Dying Light Volatile Guide

Dying Light Volatile Guide: The Ferocious Chads of Viledor City

Somewhere down the line, people became obsessed with zombies, with countless zombie survival games released over the years. Zombies have become a cultural phenomenon. To this day, new zombie flicks are creeping up on us, from the big screen to television and video games. But wait, don’t roll your eyes at Dying Light; give it a go.

Techland has reignited my zombie passion and put the spooks back in these shambling biters, while exploding zombies, fast runners, and spitters have been done before. Nothing compares to the terrifying Volatile. Its brute strength, intimidating look, and howling cries will curdle your blood as you run for your life.

I was first exposed to the Dying Light series with Dying Light: Stay Human’s predecessor. While I was late to the party, I experienced the game at its apex, and the Dying Light you may have played on its release is much different from the game we have now. It mutated and grew into a grizzly and gruesome game filled with content and horror. Subsequently, I was hooked and was super excited for its sequel. Welcoem to a Dying Light Volatile Guide.

Bottom Line-Up Front

Volatiles are extremely scary and dangerous enemy types that must be avoided at all costs. Resembling that of the vampires from the Blade movie. They are solid and fast and will be stalking you every step of the way. Whether you’re sneaking through a hospital. Traversing Viledor City. They’ll even give you a run for your money when driving the Buggy at high speed, all for the prize of a bite!

I think Volatiles are fantastic video game creatures that create fun gameplay. Their threat leaves you contemplating your every move in Dying Light. They make the daylight so much more precious and bubble anxiety in you as dusk approaches, and that’s when they haven’t even appeared yet. 

They’re not entirely indestructible as they can be killed, but like I mentioned in the guide, the best way to deal with these evil creatures is to run away. They’re extremely fast and can quickly catch up to you; however, they struggle with corners and climbing, not being as nimble as their prey, so use this to your advantage.

  • I prefer how Techland implemented Volatiles in the first Dying Light game, as they are ever present in Harran City at night. Whereas in Stay Human, they’re a lot rarer.

The Volatile in All It’s Horror

Its all horror

The Volatile is undoubtedly the most dangerous type of infected in the game and the apex predator of Harran City and Viledor City. Unlike regular infected and virals, the Volatile cannot just be whacked until it drops. It’s a mighty enemy with high resistance to melee attacks thanks to its muscular body. 

The Volatile is highly aggressive, tall, and equipped with long sharp claws. Its mouth has mutated to split into mandibles. Grotesque appendages have grown out of their chests, used for pinning down prey before infecting their captive or eating them. 

Volatiles have a few methods of engagement. Most of the time, they chase after you as their speed is faster than Crane. However, they don’t manage corners or climbing, so you can use this to your advantage and zig-zag your way through the city using elevation.

However, sometimes if a Volatile cannot reach you, it will spit at you instead. This spit can knock you off buildings and make you fall while climbing. You can dodge this by staying on the move, so keep climbing.

Cat and Mouse Chase and You’re the Mouse

The Volatile is easily distinguished from other biters by their heavy breathing, loud snarls, and screams. If you’re not scared enough, Volatiles resist all kinds of attacks. I tested to see whether my exploding throwing stars would be as effective as they are on virals. However, five throwing stars didn’t even scratch the Volatile. How about bullets? Well, a few rounds to the head using my Police Rifle did nothing.

Generally, I feel safe from regular zombies as I jump, sprint, and climb through Harran City and Viledor City. However, Volatiles are a different story. Their speed and agility match you step for step, you won’t be able to simply avoid them by climbing to a roof of a building, and they will close in on you if you run along the ground. 

Your Abilities are Ineffective

When I first played Dying Light, I was inexperienced and scared to go anywhere near the infected. My free-running was awkward, and I had nothing but a kick and a rusty pipe to defend myself. I left my lobby open, and a player joined my game. He said hello by jumping up and down.

He then dropped me a pistol. I then stood there watching him in awe as he grappled zombies and threw them into spikes and onto the floor before kicking them in the head. Like Batman, he single-handedly went through an entire horde with nothing but his bare hands!

So when I leveled up, I began to get confident, trying out my new moves. I kicked the infected around and laughed as they flailed and ragdolled onto the floor. However, my confidence would be my downfall, as I tried my new moves out on a Volatile, and they had no effect whatsoever. The Volatile proceeded to end my life with a pounce. 

Putting Down the Biters

Battling different enemies

In most cases, I avoid confrontation with the monstrous Volatiles as killing them usually ends with more bad than good. Sometimes I’ll get backed into a corner and be forced to fight them. I live by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s old rule of “if it bleeds, we can kill it” Now, the number one way to kill these suckers is with a few blasts with a shotgun or handgun shot to the head. Still, ammo is hard to come by and will attract more infections. So I recommend sticking them in the eye with a Crossbow Bolt. 

I know what you’re thinking; scared of light, cool, I’ll just throw a Molotov. Wrong! I’ve experimented extensively to help create this guide, and Molotovs barely affect them. If anything, they make them more dangerous as you have a Volatile on fire chasing you.

  • Therefore I always recommend flight, not fight, when dealing with these creatures. Instead, use their weakness of UV light against them to escape safely.

The Number One Volatile Weakness

Volatiles have a significant weakness that you can exploit to balance out all that brawn. Volatile’s only come out at night as they burn in UV light. That’s right, sunlight and any kind of UV light source will stun and burn these nasty creatures. 

Volatiles in Dying Light can be observed fleeing at the night’s end as they rush for cover from sunlight. They’re vulnerable in this state and won’t waste time attacking you, so as soon as it comes the morning, you can rest easy. 

Alternatively, if you get caught out in the dark and they begin to pursue you bomb it to a safe house. Being near a safehouse is a hundred times safer as safehouses are fitted with UV lights. Furthermore, using the UV flashlight separates the zombie food from the survivor. 

Obtaining the UV Flashlight

UV Flashlight

A flash of UV light will send Volatiles into a panic. They’ll try to avoid it at all costs, like Gordon Ramsay in Hotel Hell trying to escape a room after shining a backlight over a bed. The UV flashlight is convenient when being chased, as a beam from the flashlight can stun a Volatile, giving you just enough time to evade them. I’ve got some bad news and good news for you, though.

I’ll start with the good news. You can acquire the UV flashlight early in Dying Light by starting the First Assignment mission, the second story mission in the game. After hopping over to the Courtyard safehouse located close to the Tower where Dr. Imran Zere and Spike are located. Talk to Spike, and he will give you the UV Flashlight and firecrackers. 

The bad news is you won’t be able to obtain the UV flashlight in Dying Light: Stay Human until you reach the fourteenth mission: Welcome Aboard. In the task, you will have to work with Jack Matt, the leader of the Peacekeepers at the time. However, it’s Meyer that I’m interested in as she is the Peacekeeper who gives Aidan the UV Flashlight. 

Don’t make the same mistake as me and confuse your UV flashlight with your regular flashlight. I know this sounds like a stupid mistake as a different button activates each flashlight, but it’s easy to make mistakes in the heat of the moment. Remember that the UV Flashlight has to be selected via your accessory wheel for it to be used.

Traps 

Light Traps are a genius invention created by Spike. I first got access to these devices in the First Assignment mission. Where Spike asks you to turn on the traps, although he doesn’t let you use the traps as these are for a night mission with Brecken’s team. They can be used later in the day to attract zombies to the trap’s location or flash a dose of UV light in a big radius around the trap at night.

This is an invaluable tool when being pursued by Volatiles at night. I highly recommend using the traps as it’s brilliant for losing multiple Volatiles simultaneously. This is a lifesaver on Nightmare Mode, where more Volatiles will chase you at night. Remember that traps will need to be reset after they’ve been used.

Electric Fences are also very effective at losing Volatiles in pursuit. An electrified fence will stun the Volatile until the trap’s time has run its course. I like these a lot as I can safely jump over the fence and activate the trap. The timing can sometimes be tricky to land, but it’s worth it. That being said, if the Volatile manages to get over the fence, you will need to find another trap fast. 

Exploding Cars!

Exploding Cars are another great trap that you can use to injure and even kill Volatiles. Note that you need at least level ten in your Survival level before you can unlock this ability. This was a bit confusing to me at first, as Spike makes you set the cars as traps in the First Assignment mission, but you never get to use them. 

Be careful when using these traps, as once activated, the car will start honking to attract nearby zombies before detonating. This is a surefire way to wipe out a zombie horde or lose a Volatile in a pursuit. It comes at a price as the explosion will only attract more zombies, and Volatiles will come to investigate. Therefore set the trap and get the hell out of there!

Volatiles Made My Girlfriend Cry

Volatile made my girlfriend cry

Now I’ve been a gamer for a very long time, and as a result, I’ve got pretty good at controlling my character in games. The keyboard and mouse come naturally, and I don’t even have to look down at the keys. This is a skill shared by many gamers, but it can be challenging for the beginner. 

My girlfriend sparked an interest in Dying Light by watching me run around Harran City and decapitate zombies. So she decided to give it a go, now my girlfriend is not a gamer, and of all times, she decided to play during nighttime. Although right outside a safe house in the Slums, she awkwardly controlled Crane and inevitably ran into a Volatile. She was terrified and screamed as she tried to run back to the safe house.

As I laughed and watched this spectacle unfold, I realized that Volatiles are flipping scary and unforgivable enemies. So if you are new to gaming, pay close attention to the rules I came up with for dealing with Volatiles.

  1. The most important rule is never to engage Volatiles in melee combat. You won’t win. I’ve tried many angles of attack, and it’s not worth it. I’ve frantically waved and stabbed Volatiles to no effect, and nine times out of ten, this only attracts more.
  2. UV Light will save your life.
  3. Don’t stop running. 

Volatile’s of Harran City – Dying Light

Harran City is plagued by these protein shake drinkin’, CrossFit trainin’, nighttime creepin’ meat heads. You’ll soon find out in conclusion to the “Air Drop” mission. An unexpected airdrop from GRE lands, and you’re tasked with the Tower low on Antizen Crane is retasked to retrieve the contents. Nighttime closes in, but Crane presses on, ignoring Jade’s suggestion to return to the Tower. 

Crane encounters his first Volatile after reaching the second airdrop and doing some shady agent work. I remember my heart racing as these abominations trailed behind me. I took a brief moment to look over my shoulder and see one clawing out to me, and damn I’m scared! Luckily I make it to a nearby safehouse and sigh in relief, but I’m not out of the woods yet. As I have to go make my way back to the Tower!

Nightmare Mode- Why do I do This to Myself

On regular difficulties, Volatiles will be displayed on your map, with a cone shape fanning out to show which direction they are pointing and their line of sight. Thats when you realize that the Harran City situation is worse than you thought, as these creatures are roaming everywhere. 

Playing on Nightmare difficulty is significantly different as even more Volatiles and Virals will stalk you, and Volatiles will no longer be pinpointed on your map, so you will have to rely on your hearing, sight, and Survivor Sense to ping nearby enemies. Press “Q” to activate this ability. Thankfully there is no cooldown on this ability. However, it does impair your hearing for a short amount of time.

You can forget any ideas of fighting Volatiles in Nightmare Mode, as all enemies get a buff to their health. Volatiles will become even tankier, and your attacks will bounce off of them, and they’ll walk through fire like nothing. Therefore it’s not worth the resources to kill Volatiles, and you’re a goner if they pounce on you.

Volatile’s Creepy Habits

Creepy Habits

Volatiles in Dying Light behave very differently than in the sequel. Unlike Stay Human, Volatiles will roam the streets at night to hunt for survivors. There are Volatiles everywhere, making it very difficult to navigate through Harran. However, Exp is doubled at night, so it’s worth venturing out. I also find this the most exciting time to play. 

I love how Jade radios into all Tower survivors that nightfall is quickly approaching. As this raises the tension in whatever task you are doing. Time still moves when you’re on a mission or exploring a quarantine zone, making whatever you’re doing ten times more stressful. 

Your watch will beep to alert you that it’s nighttime, and this is terrifying. Volatiles won’t immediately be out on the town, but they will be waking up, so you’ll have some time to get to safety if you haven’t done so already. This makes daylight precious, and I feel as though I have to make every second count preparing for nightfall. Whether it’s setting traps or looting scraps to build items. 

The atmosphere is unmatched as escaping to the Tower before nightfall feels extremely cool as I’ve taken in the detail of the game, watching and listening to the night from a window in the Tower. For all the creepiness of the Volatiles, they are pretty respectful of your space. Just kidding, they don’t care about your personal space. They just can’t pass through UV light. 

Volatile Nests – Dying Light: The Following

Volatile Nests appear as grotesque piles of flesh stuck to the ground and have Volatiles from the waste protruding from the middle of the mound. Don’t fret; while they are intimidating as they shriek and wail, they cannot move from their position. However, you should be scared of the terrifying Night Hunter a form of infected that is even more dangerous than Volatiles. This creature is controlled by a player that has invaded your world.

Its discovered in Dying Light: The Following that humans turn into these nests when they transform into Volatiles and retain some of the sentients as seen with Jasir. Nests only appear when invaded by a player; however, The Following features Nests in the Countryside. Just approach these horrible piles of flesh with caution as Volatiles will spawn around them!

What? Volatile is Evolving!

The Following takes Volatiles up a notch as they are now deadlier than ever!

  • Volatiles can now see straight through your camouflage disguises. So don’t even try it, I haphazardly discovered this, and it wasn’t a fun experience. 
  • Volatiles are much faster! The Following added a high-speed buggy for the player to get around the Countryside. Don’t get complacent, as Volatiles can sprint and catch up to your Buggy even at high speeds, making for an entertaining and scary scenario.

Volatile’s of Viledor City – Dying Light: Stay Human

Stay Human

As Dying Light’s grand enemy Volatiles made an obvious return in Stay Human. However, they would return with a twist, and this is to be expected as Dying Light: Stay Human is set fifteen years after the events of Harran City. Volatiles have evolved and are now even deadlier than before. Their skin has hardened into a thick armor, making any hope of killing them much harder.

If that wasn’t bad enough, some Volatiles have evolved into Tyrant Volatiles, a deadlier version of their brethren. Tyrants can survive direct contact with UV light, are stronger, and can pounce the player. 

Volatiles may be deadlier but take a back seat in Stay Human. As they no longer patrol the streets and instead are replaced with Howlers. A new zombie variant that will scream if alerted by your presence, attracting zombies to your position. Volatiles will appear when reaching level three of a chase. 

FAQs

Question: How Many Types of Zombies are There in Dying Light: Stay Human?

Answer: There are a total of 15 types of zombies in Dying Light: Stay Human. Each type of zombie must be approached and dealt with differently. 
• Biters – These are the most common zombies found in the game. They’re easily killed but dangerous in great numbers.
• Degenerates – Exposure to the sun has made these zombies weak. As a result, they’re very easy to kill.
• Virals – Freshly turned survivors turn into Virals. They are fast and will sprint and climb after you. They attack fast and can dodge your attacks.
• Hazmats – These zombies are tougher and resistant to fire damage. They cannot bite you. They wear a tank that can be damaged, resulting in an explosion.
• Drowners – A combination of Virals and Bombers, this infected will chase after the player and explode.
• Goons – Giant zombies that carry large weapons. They are slow but extremely durable. 
• Demolishers – Are capable of smashing walls and lifting cars to get to the player. They are slow but pick up speed when charging the player.
• Bombers – Grotesque infected that have bloated and become explosive, these zombies are surprisingly fast and will explode on the player dealing heavy damage and attracting other infected.
• Volatile – The apex predator of Dying Light.
• Revenant – A special type of infected that is slow and weak but can heal, buff, and revive zombies in its surrounding area.
• Howler – An annoying infected that scream when they spot a survivor to alert other infected.
• Chargers – These are tough, slow-moving zombies that will charge in a straight line knocking the player to the ground on contact. 
• Banshee – Small in stature, Banshees have razor-sharp claws and are fast and nimble.
• Spitters – Will hang back to attack the player with an acidic projectile.
• Bolters – Can control nearby infected and draw Volatiles to the player. These zombies will run away from the player.

Question: Can Zombies Attack you While Lock Picking in Dying Light?

Answer:Yes! Make sure to kill or distract nearby zombies before attempting to pick a lock. Generally, Easy and Medium difficulty locks don’t take long to open. However, Hard and Very Hard locks can be difficult to unlock. Therefore I recommend using Fire Crackers to distract the infected. Alternatively, I use Molotovs to block the infected from getting to me. Furthermore, consider lock picking at night, you may encounter Volatiles, but fewer zombies show up at night in Dying Light.

Question: Where to Find Pistol in Dying Light?

Answer:You can get access to a pistol as soon as you are able to free roam in Harran City. Travel to the power station south of the Tower and follow the river down to the ocean. There will be a small shack on the right bank of the river with a note saying to take what you like. Walk into the shack, and you’ll find a dead survivor and a pistol.

My Two Cents

I’m not a huge fan of Techland’s direction with the Volatile. They were the biggest threat in the first game, and they add so much to the Dying Light experience in Staying Human. Night time is nowhere near as scary as it was in its predecessor. Reigning in the Volatiles did, however, make Stay Human more accessible than the original. Still, it loses that hair-raising atmosphere of being the prey. 

I don’t think pandering to make a game more accessible is always a good idea. The Pokemon games are an example of this, as fans have become frustrated with how easy these games are now. Furthermore, Dying Light: Stay Human immerses you in a highly detailed world; the audio and scenery are fantastic. What’s the point of going through the effort of making a game more accessible? When you are placed in a world that’s meant to be the opposite of accessible. 

Techland nailed the free-running mechanic in Stay Human. The technology is impressive. At high levels, you’ll be able to run along walls, grapple to ledges, fly in the air using a parachute, and use objects to break your fall. It’s extremely fluid. However, it does feel like it goes a bit Benny Hill, and while Volatiles are fast, they’re just not going to be able to keep up. 

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