Freerunning
Freerunning is a gameplay element featured in Dying Light. It is one of the major mechanics featured in the game, and is the focus ability for the player to use in the game.
Overview
Freerunning is a acrobatic and athletic ability to fluidly move within an environment, this being used by the player to travel and get around inside the city of Harran quickly. When preforming freerunning, you are able to run, jump, pull yourself onto objects, fall a fair distance, and survive all of the above unless you make serious mistakes. In the game, this ability is mainly used by the Runners of The Tower.
In the story, GRE operative Kyle Crane (in which the player takes control of) is taught by Rahim about the usage of freerunning, showing the basics such as running while jumping, crouching down obstacles, jumping onto obstacles while holding onto another, etc.
As the player, use sprinting and jumping to get around quickly. When using sprinting, it lets you move at a high speed before getting exhausted. Jumping lets you get onto, cling to, climb, and being able to preform general freerunning abilities on obstacles and structures. Freerunning allows you to take advantage of the terrain, by freerunning onto structures such as rooftops, ledges, and so on.
During the early game, it is recommended to practice your freerunning skills by discovering on what can be climbed up, hanged onto, and survived. In the game, the player is able to jump off onto objects while hanging onto them, so there are a few ways to get around when it looks to appear there isn't anything to grab. Looking up and in ever direction helps before deciding about not being able to make it somewhere. When preforming, holding the jump button allows the player to cling onto anything they landed on. Using the camera angle allows the game to know that the player is trying to go up. This encourages the player to grab onto objects.
It is also advised to prepare ahead of time if you need to take an escape. For example, look at the top of a wall while approaching it, then jump and cling so that the player leaps, grabs the wall, and pulls themselves themselves upwards. It is also noted to be careful when falling; while landing onto objects such as trash piles, tents, and vehicle roofs will help break your fall, you will receive fall damage and even death for landing on anything that's not an object, such as the ground, so it is advised to be careful of steering when preforming.
Trivia
- In real life, Freerunning is an inclusive version of Parkour. While the game refers it to Freerunning, the mechanic in-game is technically based more on actual parkour than Freerunning, as the mechanic relies more with speed and maneuverability rather than creativity running such as backflips (in which real Freerunning focuses on).
Gallery
Pre-Release Screenshot of Crane preforming freerunning on a rooftop.
Pre-Release Screenshot of two players, one jumping onto a roof, while the other climbs onto the roof.
Pre-Release Screenshot of Crane climbing while infected are seen below him.
Pre-Release Screeshot of Crane clinging onto a pole while infected are seen on the ground.
