An impressive 40,000 lines of dialogue make Dying Light 2 one of the most character and story-driven post-apocalyptic stories aside from The Last of Us series. Within this dialogue lays memorable quotes and classic lines that you have probably encountered since the first Dying Light.
One thing this game does well is having you develop relationships throughout the game and sets you up for either betrayal or camaraderie. From the first cut scene that explains the virus that took over the world, to the last line and everything in between, it leaves you wanting more and becoming connected with the characters.
This article includes references to sensitive themes, including animal death and suicide. Skip entries 9 and 8 to avoid these.
10 “Listen, You Can Do Amazing Stuff… Almost Like Kyle Crane.” - Liquidator
Kyle Crane was the protagonist of the first Dying Light and was one fans everywhere fell in love with. His rough-around-the-edges attitude but impressive abilities made his death that much more gut-wrenching. As the Liquidator is speaking to Aiden Caldwell, he tells him he has amazing potential but is not quite up to par with the original hero.
This tribute to Kyle Crane makes you reminisce on the early days of Dying Light and what brought you to the point you start on in Dying Light 2.
9 “Turn Around And Don’t Look… It’s Over Now. Get Back To Your Mom.” - Aiden
Moe, one of the children in the game, found a dog who was suffering and brought him back to his home. Aiden, being much older and realizing what was happening, asked Moe to turn away as he killed the dog to spare it from a worse ending. Any time an animal dies in a game or a movie, the scene sticks with you, making this quote more memorable than most.
Though we wish all animals could live forever, Dying Light 2 brings us back to a harsh reality.
8 “He Took The Blame, You Were A Better Person Than He Ever Was He Said… He Didn’t Want You Bearing All This, I Swear.” - Aiden
This quote is said during one of the more somber interactions in the game. Aiden tries to talk Damien off the ledge to prevent him from committing suicide. He uses Damien’s brother, who died a short time ago, as a way to get him talking and hopefully spared. Although in a heartbreaking scene, Damien didn’t believe Aiden and said he’ll ask him when he sees him.
Of course, we know how this ends, making it a sad scene because it was not the infection that killed him, but the thoughts inside his head.
7 “People Always Want More.” - Narrator
As you begin the game, you have a narrator introduce you to the virus and the current events that Dying Light 2 takes after in a cutscene. In this lies a hidden line that proves to be more true throughout the game than you may have originally thought. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and this is certainly a theme present throughout both games. This beginning cutscene sets the stage for the rest of what you can expect.
Showing the evil side of humankind perhaps sheds light on the fact that we aren’t all that different from the infected.
6 “Goodnight and Good Luck.” - Ayo
This quote was famous before this game was released and became even more famous through the Dying Light series. Although this particular quote is originally said by Ayo in the first Dying Light, it’s attributed again in Dying Light 2.
Carrying certain aspects of both Dying Light games and intertwining them is a great throwback and pick-me-up as you play through the game, and you need all the luck you can get in a zombie-infested world. It’s refreshing to see a game incorporate “classic” lines from its predecessor especially when it holds so much value.
5 "You Fight The Infected Like They're The Disease... Yet You Can't See We're Only Separated From Them By A Few Minutes Of Darkness." - Waltz
A common string of thought throughout Dying Light 2 is the similarities between humans and the infected, regardless of them being classified as monsters. This quote by Waltz ties it all together and gives an eerie meaning to what it means to live in the world. It tells you that you need to watch out not only for the zombies but also the humans that you interact with in the game.
You quickly become acutely aware of the shortcomings of those around you and discover the dark backstory of Aiden.
4 "Sometimes You Have To Become A Monster To Stay Human." - Aiden
Going off of the previous quote by Waltz, Aiden gives more of a look inside what the creators of the game are trying to imply. Humans aren’t innocent, especially when they are placed in a situation with their backs against the wall. Therefore, it illustrates the idea that sometimes the unthinkable becomes the only way of surviving. It gives a bigger meaning to the story of Dying Light 2 as well as the word behind it.
Considering Dying Light 2 is about surviving the apocalypse, this makes sense, but looking deeper, it’s also about surviving your fellow humans.
3 “Barbarism Is The Natural State Of Mankind.” - Rais’ Gang
Perhaps this quote by Rais’s Gang means more than meets the eye. For example, are they suggesting that the infected simply went back to their natural state of mind? Or, that the humans that are still left alive are the true ones you have to worry about? Regardless of the intention behind the quote, it becomes memorable because of the train of thought it invokes in you while playing.
Part of what makes Dying Light 2’s dialogue so engaging is how it connects the characters within the game to you.
2 “I'm Sorry I Ran From You. They Say That Once The Virus Makes You Turn, You’re Gone Forever.” - Aiden
In the mission “Pilgrim’s Path” at the beginning of the game, Aiden finds a note that you can choose to pick up and read. On the note lies the quote listed above, which gives a touch of reality to the game. It takes you out of the moment of killing the infected, and instead shows a more tender side to the story. Although one of the main aspects of the game is the combat, it is also about the people within it.
If you were infected, would you leave a note to your loved one before you turned? This person certainly felt the need to.
1 “The World Doesn’t Make Believing Very Easy.” - Aiden
Aiden’s words ring true both within the game and the real world. You are often faced with a loss of hope throughout the personal stories shared with you and the connections built from the first game. The loss of hope, building of relationships, and emotional connections in Dying Light 2 gives new meaning to the quotes said by the characters.
Dying Light 2 isn’t just about killing the infected, but also about questioning who is on your side and who might betray you sooner rather than later.