Dying Light 2 story explained in new PC Gaming Show

Dying Light 2 Stay Human
(Image credit: Techland)

New Dying Light 2: Stay Human concept art has debuted as part of the PC Gaming Show, along with a glimpse of our hero's backstory.

Developer Techland showcased some brand-new concept artwork of Dying Light 2: Stay Human, but we also understand a little more about the game's hero - Aiden. 

He was seemingly born into this post-virus world, and both he and his sister Mia were experimented on medically as children. After a fire, the two were separated, and Aiden has lived with the guilt of leaving her behind ever since. But now, in 2036 when the game is set, he's found the first clue as to how to find his sister - who he knows holds the answer as to who he really is. 

The developer also gave us a little recap of the game's backstory as part of the section too, about the virus, the enemies (who are monsters called Freakers, not zombies), and how the people who have survived now live. 

Dying Light 2: Stay Human was originally delayed indefinitely, although the delay was said to have helped Techland reach its ambitions for the sequel. Now, the game is confirmed to be launching on December 7, 2021, and is set 15-years after a zombie apocalypse. Player's can explore an open world that's said to be four times bigger than the original game. To traverse, they'll be using parkour abilities, a grappling hook, and a paraglider to allow them to experience the world in its verticality. That's when they're not running away from zombies, that is.

The world is ripe with materials for players in Dying Light 2: Stay Human to craft creative weapons, and they'll also be engaging in combat. There are 3 factions in The City who are each after power, and the player will have choices to make that affect the world and relationships with the factions. But it's not just factions, there are other humans out there who aren't entirely lovely beings, and to make matters more complicated, when nightfalls, the creatures, and zombies of the night come out.

Planning an upgrade to your setup? Give our Prime Day laptop deals guide a read for a range of tempting gaming laptops

Ben Bayliss

I'm partial to an action adventure RPG such as Skyrim and Cyberpunk 2077. I enjoy the occasional open-world driving games and even those skateboarding titles. But really, if any game I'm playing has a photo mode, I'll likely be found snapping pictures of anything and everything.

Read more
Dying Light The Beast: A screenshot of Kyle Crane in the upcoming game.
Dying Light: The Beast – Everything we know so far
Dying Light: The Beast screenshot of protagonist Castor Wood fighting a zombie with a blade and torchlight next to the big in 2025 logo
Dying Light: The Beast is blending atmospheric horror with over the top co-op absurdity in 2025: "It's almost unachievable to keep the horror vibe and still have four players when one is teabagging a zombie"
Dying Light 10 year anniversary
Celebrating 10 years of Dying Light's horror legacy: "We were doubting ourselves a little, and then the players stepped in"
Games like Resident Evil - Dying Light
10 years later, Dying Light's night time psychological warfare is still one of the strongest hooks in horror gaming history
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
10 games like Dying Light 2 to play once you're done with Techland's latest
Cronos appearing in the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2025
Travel through time rifts to search for survivors in sci-fi survival horror Cronos: The New Dawn
Latest in Action
Yasuke looking over the water to a shrine during sunset in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows has an entire island stuffed with adorable kittens you need to check out, and it's based on an actual Japanese cat paradise
Assassin's Creed Shadows review gameplay showing Yasuke overlooking the sea and lush green scenery
Assassin's Creed Shadows has already "surpassed the launches of AC Origins and Odyssey" with 2 million players and counting
God of War 3
God of War PSP's seamless loading was only possible because a Jak & Daxter game was also running in the background
MindsEye
GTA veteran's new open-world game will belong to everyone – almost like a wild mix of Roblox and Minecraft servers: "It won't just be ours"
Bill getting teary-eyed in The Last of Us
A potential The Last of Us season 1 plot hole has sparked a lot of debate among the fans
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe "justice must be served" or "killing them isn't justice" Yaya and Mistumune choice
Should you side with Mitsumune or Yaya in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Latest in News
A screenshot from MindsEye showing a character leaning out of a car, shooting another car with a gun.
GTA veteran says the games industry needs to "get smarter" about what people actually want: "There are so many games, and I think we're starting to feel the effects"
Posing with a rifle in the Fallout 76 Ghoul update
Fallout 76's art director "had to fight really hard" so Bethesda would make the MMO's map bigger than Skyrim's
Minecraft movie image of Jack Black as steve
Don't expect Minecraft to go free-to-play anytime soon, as Mojang says "It doesn't really work with the way we built it"
Yasuke looking over the water to a shrine during sunset in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows has an entire island stuffed with adorable kittens you need to check out, and it's based on an actual Japanese cat paradise
phase zero key art showing zombies in a hallway
Former Witcher 3 and Dying Light devs reveal their Resident Evil homage, complete with PS1-style fixed cameras
Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis System was only created because WB Games wanted something to combat Batman Arkham Asylum's second-hand sales, exec says