Dying Light 2 Trailer Unveils New Zombies And Dark Area

There's horror ahead, as Techland continues to show off what's new with Dying Light 2. Back in 2015, the first Dying Light delivered a survival horror set in the zombie-ravaged Middle East. With a unique day/night cycle and ambitious open-world premise, the game became a cult favourite that was more than deserving of a sequel.

Although Dying Light 2 has ditched protagonist Kyle Crane in favour of an infected hero called Aiden Caldwell. Working alongside various factions, you pick sides and watch as your choices shape Dying Light 2's story.

The first trailers have only scratched the surface of what's new this time around, but as Dying Light 2 Stay Human heads toward its December 17 release, Techland is digging deeper into this rotting corpse.

What are the new zombies in the Dying Light 2 trailer?

The developer has promised plenty of reveals before Stay Human releases, with the new Dying Light 2 trailer being the most in-depth yet. The "Monsters Gameplay" trailer gets up close and personal with new zombies and a whole new area that promises to be a major threat.

Here, we see Caldwell on a mission across Harran to the Global Relief Effort (GRE) hospital. There is all the usual parkour that gave the first game a clever twist, however, it's clear a lot has changed. Namely, we come across a new zombie variant called Sleeping Beauties. Away from the franchise's usual dash and slash mantra, players will have to crouch and sneak through whole rooms filled with this aggressive zombie type. Wake them up and be warned, "You're done for".

Elsewhere, we get a peek at the spindly Revenant zombies, which struggle to support their massive upper body and stumble around. Watch out, because Revenants emit an infected mist which give a buff to other enemy types in the vicinity. There are also Banshees, which wear tattered clothes and are covered in boils that burst with glowing goop. Their most dangerous features are their agility and slashing claws.

Finally, there are the Hulk-like Volatile zombies. These are a highlight of the trailer and steal the final moments with their Predator-inspired mouths. All of the above seem to be susceptible to daylight, which leads us onto our next big reveal. 

What is the Dark Area in Dying Light 2?

Sleeping Beauties are particularly rife in the new Dark Area -  which has an even bigger threat to your survival. The second half of the trailer has Aiden fitted with a bracelet that alerts him when he's about to turn. Due to the spores in the air, the Dark Area can transform you into a zombie. It has something to do with a lack of UV rays, so when the bracelet starts to screech, you'd better run to the nearest source of natural light.

The trailer ends with Caldwell making it out of the hospital in the nick of time and watching as these brain-munching monsters succumb to the sunlight. We're not sure what happens if you don't reach the light and turn. Will it be game over or will there be a Call of Duty-inspired twist where you get to play as a zombie? 

There's something decidedly World War Z/I Am Legend about these new enemies, while we're also getting flashbacks to the Infected from The Last of Us. Considering Naughty Dog's two-game series is considered one of the best zombie games around, we're not surprised Dying Light 2 is taking some cues from the competition.

Either way, it looks like Techland is leaning into the horror elements of a survival horror a lot more, as Dying Light 2 Stay Alive does its best to offer something different to the already saturated zombie market. Will it pay off? Find out later this year.