Dying Light: The Beast might be on the way, but Dying Light 2 is still getting plenty of love from Techland as it launches a transformative update just in time for Halloween. Typically, we explore the zombie FPS at will, parkouring over obstacles and buildings, and eliminating the undead with whatever comes to hand. Now, the fantastic roguelike-style mode Tower Raid is back, offering a supremely tough challenge where anything goes. At the same time, Dying Light patch 1.19 overhauls the control scheme and makes weapon handling way more intuitive. While the first game is having a resurgence on Steam and rivals like Left 4 Dead and State of Decay remain popular, this is definitely the right time to give Dying Light 2 another shot.
Tower Raid was first trialed earlier this year, and transforms the core gameplay of Dying Light 2 by thrusting you into one contained, high-intensity battle after another. The objective is to make it from the bottom floor of a skyscraper all the way to the top. With every new floor, you encounter tougher and tougher zombies and earn additional power-ups and weapons – like a classic roguelike, the idea is to test different builds and approaches, die, restart, and try to beat your previous best with every new run. It’s a more focused version of the FPS game, distilling the fundamental mechanics into something more linear and choreographed.
Now, the Tower Raid is back, and it’s bigger and badder than ever. New floors have been added to the original tower, filled with extra challenges and more enemies. There are 12 in total, each with a unique twist on the conventional Dying Light 2 gameplay. To help overcome this fresh challenge, you now have access to four different character builds. The Scarecrow wields a double-handed scythe and has increased HP. Plague gets boosted melee damage and stamina, while Van Aiden has a crossbow that’s ideal for ranged attacks.
Rounding out the gruesome foursome, the Cursed Pirate has a cutlass that deals extra damage when you use it while performing parkour. In true roguelike fashion, your inventory when you enter the tower won’t matter. You’re given a preset loadout at the start of every run, and you’re encouraged to use everything you have to make it to the top – there’s no need to spare your ammo or go easy on your weapons.
After each run, Baka, the beloved merchant who returns from previous Halloween events, will offer you an extra perk to transform how you approach the Tower next time over. The top floor contains a new, seasonal boss, and the entire Tower Raid Halloween event is divided into three chapters. The first week allows you to play the most basic version and familiarize yourself with the enemies, systems, and unique challenges. In the second week, you can adjust the difficulty level yourself and take on new, elite hordes. In the third and final week, there are new daily bounties that you can earn with each run.
The Dying Light 2 Tower Raid Halloween event starts on Wednesday October 2 and ends on Wednesday November 20. Techland has also deployed Dying Light patch 1.19, which introduces fresh options for players using a controller. Most importantly, you can now use the left trigger to aim your guns and also to block incoming melee attacks.
The original Dying Light is having a huge comeback on Steam right now courtesy of an 80% discount, but you can also get Dying Light 2 on sale. To celebrate Halloween, all versions of the zombie shooter are 60% off, so you can get the base edition for $23.99 / £21.99. Just head here. Techland also recently transformed DL2’s combat, and effectively turned the whole game into a melee-focused brawler.
Check out some of the other best open-world games, or maybe the best zombie games if you want to test your resolve against masses of the undead.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.