Dying Light

 Xbox One
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 566 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 441 out of 566
  2. Mixed: 63 out of 566
  3. Negative: 62 out of 566
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. IsaacSlade
    Jan 28, 2015
    10
    As I'm writing this, I've played for about five hours, and in those five hours, I've had one of the most fun, and genuinely frightening experiences I've had playing a zombie game. Combat is very simple, but in this game, it's much safer to run early on. Stop to fight out in the open,and you can very easily become swarmed, and die very quickly. But that's why I love the movement system.As I'm writing this, I've played for about five hours, and in those five hours, I've had one of the most fun, and genuinely frightening experiences I've had playing a zombie game. Combat is very simple, but in this game, it's much safer to run early on. Stop to fight out in the open,and you can very easily become swarmed, and die very quickly. But that's why I love the movement system. It'll take a bit to get accustomed to at first, but once you do, you'll have a blast (If you like parkour in video games). My one complaint gameplay-wise is that there's no actual function to check your watch, and the only way to do so is to hang from a ledge. Though you do get radio warnings an hour before sunset, which is nice.

    The story is certainly more interesting than I was expecting (To be honest I wasn't even expecting one), and the voice acting is good. The game is very pretty to look at too. But it becomes a whole different game when the sun goes down. That's not just a marketing tagline, it really does change. Instead of dodging slow zombies and scavenging for supplies,you're now running for your life from a much faster,stronger,and more dangerous enemy, one that stalks you relentlessly. But, at night, experience points double. So, when the sun goes down, you really have to ask yourself...is the risk really worth it?

    Edit: So, I played a little more into the game, and I found a good a workaround for the watch issue. If you carry a good knife with you, you will hold up both arms when it's equipped, letting you see your watch just fine.    … Expand
  2. bender1985
    Jan 28, 2015
    9
    GRAPHICS SCORE-9.5- : Its a beautiful game that captures the desperate atmosphere of a quarantined city. The wind, lighting and surrounding mountains are equal parts stunning and give you a sense of abandonment and seclusion from the outside world. The SUN is a very prominent component in the visuals, the sunset obviously being a trigger of anxiety, it is beautiful and you want to gazeGRAPHICS SCORE-9.5- : Its a beautiful game that captures the desperate atmosphere of a quarantined city. The wind, lighting and surrounding mountains are equal parts stunning and give you a sense of abandonment and seclusion from the outside world. The SUN is a very prominent component in the visuals, the sunset obviously being a trigger of anxiety, it is beautiful and you want to gaze but know you must go find shelter.

    GAMEPLAY SCORE-8.5-: The gameplay is much improved over dead island, the weapons seem to carry more weight and the parkour is very fun once you get a feel for it. The fact that you get XP for climbing and jumping and scaling just makes me more addicted to the game. But there are a few quirks that I do not like. You can kick zombies but there does not seem to be a way to kill them by kicking, so you have to use a weapon that has limited durability. Why cant I stomp their head in to save this weapon life?? And occasionally when jumping and scaling I found it clumsy to do the finer moves like dropping down to a near by ledge or the smaller jumps were missed.

    STORYLINE-8.3-: The storyline actually surprised me a bit, I have not beaten the game so I can not grade this with complete accuracy but it has a nice twist of being undercover and that adds to the tense feeling of the game. Still not the most emotionally in depth story but I do feel for the survivors I'm trying to help.

    ECONOMY-9-: It is almost identical to dead island, still very rewarding. I love loot and exploring the roof tops for it. The crafting is easy and on the go with fun gadgets. The XP economy is addictive!! I just wanted to keep playing and the XP is split into two bars...athletics and Combat so I wanted to balance my gameplay and try to find zombies split from the rest to kill and get my combat bar up while parkouring along the roof tops to get my athletics bar up. The skill tree is interesting, can't wait to dive in more.

    FINAL IMPRESSION-9-: A stunning game with a great atmosphere of desperation and tension. Satisfying combat and parkour engines with minor quirks but nothing too frustrating once gotten used to. An addictive economic system that makes me want to keep looting and getting XP.    … Expand
  3. Zats
    Jan 28, 2015
    10
    Great Graphics, The night is scary as hell, Plenty of quests, This game is pretty dang good..... The Co-op is probably the best part If you like Dead Island you will like this game
  4. vangoat
    Jan 29, 2015
    8
    If you like dead island this feels like a great evolution. I like the parkour because it stresses how important it is to just survive. You're constantly on the run which feels more authentic than any zombie game I can think of...I haven't run into any issues with the movement. It is a hell of a rush to run by a bunch of zombies and then try to scramble up a fence not knowing how close theyIf you like dead island this feels like a great evolution. I like the parkour because it stresses how important it is to just survive. You're constantly on the run which feels more authentic than any zombie game I can think of...I haven't run into any issues with the movement. It is a hell of a rush to run by a bunch of zombies and then try to scramble up a fence not knowing how close they are behind you.

    Bottom line: If you like platformers, the fear of being hunted, zombies, RPG aspects of upgrades I would think you would like this game. It requires you to make tough choices constantly...holy shnikes running from the horde at night is exhilarating!    … Expand
  5. andrewchard
    Feb 4, 2015
    10
    Everyone who says Dying Light is just Dead Island with park-our is sadly mistaken. Dying Light is THE most fun zombie game I have ever played. The Story is kind of cliche, but still extremely interesting. And is very very long, right when you think its going to end, it doesn't. Which is absolutely great, because it's such a great game. The park-our is absolutely amazing it is just likeEveryone who says Dying Light is just Dead Island with park-our is sadly mistaken. Dying Light is THE most fun zombie game I have ever played. The Story is kind of cliche, but still extremely interesting. And is very very long, right when you think its going to end, it doesn't. Which is absolutely great, because it's such a great game. The park-our is absolutely amazing it is just like mirrors edge once you get all the upgrades and **** But once you get the grappling hook, the game opens up. Getting away at night becomes a whole lot easier and genuinely more fun. All the upgrades are just fantastic with the electricity, and poison.
    I'm giving this game a ten because I have not played anything else for the last week and have over 50 hours of game play.    … Expand
  6. Alucard1989
    Feb 13, 2015
    7
    I have over 30 hours played so far and I must say this game is a major step forward from Dead Island. The overall tone of the game is an improvement, and the combat is more refined. The parkour system is a welcome breath of fresh air, and is absolutely necessary for the fantastic open world they have developed for the game. Exploring some of the games highest locations is absolutelyI have over 30 hours played so far and I must say this game is a major step forward from Dead Island. The overall tone of the game is an improvement, and the combat is more refined. The parkour system is a welcome breath of fresh air, and is absolutely necessary for the fantastic open world they have developed for the game. Exploring some of the games highest locations is absolutely amazing, and the world is full of small details to discover.
    However, the game has its drawbacks when it comes to its quests as well as a few of the mechanics. I have been completing every side quest as I progress through the game, and I have to say that they are absolutely boring. There are only a few side quests that actually add anything interesting to the game, and I do have to admit these were done very well. The day/night cycle is also a let down considering it can be skipped altogether. The biggest flaw in my opinion is the spawning mechanic for the game. Clearing an area so that you can search uninterrupted? NOPE! Zombies will continue to spawn within your immediate area regardless of if it even makes sense. One side quest lead me to a part of the bridge in the slums that was segmented from the rest, and was only accessable by climbing. Even after clearing the entire bridge zombies continued to spawn without there even being a legitimate way for more to show up. More spawning overnight I can accept, but in front of my eyes is a little too much. Viral spawning is another low of the game. You WILL hear the viral spawn noise A FEW HUNDRED TIMES, and they WILL know where you are regardless of if you flee. Virals have to be the most obnoxiously annoying part of the game. They constantly spawn, and killing them only spawns more and so on and so on. This would not be as annoying if they added any sort of challenge to the game, but they very quickly begin to feel like flies that need to be constantly swatted over and over.
    I am excited to see what hard mode has to offer considering how easy the game is in its current state, but spawning needs to be fixed for a more realistic and gratifying hard mode experience.    … Expand
  7. Sceptic
    Feb 12, 2015
    8
    Much better than previous efforts from Techland.The side missions are a high point,as is the movement.I had a really good time with Dying Light,despite my expectations.Darkness made me nervous.That hasn't happened for quite some time...Nice work.
  8. StrangeQube
    Feb 3, 2015
    9
    I have beat this game once and now that I am about to start a new game plus play through. I must say that this game was nothing short of amazing. While its not perfect with its occasional bug out, the game is mostly a great experience.

    You can easily get interested in the story and find yourself pretty caught up when someone important dies. Dying Light emits real vibrations that I have    I have beat this game once and now that I am about to start a new game plus play through. I must say that this game was nothing short of amazing. While its not perfect with its occasional bug out, the game is mostly a great experience.

    You can easily get interested in the story and find yourself pretty caught up when someone important dies. Dying Light emits real vibrations that I have not seen the likes of in any other game which is highly enjoyable. The climbing and fighting animations are very smooth and allow you to easily get immersed in the game and leave you itching for more every time you have to set it down. One of the most defining things of Dying Light is its ability to put you in creepy settings that create real discomfort and make you scared or jumpy with out something randomly crashing in from a closed door like many games do (Jump scares).

    While the game desperately needs a fast travel system the free running is enjoyable and makes up for the lack of swiftness in moving from point A to point B. I do see the logic in keeping out a fast travel considering the game is highly based on making your way around on foot but in the very least a quick way from town to town would be nice.

    In short I rate Dying Light a 9/10 because while I absolutely love the game and all that it has to offer I cant honestly say that it is absolutely perfect. Nearly perfect but not quite there, as far as zombie parkour games go at least.    … Expand
  9. C3realkillah
    Feb 1, 2015
    8
    this is a re-review as i decided to give dying light another chance. it can still irritate the hell outta me but it is no doubt a fun game. I've almost finish the campaign and got to the second open world area and i'm glad to have gave the game another chance. It still is hard as balls and still can be unfair, but it is without a doubt a beautiful, polished, and fun game with a story thatthis is a re-review as i decided to give dying light another chance. it can still irritate the hell outta me but it is no doubt a fun game. I've almost finish the campaign and got to the second open world area and i'm glad to have gave the game another chance. It still is hard as balls and still can be unfair, but it is without a doubt a beautiful, polished, and fun game with a story that is surprisingly very good imo. i felt for the characters as their lives became worse and worse and i hated the main villain because he was a sick, evil, bastard. overall after playing more and more and getting better i really like this game now and don't regret buying it. it can still be a pain the ass BIG TIME, but it still is fun to run around and kill zombies or run for your life as night time can get scary and intense. i'm glad i turned out liking this game and i recommend it to any fan of dead island or open world zombie games. 8.5/10… Expand
  10. Firedthaboss
    Feb 6, 2015
    8
    After beating the main story and a few side quests. I was really on the fence on rather to give this game a 8 or a 9. I can say this game is very polished. All the glitches I encountered weren't too bad. Such as one time as a zombie lunged at me it partially clipped around the corner. However this only happened once. I can say I wasn't too thrilled with the story although I wasn'tAfter beating the main story and a few side quests. I was really on the fence on rather to give this game a 8 or a 9. I can say this game is very polished. All the glitches I encountered weren't too bad. Such as one time as a zombie lunged at me it partially clipped around the corner. However this only happened once. I can say I wasn't too thrilled with the story although I wasn't expecting much. However there were a couple twists that got me. The colored weapons that determine value is still here. (White, Green, Blue, etc.) However I did find it odd how a couple times I found a gun with the same name as mine but with a higher color value but with no change in stats at all. I can say I was very pleased with the night gameplay, as it feels like a very different game. At night the zombies called Volatiles come out, and the game basically turns into a stealth game. Now you can defend yourself using UV flares and a UV flashlight. The UV flashlight however drains in around 10 seconds and takes about 20 to recharge so it doesn't make you invulnerable. In closing if you like the zombie genre I really recommend it. If you're not into zombie games but you're interested I recommend you rent it and see if you think it's worth the money.… Expand
  11. ACWise
    Feb 21, 2015
    7
    100% pretty cool. Parkour aspect of the game is very high quality. The combat is essentially the same as Dead Island, but the solid parkour mechanics add to the diversity of each encounter. For me, these things alone are enough to pull the game up to a seven. Basic game mechanics have taken a back seat lately to over-done visuals and over the top presentation. This is not the case with100% pretty cool. Parkour aspect of the game is very high quality. The combat is essentially the same as Dead Island, but the solid parkour mechanics add to the diversity of each encounter. For me, these things alone are enough to pull the game up to a seven. Basic game mechanics have taken a back seat lately to over-done visuals and over the top presentation. This is not the case with Dying Light, so it's a welcome change. However, that's about all this game has to offer. The story is not engrossing at all, and lends nothing to the game. (par for the course with zombie games lately) Thus, the game quickly turns from an experience to a zombie-parkour sandbox. Since the mechanics are good, that's okay. Just look at Minecraft. It doesn't even have a story. The killer for this game though, is the level up system. It's lame. The skills are over-powered and easy to acquire, making this game lose it's difficulty at an alarming rate. That, combined with the lack-luster story leaves little reason to pick the game back up after 20-30 hours. So, is it worth the money? Probably not if you don't have friends to play it with. I would recommend a purchase price of $40, but if you really need to kill zombies and do parkour right now, go for the $60 tag.… Expand
  12. EdwardWalsh
    Apr 23, 2015
    6
    Dying light has one distinct feature that seperates it's unique gameplay amongst all the other myriads of Zombie games that have recently released in the last 5 years, and that is it's newly adapted Parkour feature. In Dying Light, players have the ability to overcome tall, obstruct obstacles using their rapid functioning endurance and visual prowess. Whilst these abilities can be furtherDying light has one distinct feature that seperates it's unique gameplay amongst all the other myriads of Zombie games that have recently released in the last 5 years, and that is it's newly adapted Parkour feature. In Dying Light, players have the ability to overcome tall, obstruct obstacles using their rapid functioning endurance and visual prowess. Whilst these abilities can be further upgraded for better performance, from the beginning you like a human spider, and yes, it is a fine enjoyment. It's this ability that allows for a fresh gameplay experience. But, in truth, aside from this (Very Entertaining) add-on to the zombie slayer genre, Dying Light, in itself, is just another Dead Island with slightly more appealing visuals. Yes, the environment is beautiful, and the graphics are easily next-gen certified, but in reality, how far do these qualities go when it comes to the thrill of a gaming experience? It's the same game with a slight adjustment in exploration. Is it a must own? If you have ever played any of the Dead Island games, then, in truth, you should have a pretty clear idea of what is to be expected in Dying Light. However, if you happen to be a die-hard zombie fan, then i guess it's worth a try.… Expand
  13. LeviBlank
    Feb 2, 2015
    8
    Dying Light is dope, simple as that. This open world zombie game, played from a first-person perspective, is a healthy mix of all of my favorite titles over the past few years. If you combine Far Cry’s basic model, with Mirror’s Edge’s parkour elements, and sprinkle Dead Island’s combat and zombie aspects, then you will end up with Dying Light. This game taps into my fear of heights likeDying Light is dope, simple as that. This open world zombie game, played from a first-person perspective, is a healthy mix of all of my favorite titles over the past few years. If you combine Far Cry’s basic model, with Mirror’s Edge’s parkour elements, and sprinkle Dead Island’s combat and zombie aspects, then you will end up with Dying Light. This game taps into my fear of heights like no virtual experience has before. Any game that can make me log forty hours in just four days must be worth a shot.

    After the slow start to the game, it really opens up. You learn about your three skill trees (Agility, Power, and Survival,) which all level up and earn experience differently. A really unique aspect of this game is the night time and day time mechanics. During the day, you have Walking Dead zombies, slow, rotten, and easy to chop up. During night time, you have 30 Days of Night zombies, fast, scary, and difficult to destroy. The game does a great job of balancing the two times of day. If you are daring enough to be out at night, your experience gained for Power and Agility are doubled, adding mega bonus to having balls.

    The story mode is engaging enough to finish, even though I feel like it drags on a little bit. Roger Craig Smith did an excellent job at voicing the main character, Kyle Crane. I enjoyed the campaign all of the way through to the end, until the end. I was really peeved by the last scene, but I’ll just leave it at that. Besides those last brutal ten minutes, I had a blast going through this story mode. I would not replay the story mode, but it was solid enough to put ten to twelve hours into.

    Dying Light really finds it’s stride with the vast majority of side quests. This selection of side quests is the most compelling line up since Skyrim. As with any game, the more side quests you have, the more repetitive they get. With this game, they can get repetitive but with proper writing and structure, I get engaged with the characters and storyline enough to not care about the few quests that get repetitive. There are added story arcs in this game that make it infinitely better due to the fifty or more side quests.

    This is a game that I would recommend to anyone. If you can stick through the sluggish opening, there is a lot of game to be played. The compelling stories get better outside of the main campaign. Regardless of if you are gathering a horde of zombies with firecrackers and then lighting them on fire with a Molotov, or if you are climbing a bridge just to admire the view, this game is extremely fun and exciting.    … Expand
  14. GozerBoy
    Feb 20, 2015
    8
    Dying Light is a blast. It's thrilling and packed with stuff to do. You can criticize the story, characters, and SOME side story quests (find me 15 lavender bushes), rightfully so, but this game doesn't need a great story or lovable characters. It's a thrilling open world zombie ride.
    The sound design, voice acting, skill system, combat, and parkour are ALL phenomenal. They work very    Dying Light is a blast. It's thrilling and packed with stuff to do. You can criticize the story, characters, and SOME side story quests (find me 15 lavender bushes), rightfully so, but this game doesn't need a great story or lovable characters. It's a thrilling open world zombie ride.
    The sound design, voice acting, skill system, combat, and parkour are ALL phenomenal. They work very well. For me the only frustrating mechanic is the grappling hook. It's AWESOME when it works (which for the most part it does)... but homeboy doesn't always like to grab the ledge you grapple to which usually results in falling straight down the side of a building into a pile of brain eaters. *Insert loud expletive*

    This game shines when you're out out on your own (or with a friend) surviving Harran. It's a survival game: You need loot, you need weapons, you always need an escape plan. You need to make your character faster, stronger, and more agile to survive. Literally. Early on you're slow, weak, easily tired; Later on you're fast, powerful, and bold...but no matter what, you should never lose site of the nearest safe house...just incase. That's what I love about this game, I am fully maxed out, with weapons that slice through zombies with ease...yet when nightfall hits... i'm making damn sure I know where my safe UV-light-flooded safe houses are.

    I dare you to find me a game that gives the same thrilling rush of excitement (or terror) when you're running like hell from zombies that are faster and stronger than you. One of the best games I've played on XB1    … Expand
  15. KrillKat
    Mar 27, 2015
    10
    Pay attention to the user score and not the critics! This is a really fun immersive game that has a bit of a slow start. You learn quickly NOT to use those loud firearms and instead use planks, bats, knives and hammers. Use those skill points for a grappling hook as soon as possible, because it makes getting around and getting away a lot easier. You appreciate those weapons upgrades soPay attention to the user score and not the critics! This is a really fun immersive game that has a bit of a slow start. You learn quickly NOT to use those loud firearms and instead use planks, bats, knives and hammers. Use those skill points for a grappling hook as soon as possible, because it makes getting around and getting away a lot easier. You appreciate those weapons upgrades so much as the game continues. It becomes so satisfying to slice through the infected with one whack. I wasn't thrilled with the game at first but quickly became addicted and you will too!… Expand
  16. cish
    Oct 20, 2015
    8
    The storyline in this was great especially utilizing coop. The parkour + zombie gameplay really worked out. The parkour was very well developed and once you get a hang of it is very fluid. This game could have been better if there were better online game types.
  17. pedim2021
    Feb 13, 2017
    10
    Pros: multiplayer
    Single player
    Customizable character Game changing add ons Phenomenal graphics Cons: few glitches Unknown ^^^^^^ Dying light is by far one of the BEST games I have ever played. The story line is amazing it is a combine of crisis and hope as well as war between two rival factions. The game can be bought at most likely every gamestop store you go to it is    Pros: multiplayer
    Single player
    Customizable character
    Game changing add ons
    Phenomenal graphics
    Cons: few glitches
    Unknown
    ^^^^^^

    Dying light is by far one of the BEST games I have ever played. The story line is amazing it is a combine of crisis and hope as well as war between two rival factions. The game can be bought at most likely every gamestop store you go to it is accessible to PC,PS4 and Xbox 1. The game is a little pricey $60 but it is worth every single penny. It is one of the first amazing games that combines zombies and parkour. Many other games may have you jumping over a few obstacles but Dying Light is a full on hardcore parkour game. The developers of techland did an amazing job on creating this game the game's rating is M but I think that it is appropriate to play anyways.
    I mean come on if you can find a better zombie game out there tell me I would greatly appreciate that. Pretty much overall the game is amazing and so far nothing will top it in my opinion.
    My personal experience with the game was amazing.When I first got the game (ps playing on Xbox1) I was amazed at the graphics I thought to myself these are the best graphics I have ever seen and now i think to myself 2 years later wow these are still the best graphics I have ever seen. The motto of the game is goodnight good luck I find that this motto fits very well with the game because when the night comes it's a whole new world keep that in mind I will come back to that later. The opening cutscene is a very well put together as it combines what you are going to be doing in the story as well as what characters you will need to most defiantly know. Once you are able to play the game you must complete the prologue to be able to get to multiplayer mode. The prologue I would say is about 15-20 min long once you complete it it will give you the option to go online or stay offline I would suggest you stay offline until you completely understand the game and know the controls. The multiplayer gameplay is you can either be a human or a zombie the reason you should stay offline is that other players can invade your game at anytime. The game is mostly just jumping around from rooftop to rooftop or dodging zombies in the day but there's still some missions that make you kill zombies or other computers in the game. But when it becomes night it a whole different story you're points are doubled and there's a new form of zombie that is extremely agile and cannot be killed easily I would suggest if you ever come into the eyesight of one of these zombies you RUNNNN.
    Putting all this together i would recommend this game for more 16-25 years of age just because of the gory graphics involved in this game but as well as any zombie lovers they must play this game. I would start off on the normal difficulty just because one step above that is a lot harder you should probably play through the game once before you change the difficulty.

    Good night and good luck    … Expand
  18. wesker2012
    Feb 2, 2015
    8
    Best zombie game and game in general to come out in awhile. After so many disappointing games last year, dying light is a breath of fresh air. The characters absorb you enough into the story to make you care, the graphics are excellent, the open world design is done solidly, and finally the zombie gameplay is done in a fun, new way.
  19. TheNacho
    Jan 27, 2015
    9
    First review here on MetaCritic. Yay me! Anywho, bought this game after watching many gameplay videos and I must say the game is gorgeous. Takes a moment to get used to the controls for the running and jumping, but once you get it, it's pretty smooth. This game is what the last Dead Island should have been (to me). I was on the edge of my seat many times and love the feeling ofFirst review here on MetaCritic. Yay me! Anywho, bought this game after watching many gameplay videos and I must say the game is gorgeous. Takes a moment to get used to the controls for the running and jumping, but once you get it, it's pretty smooth. This game is what the last Dead Island should have been (to me). I was on the edge of my seat many times and love the feeling of impending doom - which the game captures well. Overall, a good game and looking forward to playing co-op.… Expand
  20. Agent-D
    Jan 27, 2015
    8
    I know many of you will be on the fence about another Techland zombie game. Trust me, I was very cautiously pessimistic about Dying Light. I can say that in many ways though it is a perfected version of Dead Island, my only real complaint is the lack of vehicles. I understand these weren't introduced to allow players to make use of the parkour movement system.

    Graphically they game    I know many of you will be on the fence about another Techland zombie game. Trust me, I was very cautiously pessimistic about Dying Light. I can say that in many ways though it is a perfected version of Dead Island, my only real complaint is the lack of vehicles. I understand these weren't introduced to allow players to make use of the parkour movement system.

    Graphically they game is pretty outstanding, I think it looks better than some of the videos and screenshots we have been shown for so long. I have seen some odd to downright hilarious things while playing this game, nothing game breaking, but like zombies stuck in cars or watching them fall over and over again.

    Combat is very similar to Dead Island but feel far more natural. The games level system with combat makes it seem like your weaker than you should be at first and then way stronger than anyone should be by the end. I get this is probably to give the player a sense of learning to fight and survive and while its entirely possible you will survive even the most intense swarm, just keep in mind that in most events early on its always best to just run. Once the levels start rolling in and the weapons get better and better you effectively become the Rick Grimes of Dying Light and just start mowing through the undead.

    The audio of the game is pretty spectacular, probably my favorite part. The voice acting is pretty sharp with Roger Craig Smith (Known for playing Chris Redfield & Ezio Auditore) taking the lead. The ambient noise provides great atmosphere, especially at night when things are at their creepiest. Most firearms sound average, neither great, nor bad. Weapon impact on melee weapons sound great though and add to the brutality of the actions on screen.

    As some have stated, the story is well more than I expected it to be, so I have to give them kudos for trying, the game is at it's best when playing co-op or even more so when terrorizing players as a Zombie. The only real thing I feel they missed out on was leaving out vehicles (like I stated at the start) but otherwise its a solid zombie game for next gen consoles.

    Overall it's certainly the best game we have seen from Techland    … Expand
  21. MrPositive
    Jan 27, 2015
    10
    This game is absolutely remarkable. I actually had pretty low expectations after I didn't really enjoy Dead Island all that much, but Techland must have overhauled their team with some top quality people. The environments and characters for graphics are not only realistic but deliver it's own unique style. I'm only 10 hours in and it's the best game I've played since The Last Of Us.
  22. Maximum1234
    Jan 27, 2015
    10
    This game is amazing. Parkour is awesome and the combat is awesome. This game is a must have. Its just so much fun to play co-op and just take out zombies and run around the city. Buy this game now.
  23. smithjones
    Jan 29, 2015
    10
    One of the best games I have played especially with Zombies. The graphics on the xbox one is stunning and the running is just like "Mirror's Edge" game which allows for excellent movement. I am very pleased with buying this game and this is how "Dead Island" should have looked if the xbox 360 could have handled it.
  24. Joe614
    Jan 27, 2015
    8
    I currently have played about 11 hours of Dying Light and must say that game is fun and really does a good job to get your heart racing. The game mechanics are smooth. The story is okay. Nothing we haven't really heard before. The parkour is amazing. The multiplayer was fun. The graphics are beautiful. I highly recommend this game.
  25. NAchocheese1238
    Jan 27, 2015
    10
    This game is just amazing in every way the story the visuals and the gameplay is so awesome and fluent. If your thinking of buying this game then buy it its a must have for all owners for the new generation.
  26. captainkane
    Mar 21, 2015
    6
    Dying Light is a decent game, and it’s fun. I haven’t had this much enjoyment playing a new title since Shadow of Mordor. That being said, the zombie obsession is getting a bit tired, and Techland doesn’t bring us anything new. Despite its fun factor, there are many glaring technical problems with Dying Light that hold it back from greatness.

    When done right, zombie genocide brings    Dying Light is a decent game, and it’s fun. I haven’t had this much enjoyment playing a new title since Shadow of Mordor. That being said, the zombie obsession is getting a bit tired, and Techland doesn’t bring us anything new. Despite its fun factor, there are many glaring technical problems with Dying Light that hold it back from greatness.

    When done right, zombie genocide brings about frenzied gameplay that doesn’t make sense in typical settings. But it has to be done right. There’s a bunch of reasons so many people still play Left 4 Dead. It’s chaotic, creepy, and makes teamwork essential. More importantly, L4D is a polished, lean experience that’s satisfying without being barebones. Less is more truly applies here.

    Although Dying Light highlights teamwork, it lacks polish. Instead, it crams in a bunch of content. Fortunately, the developers get a few things right. Foremost, DL allows players to kill zombies all day every day. I spent the first 10 hours slaying hordes of grotesque creatures without progressing thru the story. Completing missions is required to unlock new creatures and better items, but the pacing is definitely casual. Even better, unlike Far Cry 4, friends can help each other complete the main story.

    Second, DL trades creepy for urban. The city of Harran is a gritty shanty town undergoing urbanization. Techland juxtaposes highways and skyscrapers against dirt roads and huts. My initial reaction was “Wow, this would make an awesome Battlefield map”. DL’s map design will definitely appeal to both zombie fanatics and fps gamers in equal measures. Parkour adds verticality. But things get scary at night. Don’t venture out alone after dark. Period.

    Lastly, players are rewarded for playing in the sandbox. Gamers who stick only to the missions will miss out. Looting and exploration yield rewards, such as awesome weapons. Players can share weapons by dropping them. I’ve done this to help new players. On the downside, DL offers so much stuff that players can spend more time looting than anything else. Thorough players will end up with mountains of inventory since everything respawns. No point in being frugal.

    So what’s wrong with the game? Most noticeably, screen tearing—It’s the worst I’ve seen on Xbox One. Despite DL’s crisps visuals and vibrant colors, the tearing is utterly distracting and mars the experience.
    Then there’s the awful lag. Game states rarely sync up when playing co-op. So 4 different players often kill the same zombie, and one player may kill a single zombie several times. On many occasions my character mutilated a zombie only to witness it rise up with all its limbs intact. Zombies teleport too. That’s some scary #^@#.

    DL’s lag has a sinister side tho. During lag spikes, players will die, fall thru the map, or other bizarre crap. It’s annoying because it happens once during any prolonged session. At times, the lag spikes create outlandishly comical moments. It’s amazing how next gen games are plagued with so many connectivity problems.

    The graphical problems and persistent lag point to poor optimization. Yet, DL’s problems don’t end there. Players are losing their save files. Players can’t join their friends’ games. Sound cuts out. Dialogue cuts out. Fast traveling is broken. Constant pop ups break the immersion. And the list goes on…

    DL’s combat is imprecise. It’s like playing Skyrim: Zombies Edition. Jumping and running attacks are too often ineffectual. On screen commands prompt players to initiate executions, but the game doesn’t always react accordingly. And players must be in exact positions for them to appear. Good luck doing that while being mobbed.

    The unintuitive control scheme adds to this problem. Players must hit the right bumper to jump, not “A”. Some buttons control multiple actions. For example, players hit “X” to search, but “X” can also remotely detonate traps and executes enemies. All too often I’ve seen players injure teammates because traps activated when they were searching loot. The parkour elements work better, but nothing to write home about.

    DL manages system resources poorly. Zombies appear out of thin air. Loot disappears if there’s too much action. And zombies are motionless unless players are close. I’ve thrown explosives into clusters of zombies and they remained still. They don’t respond to traps. So thinning out zombies from afar isn’t effective.

    The conclusion? Technically speaking DL is a beta. It has problem gamers shouldn’t be seeing in 2015. Plus, DL offers nothing new. The copy/paste fetch quests become tedious. But Far Cry 4 blew its chances of being the co-op champ on next gen consoles, and DL fills that void. Despite the long list of glaring flaws, DL is fun. Additionally, I’ve experienced a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. And this enjoyment is due in large part to the current selection of lackluster shooters. But I still wholeheartedly recommend DL. I just wish Techland created a beefier engine for it.    … Expand
  27. PSFBoysRTools
    Feb 2, 2015
    10
    This is the best game to come out on console since the new generation of gaming started. Hands down. I have played 40 hours already... That's a lot I know, but that's how this game is meant to be played. I hate how these "professional" reviewers played the game for less than ten hours, ran through the campaign, and complained about how they couldn't get a grasp of the movement. Yeah...This is the best game to come out on console since the new generation of gaming started. Hands down. I have played 40 hours already... That's a lot I know, but that's how this game is meant to be played. I hate how these "professional" reviewers played the game for less than ten hours, ran through the campaign, and complained about how they couldn't get a grasp of the movement. Yeah... Jump is RB... duhh. It takes an hour tops for most people to get used to new controls. The main reason cited for poor scores is the controls and movement. It's not the games fault if you can't maximize the movement in the game. They mention nothing about climbing becoming easier as you progress, combat becomes easier, and the overall feel of the game becomes exceptional once you put some time in. It's not meant to be an easy game like COD. You are supposed to struggle at the start and feel overwhelmed. Then, once you put time in you become a bad***. I think that a lot of these reviewers are lazy and didn't actually put enough time in to truly judge how great this game really is. Professional game scores should never range from 50-95... really? Somebody isn't doing their job properly. This is the most fun I have had with any game since Fallout 3 or GTA 5 on 360. It's not a copy of Dead Island, though some aspects seem familiar. They fixed almost everything that was wrong with DI in this game and added a very fluid parkour system and a better progression system with weapons, zombies, and your character. Not to mention that it has some of the best visuals I've seen on console. It is an excellent game. 10/10 for me. The first "must own" of the new generation.… Expand
  28. oArchie
    Feb 2, 2015
    10
    This game is great. 10/10. In the top 5 for the must fun I have ever had with a video game. I was skeptical at first, but I have played enough to get to max rank on Survivor, Combat, and Agility, and I have to say that this game is great. Anybody giving it a score below 60 didn't play the same game that I have. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but if you say this game is lower than aThis game is great. 10/10. In the top 5 for the must fun I have ever had with a video game. I was skeptical at first, but I have played enough to get to max rank on Survivor, Combat, and Agility, and I have to say that this game is great. Anybody giving it a score below 60 didn't play the same game that I have. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but if you say this game is lower than a 80... You're wrong. Sorry. This game is great.… Expand
  29. LeCroix
    Jan 28, 2015
    10
    Have immense fun with Dying Light, it is exactly the game I've been waiting for a long time. Dying Light makes a lot of things right. it's the perfect zombie game for me.
  30. TyVad1992
    Jan 28, 2015
    8
    I am writing this rather quickly so sorry about any grammar issues*

    If you are looking for honest user reviews of games, I wouldn't even consider the people who gave this game a 10. Unfortunately people do that for all games. A 10 out of 10 is a perfect game people and this game is far from perfect. Now I am not going to talk a lot about all the great things because there are too many    I am writing this rather quickly so sorry about any grammar issues*

    If you are looking for honest user reviews of games, I wouldn't even consider the people who gave this game a 10. Unfortunately people do that for all games. A 10 out of 10 is a perfect game people and this game is far from perfect. Now I am not going to talk a lot about all the great things because there are too many and there are just a handful of bad...but they can create a very frustrating experience.

    The things that I love: Night and day cycle, satisfying melee combat, decent gunplay, frightening feeling at night, different "tier" weapons, characters.

    Yes, this is an amazing game...far better that most of the ones that have been coming out. That being said, they have forgot some basic elements that really make the game frustrating. Instead of using your melee weapon to block like every other game, you have to unlock it as a perk in the 2nd level of the skill tree.Even then you have to create a shield to even utilize t block. Every other human character gets to block except yours. This makes for an extremely frustrating time fighting NPCs who have auto aim, dodge and block 90% of what you do. That is my biggest gripe with this game when it comes to gameplay. It would be nice if they added attachments to the guns and have the drops contain random objects instead of just medkits, flares and the standard exp boost. It would make searching for the airdrops and searching for weapons a lot more useful and interesting.

    There are some random events throughout the game as you make your travels but they really don't do much for you. Think of the game Spiderman when you get the random encounters and its the same ones over and over again...that is what this game has. Thankfully they give you some nice items instead of just experience.

    The graphics are stunning...except for the FILM GRAIN...Lord do I hate film grain. I do not understand what developers are thinking when they put in film grain without the option to turn it off. From what I can see on the forums, a lot of people are complaining about this so hopefully a "switch" will be implemented in a patch.

    Now I know I didn't expand upon all the great elements but if I did, it would take wayyyyy to much time as this game is AMAZING...but not perfect. I was just simply trying to point out a few elements that really make some of the game frustrating.    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

75
#75 Best Xbox One Game of 2015
13
#13 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2015
24
#24 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Games Master UK
    Apr 9, 2015
    73
    This is a sure shank redemption for Techland, and a big step up from previous Dead Islands. [April 2015, p.65]
  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Mar 10, 2015
    70
    A lot of fun in small bursts, but not amount of polish, parkour or persistence can plaster over the cracks of the aging Dead Island mechanics and systems. [Issue#121, p.72]
  3. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Mar 4, 2015
    60
    Though not entirely soul-destroying, Dying Light will leave you feeling like you've just eaten a box of budget chocolates - unsatisfied, underwhelmed and unsure if it was worth the money. [March 2015, p.72]
See all critic reviews »