Is Dying Light 2 more scary?

As a long-time fan of horror games, I‘ve been eagerly awaiting Techland‘s Dying Light sequel for years. Now that I‘ve played through Dying Light 2‘s nightmarish world, I can definitively say that the second game takes a different approach to horror. While still delivering tense undead action, Dying Light 2 dials back some of the pure terror that made the original so frightening.

The Blood-Chilling Threat of Volatiles

In the original Dying Light, no enemy instilled fear quite like the Volatiles. These ultra-powerful zombies only emerged at night, instantly chasing you across rooftops with alarming speed and aggression. Getting caught meant certain death. They created an ever-present threat after daylight faded, forcing players to carefully choose nighttime excursions.

According to Trusted Reviews, Techland intentionally limited Volatile appearances in DL2:

DL2‘s world is a lot emptier at night than the Harran of the original Dying Light. Techland‘s decision to limit the use of the ultra-powerful Volatile zombies has also made Dying Light 2 feel considerably less tense after the sun goes down

With fewer Volatiles marauding in darkness, Dying Light 2 loses some of that knife‘s-edge tension. Don‘t get me wrong – nighttime forays are still risky, with viral zombies packing the streets. But you won‘t be relentlessly hounded like in DL1, allowing more room to explore.

Volatile Encounters – DL1 vs DL2

So while viruses still pose a threat, the sheer terror and excitement of outrunning Volatiles is reduced. For hardcore horror fans craving adrenaline-pumping chases, this change is disappointing.

Empowered Parkour Gives New Confidence

Another key shift lies in Dying Light 2‘s improved traversal mechanics. Protagonist Aiden has a wider arsenal of parkour moves allowing players to scale the vertical cityscape with ease. Vaulting, climbing and gliding across gaps between rooftops is fluid.

Combined with the reduced Volatile threat, mastering parkour leaves you feeling oddly secure atop buildings, even with zombies below. As Inverse describes:

You don‘t always have to take the expected route in Dying Light 2, and that‘s the game‘s biggest strengths. Zombies flourish and roam the streets at night, but their sensitivity to light forces them indoors during the day.

Whereas DL1 could quickly overwhelm if caught on the streets at night, DL2‘s expanded traversal options let you escape to safety more consistently. Don‘t want to mess with that zombie horde? No problem – just grapple up that building. It reduces the sense of fear and vulnerability.

Parkour Moves Comparison

Aiden‘s versatile skillset lets players adapt on the fly. While still dangerous, nighttime doesn‘t trigger the same panic. It reduces fear in favor of empowerment.

Reddit and Players Agree: More Creepy Than Scary

Perusing Reddit and Steam discussions, many players agree Dying Light 2 chooses atmosphere over pure jump scares. As one Redditor put it:

There are a few intense moments throughout the campaign but there is nothing in the way of jump scares. When I first started the most tense moments was looting at night when I was underpowered. Dying light 2 is creepy at times because of the sound design and atmosphere but its rarely scary.

Strong sound design and unsettling environments clearly provide tension. The demons and cultists of Old Villador fill you with foreboding. Zombie shrieks echoing down empty subways put you on edge. But players feel they can handle threats with enough skill, limiting feelings of desperation.

In the words of another fan:

I would say DL2 is definitely creepy and tense at times, but significantly less scary than the first game. The sense of fear when going out at night just isn‘t there like it was in DL1.

So while DL2 retains the horror DNA of the franchise, it opts for creepy vibes rather than the intense stress and anxiety of its predecessor.

The Verdict? DL2 Dials Back the Horror

While still a blast for zombie fans, Dying Light 2 is decidedly less scary than the original overall. By reducing Volatile encounters and increasing parkour mobility/combat options, that feeling of frailty and danger doesn‘t quite emerge. The streets and roofs of The City don‘t instill the same primal fear.

Make no mistake – you still want to avoid nighttime excursions until you‘re strong enough. Hordes of infected can overwhelm the careless. Heights remain lethal. But DL2 exchanges pure terror for eerie atmosphere and empowering players to stand tall against the darkness.

As a hardcore DL1 fan this saddened me a bit. Still, I‘m excited to see where Techland takes things next. With rumors already swirling about Dying Light 3, perhaps the devs will unleash a sequel that ratchets up the tension once more. Only time will tell!