Dying Light 2: Stay Human has repeatedly been hailed by developer-and-publisher Techland for featuring an enhanced environmental audio design. Some of those unique enhancements are now being revealed.
Speaking with Edge magazine for the latest issue, lead game designer Tymon Smektala pointed out that the original Dying Light fell short of properly utilizing a day-and-night cycle. It was common for players to sleep out the night because there were little to no incentives (or tools for that matter) to navigate the infected once the sun set. Dying Light 2 hence is an opportunity for Techland to fully explore gameplay designs and ideas which were left behind in the original game.
Smektala noted that players will be less scared of the night this time around, owing to better mission designs. In addition, there will be a lot more tools to use against the infected such as flares and a UV flashlight.
More interesting though is the use of an enhanced environmental noise system in Dying Light 2: Stay Human where players can “shepherd infected around by striking metal surfaces with weapons” such as baseball bats, crowbars or any other melee weapon.
Smektala stated that Techland has “focused more on the stealth element, both from the logic on the AI side and what the player can do and the UI.” The enhanced environmental audio design will hence give players unique ways to deal with the infected.
More recently, senior sound designer Wojciech Siadak teased that the level of audio immersion will be game-changing on PlayStation 5 owing to its new Tempest 3D AudioTech engine.
“We are observing and testing these technologies [Tempest 3D AudioTech], but these plans are for the later stages of production,” said Siadak. “So I can’t spoil any details for you now.”
Dying Light 2: Stay Human has been delayed by roughly another couple of months in order to give Techland more development time. The sequel will now release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC on February 4, 2022.
