Dying Light: The Following Tips - Buggy, Countryside, and Trust

Dying Light: The Following is a story expansion for the base Dying Light game developed by Techland. It moves Kyle Crane into the Countryside, adds a customizable buggy, introduces Driver skill progression, and uses local trust/reputation as part of its expansion structure.

Content warning: Dying Light: The Following - Enhanced Edition is rated M for Mature 17+ for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, and Strong Language. This guide stays non-graphic and focuses on player decisions.

This is a spoiler-light tips guide for starting The Following cleanly. It covers the expansion itself, not the full base campaign, not all Enhanced Edition or Definitive Edition extras, and not Dying Light 2: Stay Human.

Essential Tips

1. Confirm You Are Starting The Following, Not Another Edition Bundle

The expansion is smaller than the bundle names around it.

The Following is DLC for Dying Light, and the base game is required. Enhanced Edition can include The Following plus Bozak Horde, Cuisine and Cargo, and other extras. Definitive Edition is broader again, bundling the base game with many DLCs and skin packs. Keep this guide scoped to the Countryside, buggy, Driver skill, and expansion story.

2. Do Not Use Dying Light 2 Advice Here

Villedor systems are outside this guide.

Dying Light 2: Stay Human is a separate game starring Aiden Caldwell in a different setting. Its updates, firearms context, skills, map flow, and post-launch systems should not be mixed into The Following unless a separate guide covers them.

3. Bring a Character That Already Understands Dying Light

You can start early, but the expansion assumes confidence.

Entry is available after the base game’s prologue, with skills and gear carrying into the DLC. That does not mean you should enter underprepared. The Countryside is open, less rooftop-dense, and more vehicle-oriented, so arrive when your melee, ranged, crafting, healing, and night-survival basics feel stable.

4. Treat the Buggy as Core Gear

It is not just a mount.

The buggy is traversal, defense, offense, inventory pressure, and escape planning in one system. It has its own Driver skill tree, repair loop, fuel needs, components, and customization. If you ignore it, the Countryside feels bigger, harsher, and slower than it is meant to feel.

5. Loot Vehicles as a Habit

Cars are part of your supply chain now.

Fuel and repair materials matter constantly. Search abandoned vehicles and keep an eye on gas stations, vehicle hoods, quartermasters, stores, chests, and world pickups. A full tank with damaged components is not enough, and good components without fuel do not solve travel.

6. Level Driver Skill Naturally

The tree rewards using the buggy in normal play.

Driver Skill XP comes from actions like driving, sustaining speed, performing jumps, doing driving challenges, and hitting infected. Do not build your first playthrough around exploit farming. Learn how the vehicle handles, then let the Driver tree grow while you explore and complete expansion content.

7. Earn Local Trust Before Forcing the Main Thread

The Countryside opens through people, not just markers.

Reputation and trust with locals are part of progression. Take side content seriously, talk to settlement NPCs, and use errands as a way to learn roads, safe spots, repair needs, and enemy density before pushing into bigger story commitments.

8. Adjust Combat for Open Terrain

The old rooftop rhythm changes outside Harran’s city spaces.

The Following still uses Dying Light’s parkour combat, but the Countryside has fewer dense vertical escape routes. Bring reliable crowd control, a ranged option you can afford to maintain, and enough healing to survive being caught away from a roof, van, or safe zone.

9. Prep the Buggy Before Night Travel

Night is worse when your escape plan breaks.

Before long night runs, check fuel, repair state, spare materials, and nearby safe routes. GameSpot’s reviewed play notes specifically warn against being out at night without a healthy car and spare parts, which matches the expansion’s vehicle-first survival loop.

10. Use Co-op and Races as Separate Goals

They are supported, but they can distract from learning the map.

The Following supports co-op, and optional races/time trials exist. For a first solo progression pass, learn the roads, fields, and repair rhythm before treating every driving event as mandatory.

Countryside Priorities

Priority	What to Do	Why It Matters
Scope	Confirm The Following is installed and selected	You avoid confusing DLC, Enhanced Edition, Definitive Edition, and Dying Light 2 content
Character prep	Bring base-game skills, gear, healing, and crafting materials	The expansion carries progression and expects Dying Light fundamentals
Buggy access	Learn repair, fuel, recall, and safe-zone behavior early	The map is built around driving rather than dense rooftop routes
Local trust	Complete side content while learning the roads	Reputation and local errands are part of expansion progression
Night travel	Leave with fuel, repairs, and fallback routes	Being stranded on foot is much more dangerous in open country
Spoiler control	Save before major story commitments	The expansion has route-sensitive late-game material best handled in a separate guide

Buggy and Resource Management

1. Fuel - Build a habit of checking abandoned vehicles and gas stations before long drives.

2. Repair materials - Search vehicles, containers, quartermasters, stores, and visible pickups for parts used in buggy maintenance.

3. Component condition - Treat damaged parts like worn weapons: you can keep moving for a while, but performance and safety suffer.

4. Driver Skill - Level it by driving, jumping, handling challenges, and using the buggy in normal play instead of standing still to grind.

5. Upgrade claims - Avoid exact “best buggy upgrade” lists until you know your platform/version; use broad needs first: control, durability, fuel economy, and emergency survival.

6. Spare supplies - Carry enough repair resources and healing to recover if the vehicle fails away from a safe zone.

Hidden Mechanics

Mechanic	What It Does	How to Use
DLC dependency	The Following is DLC for Dying Light	Own/install the base game and launch the expansion path, not a separate standalone title
Edition boundary	Enhanced and Definitive Editions are bundles	Use them to access content, but keep guide advice limited to The Following
Progression carryover	Skills and gear can carry from base Dying Light into the DLC	Enter with a character whose tools you understand
Reputation/trust	Local trust supports expansion progression	Do side content instead of rushing only story markers
Driver Skill	A buggy-focused skill tree	Improve it through driving, challenges, jumps, and normal vehicle use
Vehicle maintenance	Buggy performance depends on fuel, repairs, and components	Search vehicles and safe hubs regularly
Countryside combat	Open terrain reduces easy rooftop escapes	Bring crowd control, ranged support, and a prepared buggy

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Do not start the wrong campaign entry - check that you are launching The Following and not returning to the Slums or loading unrelated DLC content.

2. Do not treat Enhanced Edition as one single guide scope - Bozak Horde, Cuisine and Cargo, bundles, and other extras need separate advice.

3. Do not follow Dying Light 2 systems advice - Villedor progression and post-launch updates are for a different game.

4. Do not enter with empty supplies - bring healing, weapons you can maintain, and crafting materials before committing to the Countryside.

5. Do not ignore abandoned vehicles - fuel and repair parts are too important to pass by every car.

6. Do not ram every enemy before your buggy is ready - reckless driving can leave you with damaged parts when you need an escape.

7. Do not sprint through local side content - trust-building errands teach roads, hazards, resources, and safe zones.

8. Do not drive deep into night with a weak vehicle - check fuel, condition, and repair resources before risky trips.

9. Do not plan around exact endings on a blind run - keep manual saves and leave branch planning for a spoiler-marked endings guide.

Summary

Category	Top Tip
Scope	Treat The Following as Dying Light DLC, not the base campaign or Dying Light 2
Editions	Enhanced and Definitive Editions are access bundles, not the guide scope
Entry	Bring a character comfortable with base-game combat, crafting, and night survival
Buggy	Maintain fuel, components, and repair supplies before long drives
Progression	Build local trust and Driver Skill through normal exploration and side content
Safety	Save before major story commitments and avoid exact route planning on a blind run