Can you dual wield in Dying Light 2?
The confusing status of Dying Light 2's boomsticks explained
Can you dual wield in Dying Light 2? There's been a lot of excitement among fans anticipating the release of Dying Light 2 over the fact that some trailers appear to show player character Aiden dual wielding. However, not much actual mention has been made of this seemingly really cool ability, leading to some confusion over whether dual wielding will feature in the released version of Dying Light 2.
The short answer is that you can technically dual wield in Dying Light 2, but only under quite specific circumstances — and fair warning, it's probably not all that it's hyped up to be. On this page, we'll explain the possibilities and limitations of Dying Light 2's dual wielding system.
Dual wielding in Dying Light 2: what you can and can't do
In Dying Light 2, you can't dual wield your weapons. However, thanks to some real lateral thinking on the part of the devs at Techland, guns don't count as weapons in Dying Light 2. Instead, they're classed as tools; and you can dual wield a tool with a weapon.
The in-story reason for the lack of firearms is that there are no weapons manufacturers left in the post-apocalypse, so the best anyone can do is an improvised shotgun that breaks after a few uses. Ranged and melee weapons (the "real" weapons of Dying Light 2) have durability too, but they're a bit sturdier than the makeshift boomsticks, and have much more variation.
If you do manage to scrape together the resources for a homemade shotgun, you'll be in for a good time if not a long time; and yes, until it breaks, you'll be able to dual wield it alongside your one-handed melee weapon of choice.
Of course, there are plenty of chunky weapons in Dying Light 2 that take two hands two wield. Furthermore, there's a category of melee weapons that technically allow you to dual wield them: knuckledusters such as the Lazarus (featured on our Dying Light 2 best weapons guide) have the cosmetic appearance of a dual-wielded weapon. But since you can't equip them individually, they're really just another two-handed weapon, and it's not true dual-wielding if you're a purist.
These are the only circumstances in Dying Light 2 where you're allowed to dual wield: fun while it lasts, but not a core feature you can enjoy throughout your time with the game.
That's how you dual wield in Dying Light 2: it's maybe not everything we'd been hoping for, but it's better than no dual wielding at all. For more information on the various tools at your disposal in Dying Light 2, check out our guides to unlocking the paraglider and getting the grappling hook. And if you're trying to decide who your real friends are in the zombie apocalypse, see our page on choosing your faction in Dying Light 2.