Dying Light: Equal parts fun and fear

Avoid this game if you scare easily - trust me.

 

Dying Light

From: Warner Bros
For: PS4, Xbox One, PC.
Four stars (out of five)

 

In saying that, I am a notoriously 'fraidy-cat gamer and I have not yet been turned off this intense survival horror.

Dying Light could have been just another zombie apocalypse game in a long line of similar titles but it manages to pull clear of the pack with an engaging blend of action, stealth and puzzle-solving.

You are in a city crawling with infected people, who are relatively harmless (well, slow) during daylight but spring into action when the sun goes down.

Core gameplay involves a lot of free-running, or parkour, along the lines of Mirror's Edge.

It's a little clumsy at first but once you get the buttons down pat, leaping up and across buildings becomes a cinch.

Just remember to look for a soft landing.

Your main task is to scavenge for supplies to be relocated to safe zones, where the non-infected are grimly holding on.

There is also a bit of trap-setting and exploration to keep you busy.

The big change comes in the game's night-time hours.

When things go dark, it gets TERRIFYING.

The zombie-ish folks get quick and aggressive and mean, and did I mention it gets TERRIFYING?

The night stages do not last long but they force you to use all your wits, in particular something called ''Survivor Sense'' to see where the undead are lurking.

In the style of Fallout, looting and crafting are huge elements of Dying Light.

There is handy stuff hidden in every box, cupboard and crate, and you can tinker with your weapons and other goodies.

Combat is a little bland, mainly relying on melee weapons such as pipes and clubs.

It gets quite formulaic but I suppose that can be excused as it is not intended to be a massive part of the game.

Graphically, this is one of the better open-world games in a while.

Even in its dystopic grimness, the city has a certain charm and life, and you can pretty much go anywhere and climb anything.

A co-op mode adds real appeal and you and up to three others follow the main storyline and/or participate in unique challenges.

There's a lot about Dying Light that seems familiar but this is a solid addition to the survival horror genre that is both scary and fun.

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