Dying Light 2 From E3 Compared to Retail Version

Last week, Dying Light 2 debuted on the market.. We've been waiting for the game for many years, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that a lot of its elements have changed since the first presentations. Those interested in this topic should watch the video posted by Nick930, showing the differences between the full version of the project and older gameplay footage.

The author of the material based on gameplays from E3 2018 and E3 2019. The full version of the game used in the comparison is the retail PC release, running in 4K and with maximum graphics settings.

The changes in Dying Light 2 since 2018

The footage enables us to see how big changes have occurred in comparison with the first gameplay video.

1. Buildings have clearly lost some detail. They also have fewer floors, and the distance between structures is larger.
2. The architecture of the city is completely different from the 2018 video.
3. The game is more colorful, and the maps are much more covered in vegetation than in 2018. The version from four years ago was more bleak, while the final release shows a world that is past its worst.
4. Missing from the full game was the maneuver visible in the E3 video of using a knife on a large advertising banner to slow down the fall rate from great heights as a result of cutting it open. However, players can achieve a similar effect by sliding down vertical surfaces.

The full version of the game (right) differs heavily in architecture and atmosphere from what was shown in 2018. Source: Nick 930.

What's changed compared to the 2019 gameplay

1. Gameplay shown in 2019 is already much closer to the current Dying Light 2, as the project was at a more advanced stage of work at the time. The footage appears to be from an actual early version of the game, rather than a demo prepared mainly for the show, as was the case in 2018.
2. The 2019 gameplay also has more detailed buildings, but the map layout itself is much closer to what appear in the full version of the game, making direct comparisons easier.
3. The 2019 version has more detailed shadows, more numerous groups of NPCs, and more light sources in many scenes.
4. Some characters have more detail in the final version than in the 2019 show.
5. You can see the change in atmosphere here as well. The final world is more colorful and sunny than the 2019 version.
6. The combat mechanics are the same, but some small animations are missing (such as the protagonist manually changing weapon settings - this is now done automatically).

In some scenes the 2019 version (left) had shadow effects, which are missing in the retail version. Source: Nick 930.

Dying Light 2 was released on February 4, simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. In a few months, Nintendo Switch owners will also be able to play the game thanks to the streaming technology.

1. Dying Light 2 Review: A Glow in the Dark
2. Dying Light 2 - game guide
3. Dying Light 2 - official website

Dying Light 2

February 4, 2022

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