Dying Light's skeleton-smashing Hellraid DLC is out now
Come Hell and High Scores
Go to hell, Dying Light. Techland's open-world zombie smasher is still cranking out DLC five years after release - and this time, it's trading shamblers for skeletons with a brief excursion to the underworld. Crack open the piggy-bank, get in line for the cursed arcade cabinet, and prepare to crack some skulls, survivors. Dying Light: Hellraid is out today.
Given the apocalyptic circumstances of Dying Light's reality, it's hard to see how Hell can be any more, well, hellish. What's a skeleton if not a fleshless zombie, anyway?
Hellraid's a bit of a strange one, even by Dying Light's extended DLC standards. The expansion has roots in, well, Hellraid - a long-absent fantasy slasher from Techland that's been "on hold" for the past five years. While it seems the devs haven't completely abandoned the project, they're not beyond bringing a bit of Hellraid into their open-world zombie smasher.
So! Dying Light's slice of Hell can be accessed, naturally, via a creepy old arcade cabinet at the bottom of the tower. Pop a quid in, and you'll be transported into a labyrinthine medieval dungeon, either alone or with up to three friends. Bashing your way through dark fantasy foes will slowly unlock a greater arsenal of brutal axes, swords, and maces that can be brought out of the arcade cabinet and into the "real world" of Dying Light.
Techland also plan on keeping Hellraid updated post-release with several free updates. The first of these, Lord Hector’s Demise, is set to arrive in late September, unearthing a haul of new weapons, collectables, and the introduction of "Bounties".
But I also reckon there's hope that Hellraid will tide over anxieties surrounding Dying Light 2. Techland dismissed rumours that the sequel was in production hell earlier this year, but this Summer saw them part ways with writer Chris Avellone following allegations of sexual assault harassment.
Dying Light: Hellraid is out now on Steam for £8/€10/$10.