Game review: Dying Light

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19 Feb, 2015 09:30 PM3 mins to read

A scene from the video game Dying Light.

How do you like to kill your zombies? These days, there's an answer for everyone. Arcade splatter fest? The cartoon fun of Sunset Overdrive has you covered. Stealth mode sneak attacks more your thing? The cinematic sweep of The Last of Us is for you. Do you prefer serialised graphic novel-style slaughter? The excellent Walking Dead video game will leave you with a goofy grin.

Dying Light is different. This is a game for zombie fans who have played all those games, caved in every last zombie head and got the blood-splattered T-shirt - and still want more. It's for those who want to kick zombies to the ground, then beat them mercilessly until their hands are bloody and their crowbar is bent. Dying Light lets you do that. It's a nasty, grubby, sinister beast of a game. And it's kind of awesome.

Yes, this first-person survival horror shocker does come with its fair share of faults. The story is generic at best: players control Kyle Crane, an undercover agent sent to infiltrate a post-apocalypse quarantine zone tasked with tracking a rogue political figure. Crane has to win over the survivors by completing missions and earning their trust, and things sure take a while to get going. There's a lengthy training camp teaching you parkour basics, and plenty of mucking around in a tower block as you meet the characters and learn the ropes. You might find yourself shaking your head at the ropy dialogue, cliched figures and generic missions.

But stick with it, because Dying Light comes into its own when you're unleashed outside into the Turkish city of Harran. The scenery is incredible.

We haven't seen sunsets and shading this good since Grand Theft Auto V was remastered. Developers Techland have created a wonderfully realised broken-down city full of ramshackle buildings, corrugated iron roofs and crumbling brick walls. Navigating your way through it while avoiding the infected with running jumps, wall climbs and parkour is - once you've mastered the controls - an absolute joy. You'll be wall-jumping feet first into the chest of a mutilated zombie in no time.

Ah yes, those zombies. These stumbling thugs are more vicious than other zombies. They're tricky: they move together, they're everywhere, and, early on, they're incredibly tough to kill - especially when you're armed only with a table leg. You'll need to forage around the city through boxes and fridges for parts to make new weapons. Then you'll discover those zombies are two-faced foes: during they day, they're slow and lethargic, but at night, they double in speed and become much tougher to handle. It's better to find a bed for the night.

That day-night cycle is Dying Light's master move. You can feel the tension rising as the sun sets and the city becomes a much more dangerous place to be. Even if you tire of the set missions, get bored of investigating those cries for help from a nearby building, or get sick of that scenery, there's no denying the sense of accomplishment you get from caving in the face of an Arnie-sized zombie armed with a mallet after a one-on-one in a dimly lit courtyard. Hardcore zombie lovers, welcome to your new addiction.