The story of Dying Light 2 has separated itself from its predecessor by creating a much more serious tone in its story and characters. Even though fans find the main protagonist to be lacking, many of the game’s other characters have plenty of personality, and the war between factions along with the protagonist’s mission to find his sister ensure that tensions remain high throughout the game. With that said, the recently announced Dying Light 2 DLC, Dying Light 2: Blood Ties, seems to be shifting the game’s tone and curating a less serious environment.
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What is Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties
Based on the announcement trailer for the Dying Light 2 DLC, it looks as though players are entering a sort of gladiatorial arena where they will be pitted against both human and zombie enemies. The trailer shows off the combat arena, dubbed “Carnage Hall”, where many NPCs can be seen training and practicing for what looks to be a performance for a circus or test of combat - or some sort of combination of the two. The narrator states that though humans now must fight daily just to survive, in this arena they are fighting for glory, implying the fights are more of a spectacle than anything else.
Though it is unclear how exactly this gladiator arena came to be, players must fight their way through the relentless waves of enemies through the multiple different levels and environments created within the arena. It can be assumed that the protagonist must win their fights to be dubbed champion and claim their prize in the arena, whatever that may be. However, it is implied that something more sinister is going on during these events, and players will likely uncover the true nature of Carnage Hall during the course of Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties.
How Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties Changes the Game’s Tone
First and foremost, Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties seems to be taken a less serious tone when compared to the base game. Though there were moments of levity during the course of the game’s story, Dying Light 2 was much more serious compared to the original, and it looks like the DLC is attempting to encourage a little more fun into the storyline. Though the gladiator battles are likely just as brutal as any other fight in the main game, there is definitely a sense of comedy and silliness brought to the arena, likely due to its close resemblance to a circus act.
Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties is telling a new story and also looks to be changing up the combat environments. As opposed to jumping around an open world by navigating rooftops and tight corridors, the DLC seems to be mostly set within a multi-story arena. Though this arena does feature familiar structures such as spike walls and swinging poles, it is much more closed off and will likely restrict the player’s mobility compared to the main game’s setting. However, there do seem to be multiple different types of arenas, some of which feature scaffoldings and other climbable structures, so parkour will likely be utilized for combat more than for exploring the environment.
The overall change coming with Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties will likely not alter the feel of the game as a whole. The series is no stranger to off-handed humor and less-than-serious story structure, but it is interesting to see the developers make such a sharp change in direction compared to the core game. Though Dying Light 2’s story and combat situations seem to be mixed up in this DLC, it could serve as a welcome change of pace and a positive addition to both the series’ story and its unique take on parkour-based combat.
Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties releases on October 13.
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