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Those features only scratch the surface of what makes the game so great. There’s a deeper layer of craftsmanship to appreciate in this rather generous zombie game title. So in case Switch owners are still on the fence about trying it out, these qualities that the community generally loves about Dying Light ought to show some potential players the light.

10 Decent Graphics

There’s a lot to be said for a game that remains popular despite being seven years old. Dying Light’s graphics still hold up well even when compared to today’s titles. Granted, there aren’t many zombie games with outstanding graphics (aside from Days Gone), but Dying Light at times, can still be a feast for the eyes.

The level of detail in its open world lends much to the immersive atmosphere. It’s not just the visuals that make the graphics competent here but also the physics system. A surprising number of buildings and props are interactive; players can easily sense that the developers didn’t skimp out on that department. The best part is that the game engine is well optimized. Getting ported to the Switch is evidence enough.

9 The Parkour

A huge part of what makes Dying Light’s graphics look prettier than they really are is thanks to the subtle contributions of the parkour system. Often, players will be clinging to individual building components such as pipes, nooks, and wall indentations so those have to be well detailed.

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Moreover, the parkour simply makes movement a joy in Dying Light. Fast travel can be conservative but players won’t find that too daunting since they can pretty much move like a webless Spider-Man around Dying Light’s barren city playground. We’ll even go as far as to say that Dying Light’s parkour is on par with Assassin’s Creed’s.

8 Emotional Story

It’s a zombie survival game so an emotional story is almost a low-hanging fruit in Dying Light. There are moments when its story can get too predictable or even generic but one has to give it praise for how it handles character development and emotional surprises.

There’s one particularly heart-breaking story moment in the game that will change how players feel as they progress. In any case, players will certainly feel how Crane’s mission becomes more and more personal as they start investing their emotions and concern.

7 Story Mode Co-Op

If story or campaign mode starts getting too generic, players can simply hop on the multiplayer session or invite their friends over. What makes it more appealing in Dying Light is that there’s no need for clunky lobbies. Simply press a few buttons and other players or friends can join the session.

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This seamless multiplayer integration is something other developers wish their game had. As for the co-op? It’s a blast. Thanks to the physics and parkour system, playing with others can result in either hilarious slapstick shenanigans or a nerve-wracking survival run.

6 Night Phase

Speaking of nerve-wracking, Dying Light will immediately seem less like a horror game after a few hours so the developers put a reminder that players should take it more seriously. They included a Night Mode where once the sun goes down, the zombies start foaming in the mouth a lot more.

Out will come special zombies too which are deadlier, tougher, faster, and hungrier than the usual ones. At this point, players will be forced into stealth gameplay if they want to survive or memorize the city well enough to outrun their pursuers. It’s the most immersive aspect of the game as it reinforces just how dangerous zombies can be in the right setting.

5 ARPG Loot Mechanics

Weapons in Dying Light have a way to keep players hooked on collecting. That’s because the weapons have varying stats. The crafted melee weapons and even the ones found lying about don’t deal the same damage and do not swing at the same speed. This puts an ARPG-type loot element to the game.

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Once players get to the second area where they finally get access to guns, the guns also have varying stats— even those that share the same model. Thus, players would do well to keep an eye out for some prized weapons. It’s not on the same level as Borderlands but it’s enough to satisfy fans of those kinds of games.

4 Satisfying Combat

While on the topic of combat, Dying Light’s zombie mashing and limb-splitting are still the most visceral and most satisfying out there. There’s a stamina meter for melee combat and bullets for ranged, but it’s not as cumbersome or laborious as Days Gone’s fighting system, for a fairer point of comparison.

In fact, Dying Light’s combat is fast-paced where players can jump across roofs acrobatically while slicing off zombie heads with their katana or trading bullets with bandits. For those who love their weapons flashy, players can even customize their weapons with elements such as fire or electricity.

3 Gameplay Variety

As mentioned before, Dying Light also offers a robust stealth gameplay system where they can try to avoid zombie hordes or patches by sneaking. At night, that becomes mandatory. The base game thus gives players many gameplay opportunities.

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Once they get to the DLC parts, specifically The Following, they’ll then be rewarded with a buggy so they can turn zombies into roadkill. Across the many area maps, there are also a variety of challenges and side missions available. Heck, there are even parkour races for those looking to improve their agility.

2 Lots Of Content

Since we’re talking about the Platinum Edition here, there’s no shortage of content to be had. On the base game alone, players can expect around 30 hours of gameplay (including side missions and other activities) from start to finish.

Fire up the DLCs and that easily adds up even more hours. In total, Dying Light has four paid expansions (DLCs), a Season Pass content, 18 paid bundles, and six free bundles. All of that is included in the Platinum Edition. The replay value is through the roof here.

1 Passionate Developers

A lot of game developers these days tend to botch their games post-release where they exhibit a worrying amount of neglect for their title. Such is the case for some zombie games. Thankfully, Techland, Dying Light’s developer is different from the pack.

The numerous expansions, free content, and extra content are strong indicators that they love their game as much as the players do. Some of the players are even pleasantly surprised to see the developers still supporting and continuously improving their old title. That’s a good indication of what the near future holds for Dying Light​​​​​​, especially with Dying Light 2 looming on the horizon.

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