Dying Light 2: Stay Human is Techland's 2022 sequel to the 2015 parkour-zombie original — a massive open world set in the city of Villedor, the last major human settlement in a zombie-ravaged future. You play as Aiden Caldwell, a Pilgrim (courier and wanderer) with a personal infection and exceptional parkour abilities searching for his sister. The city's factions — the Peacekeepers and the Survivors — compete for control of Villedor's districts, and your choices about who receives buildings and resources affect the city's evolution.
The parkour system is the game's primary joy and its most significant improvement over the original. Aiden moves fluidly across rooftops, scales building facades with hand-over-hand climbing, vaults over obstacles without losing speed, and grapple-hooks to distant anchor points. Night transforms the city: UV-sensitive Volatiles emerge and chase infected survivors back to lighted safe houses. Nighttime parkour at speed while Volatiles pursue creates moments of genuine terror and exhilaration unique in the genre.
Four major DLC expansions — Bloody Ties, The Nightmare Row, Gut Feeling, and New Chapter — add substantial story content, new melee weapons, and expanded areas. The cooperative multiplayer (up to four players) makes the zombie survival loop significantly more enjoyable and adds challenge content designed for group play.
The game's greatest strength — Aiden vaults, climbs, slides, and grapple-hooks through Villedor's vertical cityscape faster and more fluidly than any open world.
UV-sensitive Volatiles emerge at night, turning peaceful rooftop traversal into desperate survival. Nighttime rewards are significantly higher than daytime.
Buildings given to Peacekeepers or Survivors unlock different environmental upgrades and mission paths, changing the city and story outcomes.
A deep melee system with dozens of weapon types, elemental enhancements, and parkour-integrated attacks like flying kicks and vault takedowns.