Dying Light 2 free download available now for all players, no subscriptions needed

Dying Light 2 may not have achieved everything it set out to do, but it remains an incredibly interesting video game that's well worth a look.

Bigger, bolder, and more ambitious than the original Dying Light, Techland's open-world zombie sequel is a thrilling, tense, and occasionally deeply frustrating experience. But damn it all if it doesn't kind of slap, and the continued support the game continues to receive ensures Dying Light 2 is just as worthy of your attention now as it was when it launched.

In my 7/10 review I called Dying Light 2 brutal but flawed, noting that it often tries to do too much at the expense of the horror elements where the game really gets to shine.

"For all its promises about an expansive world that players shape with their choices, Dying Light 2 is essentially a by-the-numbers sequel that doesn’t offer much that’s new," I wrote.

"But that’s no bad thing when the reality is that I haven’t had quite this much fun with a AAA video game in years. Techland’s long-awaited zombie RPG mostly delivers the goods in style, providing an expansive - if not entirely original - open-world playground that’s filled with epic action, pleasingly brutal combat, and some difficult choices."

Now, ahead of the game's next major update, Techland has announced that the formerly paid Bloody Ties DLC will be completely free to download and keep.

Bloody Ties allows players to experience an all-new story, complete with new characters, weapons, and a whole new location to explore. Existing players will automatically receive the expansion when they're upgraded to the upcoming Reloaded Edition.

The Firearms Update is also included in the Reloaded Edition, and is available right now. This update adds a range of guns to Dying Light 2, though Techland insists these weapons “open new possibilities without altering the DNA of the game.”