Dying Light (2015) (PC) (Techland)
0Dying Light's fictional city of Harran feels like an actual warzone in more ways than most comparable video game environments, and developer Techland seems to have left the campier aspects of their previous zombie game Dead Island behind in order to focus wholeheartedly on the hardships and horrors of post-apocalyptic life. Significantly, there are not just grim-faced soldiers and quest givers in the starting hub area but also injured people, regular civilians and even children trying their best to remain kids in the face of impending doom.
Out on the crumbling streets the struggle for survival is emphasized by the day/night asymmetry which makes the player much more vulnerable after sunset, and even the otherwise useful parkour abilities won't be enough to keep you safe at night since the most dangerous enemies are simply faster than you. There's a real sense of danger here which not only diverges from the tacky genre mannerisms of Techland's previous games but also contrasts with the adolescent power fantasies of recent open world adventures such as Far Cry 4 or Shadow of Mordor.