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Feb 2, 2022 at 10:00 AM
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Independent - 8/10
PC Gamer - 84/100
Eurogamer - RecommendedDying Light 2 is at its best when it has the freedom to explore its environments. Running through, around and over the city's inhabitants is the kind of gameplay that would bring players back to visit after the first roll of the credits but when that freedom of movement is taken away is when those cracks start to show. While only occasionally mired by technical issues and stopgaps, Dying Light 2 makes confident attempts to breathe life into a tired genre.
IGN - 7/10I can't pretend to be an expert in big blockbuster games - the bloat and overstated breadth isn't exactly to my taste - but Dying Light 2, with its varied systems lifted wholesale from elsewhere, is a welcome reminder of how hugely entertaining they can be. There's a brutality to its breadth, to the vastness of its world - this is the triple-A experience served up with the subtlety and grace of a modified hammer to the head. It's rarely elegant, but it is most definitely enjoyable.
The Guardian - 2/5Another in a long series of big, ambitious games whose potential greatness is visible just beneath a grimey layer of bugs, Dying Light 2 Stay Human could very likely become the stellar zombie survival adventure it's meant to be someday. For now, though, it's best added to your backlog unless your irritation with crashes and technical issues is outweighed by eagerness to dance across rooftops with its excellent parkour, which – when everything works – is an unforgettable way to explore the last city's open world and join in the post-apocalyptic stories of its many weird and distinctive characters. No patch can fix the forgettable main plot or the protagonist I couldn't pick out of a police lineup even after 80 hours in his shoes, but Dying Light 2's streets tell their own stories.
VGC - 3/5If all you want is a gigantic zombie-filled Skinner box crammed with loot and repetitive, incremental violence, Dying Light 2 absolutely works. Honestly, you'll love it. You can explore and level up and get into fights using increasingly powerful weapons, and the interlocking compulsion loops do their job of settling you into that grind. But oh for a moment of genuine surprise, a truly memorable line of dialogue, a spark of mechanical invention.
Wccftech - 8/10Dying Light 2: Stay Human feels like it lost its direction somewhere along the way. It begins as an interesting zombie game wherein the threat feels tangible, your character feels weak, and the world feels primed for a dynamic story. However, the further you get into the game, a lot of its early ideas feel sidelined for a generic zombie plot, uninspiring combat, and the absence of any kind of danger.
Push Square - 7/10Dying Light 2 Stay Human is another exhilarating parkour and zombie-pummeling playground from Techland, although at times, the seams holding it all together are a bit obvious. Given the game's glitches, minor gameplay annoyances, and crudely bisected story and world, reports of behind-the-scenes issues feel all-too-plausible. That said, the foundation here is rock solid, and Techland has proven they're capable long-term builders, so I'm confident Dying Light 2's embers can be stoked to a full flame in time.
Game Informer - 9.5/10Dying Light 2 is a super solid follow-up to the 2015 original, building upon its fantastic gameplay loop with new traversal options for even more parkour fun. It's extremely disappointing, however, that the narrative and open world promises Techland made in the lead up to launch haven't been realised. Your choices don't have nearly as much impact as we would like, and the map is much more rigid than pre-release footage would have you believe. Still, Dying Light 2 feels awesome and empowering to play, and that can go a long way.
Destructoid - 7.5/10Dying Light 2 is an engaging journey of discovery and gaining power. Almost everything you do embraces those dynamics. In evolving beyond the first game's offerings, putting a stronger emphasis on the characters helps shape the world in meaningful ways. Some of Aiden's choices are difficult, especially those surrounding a character named Lawan – who is given a hell of a pulse by Rosario Dawson. I can't say enough great things where his and her stories go. I adored almost every second of this game and see myself often revisiting it, as Techland has announced at least five years of DLC is on the way. That's a wonderful promise to hear when starting a new game that has turned out this well.
GameSpot - 6/10Dying Light 2 is safe in some respects, and bold in others; like its propensity to lean into some arcadey notions. The sandbox is the true heart of Dying Light 2. Not the characters, or the story, but the mere act of running around like an idiot, whether you're doing errands or not. Whether it keeps you busy for "500 hours" or 20, open-world fanatics will probably find a lot to love here.
Dying Light 2 is a perplexing game. Its story and characters are headache-inducing, and it appears to lack polish in many areas. But even a dozen hours after I rolled credits, I've found myself going back to the game to do another parkour challenge, rummage through another abandoned science lab, or just see if I can get from Point A to Point B without ever hitting the ground.
PC Gamer - 84/100
DualShockers - 9/10After the 50 hours it took me to complete the main quest, about a dozen sidequests, and a bunch of other activities, I still have plenty to do in Dying Light 2, and I'm keen to keep playing. Hell, even after wrapping up the story there are still a bunch of skills I haven't unlocked, quests I haven't begun, and large sections of the city I've barely set foot in—not to mention plenty of bandits I've yet to set foot on.
Console Creatures - RecommendedThere's no doubt about it, Dying Light 2: Stay Human is a sequel of epic proportions. Everything fans loved about the original title is still very much present, but now with a bigger story, new features, and a vast open-world filled with areas to explore and loot.
GamesRadar+ - 3.5/5Put simply, Dying Light 2 Stay Human is exactly what I've wanted it to be. For those coming to this game from Dying Light, things like the immunity timer and infected arena fights are enough to make the game feel fresh and not at all stale. For new players, Techland has done a great j0b of making Aiden's story stand on its own. From the nearly 30 hours I've put into this game so far, I've never felt like I would be confused by anything going on. The hardest thing to swallow so far has been how humanity could fall so far in 15 years? The story being told here is a dark one, drags, and offers few moments of levity or respite. I realize some are going to enjoy that, but I've found it hard to chew on at times.
The world, and the things you can do in it, provide huge amounts of entertainment and there's plenty here I'm still going back to revisit. The undead fantasy is strong, even if the writing and characters don't always entice you to care too much about the living.
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