Dying Light 2: Stay Human is closing in fast on its December release date, and given how long the game has been in development, fans should be excited that things are on track. With the latest trailer for Dying Light 2: Stay Human being full of interesting details, too, fans have plenty of gameplay to watch in the lead-up to release.
However, while the trailer says a lot about Dying Light 2: Stay Human, its details on the game’s setting are a bit more limited. While players know that they will be fighting through The City, many may still wonder how connected the game is to its predecessor. Though its title may suggest that it is a direct sequel, Dying Light 2 is in a bit of an interesting place for this sequel status.
Dying Light 2 Takes Place In The Same Universe
Dying Light 2: Stay Human will take place in the universe established in the first game, so players can expect to see the same creatures and parkour-focused gameplay. However, they will be entering a completely different part of the world in the next game, with the sequel taking place 20 years after the original. Developer Thomas Gerbaud recently explained what happened in the time since, with the entire world becoming infected in a matter of years.
With such a massive time skip, players do not need to play the first Dying Light to understand Dying Light 2: Stay Human’s story. The game does not feature the same characters or setting, and there is no meaningful connection to the original game. With this in mind, Dying Light 2: Stay Human cannot be considered a direct sequel, as it has no relation to the original outside of its shared universe. With its story being standalone and taking place so long after the first, the number “2” is used simply because it is the second game in the series.
Dying Light 2 Has A New Cast And Separate Story
In the next game, players will control Aiden Caldwell as he explores The City, the main hub for humanity following the spread of the undead throughout the world. They will encounter the different factions of this new story, making choices and carrying out quests for each. At the same time, they will be trying to avoid the undead, doing as the title suggests and making sure that Caldwell keeps his humanity intact.
Thus far, there has been no mention of original protagonist Kyle Crane, and it seems likely that he will continue to go unseen. With the character becoming infected at the end of Dying Light’s The Following expansion, his story is seemingly finished. This adds to the decision to move on to a fresh protagonist and avoid a direct sequel, as The Following left Techland with nowhere else to go. While Dying Light 2: Stay Human will build off the first game in terms of its gameplay mechanics, its story will serve as a fresh beginning.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human is launching December 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
