Unraveling the Timeline: When Does Dying Light 2 Take Place?
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is set in the year 2036, a full 20 years after the events of the original Dying Light. This places the game in a post-apocalyptic world profoundly changed by the Harran virus and its devastating aftermath. The fall of civilization has been swift and brutal, leaving behind scattered settlements and a drastically reduced human population. This timeline is crucial for understanding the game’s world, its characters, and the overall narrative. The game presents a grim future where humanity clings to survival in the face of overwhelming odds, with the fictional city of Villedor as one of the last remaining urban centers.
The Setting: Villedor and the Post-Apocalyptic Landscape
The Fall and Its Consequences
The timeline established for Dying Light 2 is critical in understanding the state of the world. By 2036, fifteen years after the catastrophic event known simply as “The Fall,” most of the world’s population has been wiped out. Human civilization has crumbled, reduced to a handful of isolated communities. The sprawling, walled city of Villedor, also called The City, stands as a rare exception – one of the largest remaining human settlements. This puts the events of the game well into a truly post-apocalyptic phase, where survival is a daily struggle and the memories of the old world are rapidly fading.
Villedor: The Last Bastion
Located somewhere in Europe on the banks of the fictional Turzawa River, Villedor has a rich history stretching back to around 930 AD. The game’s developers have created a detailed environment, with its own unique culture and societal structure. Unlike Harran, the setting of the first game, Villedor is the primary backdrop for Dying Light 2, and it serves as a microcosm of this ravaged world. The city is not immune to the infected, with various parts of it still dangerous and overrun, with limited resources, and factions vying for control.
The Legacy of the Harran Virus
The catalyst for the apocalypse, the Harran virus, began its rampage in 2013 in the city of Harran. The virus’s initial outbreak, the struggles and solutions found, even the failures, eventually led to the fall. By 2023, after a decade of pandemic chaos, humanity was teetering on the brink of extinction. Villedor emerged as a last bastion, a fortified zone holding onto the vestiges of civilization. The continued experimentation of the GRE (Global Relief Effort) ultimately accelerated the fall into a dark age, where firearms are a scarcity and survival hinges on wit and agility.
Key Events and Their Impact
A World Without Guns
The timeline also helps explain the unique scarcity of firearms in Dying Light 2. The GRE and local military forces are said to have confiscated all available firearms in a desperate attempt to keep infected hordes from breaching Villedor. In doing so, they exhausted the entire arsenal. This resulted in a world where melee weapons and parkour are crucial for survival and where the few remaining firearms are incredibly valuable. There is one exception – The Boomstick can be found through the observatory quest and the blueprint is available through a crafting vendor.
The Role of Key Characters
The game’s narrative unfolds with Aiden Caldwell as the central character, a survivor with exceptional speed, strength, and combat skills. The protagonist of the first game, Kyle Crane, does not make an appearance. He is mentioned by other returning characters such as Spike, Tolga, and Fatin, and also has reached notoriety through other NPCs like The Liquidator. It was confirmed in a developer stream that Kyle Crane did become an Infected and spread the Harran virus to the rest of the world. This information emphasizes the devastating consequences of the virus and the overall grim tone of the game. While Aiden is confirmed to not be related to Kyle, both are survivors, but in different timelines, in a world plagued by the Harran virus.
Humanity on the Brink
The timeline of Dying Light 2 paints a bleak picture of humanity’s state in 2036. Only two percent of the world’s population remains. Most of these survivors are concentrated within Villedor, underscoring the city’s importance as a last refuge for humanity. This dwindling population has led to a world where scarcity is a constant threat, further driving conflict between various factions. The struggle to rebuild society, combined with the ever-present danger of the infected, forms the core of the game’s narrative.
FAQs: Delving Deeper into the Timeline of Dying Light 2
1. Was Dying Light 2 inspired by medieval times?
Yes, to an extent. Dying Light 2 takes place in a world that has been thrown back into a “dark age,” due to the continued experimentation of the GRE. Despite modern technology’s initial progress, this has been lost, with Villedor being one of the last remaining cities with some semblance of order.
2. Is Kyle Crane the Night Hunter?
Yes. Crane becomes a night hunter due to a unique mutation that is exclusive to only him. He is sentient during the day, but a monster during the night.
3. How many humans are left in Dying Light 2?
Only about 2% of the world’s population remains during the events of Dying Light 2, and the majority are located in Villedor.
4. Did Kyle Crane spread the Harran Virus?
Yes, Kyle Crane did become infected and was the primary vector that spread the Harran virus to the world.
5. Are Aiden and Crane related?
No, Aiden and Crane are not related. Despite them both being infected, Aiden is his own character in the Dying Light world.
6. When did the Harran Virus begin?
The Harran Virus first began in Harran in 2013.
7. How many years passed between Dying Light 1 and 2?
A full 20 years have passed between the events of the first and second game, with Dying Light 2 being set in 2036.
8. Is Harran a real place?
No, Harran is a fictional city in the Middle Eastern region, with Mumbai and Istanbul serving as inspiration. However, there is also a real-life ancient city called Harran in Turkey.
9. Why is Aiden special?
Aiden is a powerful infected survivor with unique skills, such as remarkable speed, strength, and combat ability. This allows him to achieve things no one else can, making him vital in the world of Dying Light 2.
10. Why are there no guns in Dying Light 2?
The GRE and local military confiscated all the guns and ammo during the beginning of the outbreak to try and keep the hordes from entering the city, exhausting their arsenal in the process.
11. Can you romance in Dying Light 2?
No, there is no romance system in Dying Light 2. However, the choices you make throughout the game do have an impact on your relationship with Lawan.
12. Does Camouflage work on Volatiles?
The camouflage skill works on normal volatiles, but not evolved ones. Evolved volatiles can see through the camouflage.
13. Is Dying Light 2 technically better than the first game?
Yes. Dying Light 2 features a larger map, better character animations, an improved combat system, and better enemy AI, making it a significant improvement over the first game.
14. What is Kyle Crane’s full name?
Kyle Crane’s full name is simply Kyle Crane.
15. What nationality is Kyle Crane?
Kyle Crane’s character in the game is an American. He is also voiced by American voice actor, Roger Craig Smith.
By understanding the timeline and its key elements, players can gain a much deeper appreciation of Dying Light 2’s rich narrative and challenging world. The year 2036 is not just a setting; it’s a defining factor that influences every aspect of the game.