Should I Play Dying Light 1 Before 2?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: You value story continuity and want to understand the background of characters, factions, and events that echo into Dying Light 2. Dying Light 1 introduces the original Harran outbreak, the GRE (Global Relief Effort), and survivor culture whose legacies shape the sequel’s world. Experiencing the first game can make later references more meaningful and give you a stronger sense of how the infection spread across the roughly two decades between the two games.
• Good fit: You want to learn the core parkour and melee combat systems in a more contained, tutorial-friendly environment before moving to the larger, more vertically complex city of Villedor in Dying Light 2. The first game teaches stamina management, zombie avoidance, crafting, night-time risk-reward loops, and weapon durability systems that return in expanded form in the sequel, so your skills transfer directly.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: You have limited gaming time and want to join current online co-op, community events, or discussions. Dying Light 2 receives ongoing support and has a more active player base, so starting there keeps you aligned with recent updates and seasonal content. Going back to play the first game in full can add 20 to 40 hours before you ever touch the sequel, which may delay your participation.
• Warning sign: You are sensitive to dated graphics, user interfaces, or older mission design. Dying Light 1 is a previous-generation title, and while it still plays well, its visuals, animations, and quest structure show their age compared with Dying Light 2. If modern polish, larger environments, and refined mobility strongly affect your enjoyment, jumping straight into the sequel may feel more satisfying.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lore and emotional payoff: Playing Dying Light 1 first gives you direct experience with the Harran outbreak, the GRE’s failures, and the survivor mentality that precedes Dying Light 2. When the sequel mentions these events or returns certain themes, the weight lands more clearly than if you rely only on in-game summaries.
• Lower cost and complete edition: Dying Light 1 and its major expansion, “The Following,” are frequently discounted in bundles and seasonal sales, making the first game an affordable way to get a full open-world zombie experience before deciding whether to invest in the newer, typically higher-priced sequel.

Cons

• Pacing and length: Dying Light 1 is a substantial game with a main story, side quests, collectibles, challenges, and an expansion. If you try to complete a meaningful portion of it, you can delay your start on Dying Light 2 by weeks or months, which may matter if you want to play the sequel while it is culturally current.
• Mechanical backtracking: Some abilities and systems in Dying Light 2 are streamlined or expanded compared with the first game. Returning to older mechanics after experiencing the sequel can feel restrictive, and some players find that going backward through a series is harder than going forward because later quality-of-life improvements are missing.

Decision Checklist

• Do you care about narrative continuity? If missing references, not knowing character histories, or losing the full emotional impact of callbacks will bother you, start with Dying Light 1. If you treat each game as its own self-contained story, you can safely begin with Dying Light 2.
• How much time can you realistically commit? A full playthrough of Dying Light 1 plus its expansion is a serious investment. Be honest about whether you will finish it or abandon it partway, since an unfinished first game still leaves narrative gaps.
• Which gameplay era do you prefer? Consider whether you would rather experience the evolution of the series in chronological order or start with the most modern systems and only return to the original if you still want more content afterward.

Alternatives to Consider

If you are unsure, you have several middle paths. You can start Dying Light 2 as a standalone game and treat Dying Light 1 as a prequel to play later; the sequel explains enough of its own setting to be understood on its own. You can also watch a reputable story recap of Dying Light 1 to absorb the major plot points without the full time commitment. Another option is to play Dying Light 1 for just a few hours as a mechanics primer, then switch to Dying Light 2 once you feel comfortable with parkour and combat. Finally, if cooperative multiplayer is your main interest, prioritize whichever game your friends currently own, since both support co-op and your social experience may matter more than story order.

Final Recommendation

If you enjoy deep lore and have the time, play Dying Light 1 and its expansion before Dying Light 2. The chronological path enriches the sequel’s world and lets you appreciate how the series evolved in gameplay and storytelling. If you prefer modern production values, are short on time, or want to play with an active community, start with Dying Light 2 and return to the first game later if you want more. Both games are designed to work as standalone experiences, so your enjoyment depends more on your priorities than on a strict order. This is a low-stakes entertainment choice, so pick the path that sounds most fun and adjust as you go.