist, Aiden Caldwell, a skilled parkour runner navigating a dangerous and immersive environment.

GRAPHICS AND AUDIO ↴

Despite widespread praise, the graphics left much to be desired. On the highest settings, I encountered numerous texture glitches, visual artifacts, and even missing textures revealing the map’s underlayers. Expectations of breathtaking vistas were unmet, as the visuals lacked polish and consistency. Many elements appear unfinished or neglected, with rain-induced blurring significantly hampering visibility and causing eye strain. Character facial animations often feel unnatural and awkward, detracting from immersion. The contaminated zones are especially disappointing, looking mediocre up close and unattractive from afar. The audio fares no better, with poorly synchronized Polish dubbing and frequent subtitle errors undermining key scenes. The overall sound design feels rushed and poorly integrated.

GAMEPLAY ↴

Frustration marked much of my experience. The stamina system for paragliding, while conceptually sound, suffers from poor execution — stamina depletes too quickly, often leading to unintended deaths despite maxed skills. The inability to use ropes simultaneously during jumps adds unnecessary tedium, requiring players to wait for others to cross hazards. Weapon management is inconsistent, with some weapons occasionally refusing to be drawn and crafting times that disrupt pacing. Multiplayer introduces several bugs: unlocking subway stations can become glitched, requiring repetition; co-op paragliding tasks force solo play due to inventory limitations; and combat sequences sometimes fail to load properly, necessitating multiple restarts. The issue where the host and second player switch character states mid-fight further complicates co-op gameplay, resolved only by both players dying and restarting the encounter. Finally, the endings disappoint, particularly the second, which cuts to credits abruptly, leaving players to seek closure elsewhere.

STORY ↴

The narrative feels shallow and underdeveloped. It recalls Mad Max in its singular focus but lacks compelling execution. For most of the game, little happens — action is sparse, and meaningful plot developments emerge only near the conclusion. Characters are one-dimensional, with shallow dialogues that fail to engage or resonate. Fans of the original’s puzzle-solving missions will find little to enjoy here; the sole puzzle feels trivial and pointless. Ultimately, the story is brief and uninspiring.

CONCLUSION ↴

Dying Light 2: Stay Human had tremendous potential that, regrettably, was not fully realized. While the first installment had its flaws, it succeeded in delivering a memorable experience. This sequel struggles to reach similar heights. Solo play remains somewhat enjoyable, but co-op mode is hampered by persistent bugs and design issues. Frequent glitches — from characters getting stuck or flying to critical mission blockers — severely impact the experience. At present, the game’s issues overshadow its strengths, making it difficult to recommend at full price. However, should the developers continue to refine and patch, there remains hope that this ambitious title may one day live up to expectations.


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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Dying Light 2 Stay Human | April 3, 2022 | [★★☆☆☆]