Dying Light: The Beast Hands-On Preview – I Left a Bloody Mess in My Wake

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Since the release of Dying Light: The Following, fans have been eagerly wondering what became of Kyle Crane. To satisfy this curiosity, Techland has planned to reveal more about his fate and other intriguing details in Dying Light: The Beast. This upcoming game brings players back into the role of Kyle Crane for the first time since the 2016 DLC, but not only that – it also aims to build upon the gameplay formula introduced by the original game from 2015.

Game Rant recently spent about four hours playing “Dying Light: The Beast” during a hands-on event in Los Angeles. This sneak peek omitted the prologue and instead, we jumped straight into the game’s open world. During this time, we completed four main missions, two side missions, and several additional activities. By the end of the session, “Dying Light: The Beast” seemed tailor-made for the 50+ million fans who have become engrossed in the series, whether they started with the original game or discovered the enhancements in “Dying Light 2”.

Kyle Crane: Half-Survivor, Half-Beast

Initially, what caught my attention was Kyle’s constant frown. It’s evident from his demeanor how much he has evolved over time, becoming harsher and less comfortable than he used to be following a decade of torture by the Baron. However, Kyle remains distinctively Kyle Crane, always ready to lend a hand and throw in a clever quip. In the game “Dying Light: The Beast“, fans may find themselves with numerous favorites, but during one of the side quests, his comment about not requiring “Sherlock” to solve something stood out – that remark has earned an early spot as a favorite.

Kyle seems to have undergone some changes, yet his talents remain unaltered. To start off the preview, we were given free rein within Castor Woods, providing us with our initial taste of parkour. This signature aspect of the series, prevalent in numerous games, is heavily influenced by the surroundings. Despite woodlands not being the optimal setting for parkour, Dying Light: The Beast manages to capitalize on this. As I scaled rocks and took daring leaps, I discovered that there were fewer limitations than expected. It felt as if I was a child exploring a national preserve, leaping from rock to rock, while other moments felt like true parkour.

Kyle’s personality has evolved, but his abilities remain strong. In the beginning of the preview, we were allowed to roam freely in Castor Woods, experiencing our first taste of parkour. This feature, common to many games, is shaped by the environment. Although woodlands are not ideal for parkour, Dying Light: The Beast makes the most of it. I found myself scaling rocks and taking chances, only to discover that there weren’t as many restrictions as I thought. It felt like I was a kid playing in a national preserve, leaping from rock to rock, while some areas were full-blown parkour.

In Dying Light: The Beast, let me tell you firsthand, mastering parkour skills is crucial to your gameplay experience. Before I knew it, I was exploring a castle and town inspired by the Swiss Alps, giving me ample opportunities to run, leap, and traverse my surroundings. Pushing Kyle to his limits became an exhilarating endeavor, and venturing off the well-trodden path more than paid off.

Parkour came in handy for discovering open windows and hidden rooms filled with valuable supplies – sometimes those supplies meant the difference between life and death. And let me tell you, I’ve had my fair share of close calls outside at night, pursued by two volatiles. The chase was heart-pounding, the danger palpable, but when I needed to make risky jumps or execute tricky maneuvers for survival, parkour saved the day.

The Swiss architecture and parkour mechanics in this game go hand in hand like bread and butter – especially for parkour enthusiasts who will find plenty of opportunities to show off their skills throughout Castor Woods. It’s not just a game; it’s an invitation to let your inner parkour master shine!

As a fan, I can’t contain my excitement about Dying Light: The Beast and its inclusion of vehicles! It’s a dream come true to imagine mowing down zombies with cars – an age-old fantasy, indeed! However, contrary to some concerns, vehicles didn’t overtake the gameplay. They were accessible enough for longer journeys, but scarce enough that I never felt compelled to rely on them exclusively. It’s a perfect balance that keeps the game engaging and immersive!

The Day is for The Beast, The Night is for The Survivor

In the sequel, Dying Light: The Beast, the day-night cycle is back in full force, with no questions asked about its presence. It’s a cornerstone of the series, and this installment has leveraged all the insights from the previous two games. During the day, the infected pose a threat, but one that players can manage using an assortment of melee weapons, skills, and firearms available in Dying Light: The Beast. In just four hours of gameplay, I managed to secure a pistol and a bow, learned how to dropkick zombies (which is incredibly satisfying), and upgraded several melee weapons. Among these, disregarding the drop-kick skill because it would be unfair to highlight, my preferred choice turned out to be a standard shovel. It required the most stamina to use and left me exposed if I depleted it completely, but its destructive power made me hesitate multiple times.

Techland has consistently highlighted the advanced gore features in the game Dying Light: The Beast, and these improvements are truly significant. In my playthrough, I’ve splattered zombie brains, snapped off jaws, flattened entire skulls, shattered countless limbs, exposed a vast array of bones, and left bloodstains on every conceivable surface. I even crafted and used some molotovs, which added an unsettling realism as the flames consumed the zombies, melted their skin, and still drove them to chase me. On several occasions, I took a moment to appreciate the carnage I had created.

In the world of gaming, it’s well-known that the weaponry system in Dying Light has been somewhat unconventional. Striking a balance between melee weapons and firearms against zombies is crucial, but Techland appears to have found the ideal mix. Guns are stronger and safer indeed, and ammo isn’t strewn about haphazardly, but what stands out for me is how easily I can forget about the ammo and get lost in the rhythm of my shovel clashing against zombie hordes. Safety isn’t my priority; I’m there to unleash my inner beast, and in just a few hours with Dying Light: The Beast, its combat system really captured that for me.

Absolutely, my instinct to let loose the wild side subsides during the night. This shift transformed the entire experience, making it fitting to say that days belong to the beast and nights to the survivor in Kyle Crane’s world. The horde of zombies multiplied, volatile creatures haunted the streets, and every ounce of control I possessed was snatched away by fear. There was a time when I huddled, bracing for death at any moment, only to be saved by my survival instincts that warned me of four lethal Volatiles lurking nearby. One misstep would have spelled certain doom. In the game Dying Light: The Beast, there’s a delicate balance between action and horror, and the nighttime intensifies the horror aspect remarkably. Numerous times I found myself scrambling for safety, which truly highlighted the distinctive day-night cycle of the Dying Light series.

Questing in Dying Light: The Beast

In essence, the expansion titled “Dying Light: The Beast” revolves around a tale of vengeance against the Baron, with protagonist Kyle wrestling between his inner desire for justice and altruistic instincts. To confront the Baron effectively, he requires assistance from allies, yet also seeks to conquer his personal constraints by gathering boosters in Chimera encounters. These battles were nothing short of thrilling, as I engaged in no less than three distinct Chimeras. The first two resembled each other in their methods and strategies, appearing as enormous, lumbering undead creatures. However, the third was unique, offering a discernible pattern for interaction but not making the struggle any less challenging. On the contrary, overcoming this foe demanded additional resources and superior weaponry to ensure its permanent defeat.

In summary, the initial part of the game provided a glimpse into the narrative, hinting at chilling scenarios such as a day-active Volatile. It also left me pondering about Kyle’s connection to the Chimeras, a question that will only be answered in later stages of the game. Despite this, I was quite pleased with both the storyline progression and the gameplay during these first four hours.

Among the two optional missions I undertook, my top pick was one that led me to assist an elderly man struggling with dementia in resolving his past misdeeds. This tale, without a doubt, ranks among the finest side stories within this series and showcases Techland’s knack for storytelling. The gameplay of this mission brought back the Cable puzzles, which I believe shine brightest when they restrict parkour movements and encourage creative problem-solving. For an introductory quest, the difficulty was manageable, but I eagerly anticipate seeing how these brainteasers evolve across the game.

In this adventure, it’s essential to have resources at hand. Throughout my journey, I was constantly on the hunt for crafting materials, ensuring I had just enough bandages, decoys, molotov cocktails, or grenades without an excess. This necessitated me to scrutinize my parkour paths for accessible buildings, prompted me to delve deeper into each location I visited, and intensified every single combat engagement. Dying Light: The Following is a game that seamlessly blends survival and action elements.

Activities in an open world, like Dying Light: The Beast, offer opportunities to gather resources. Unlike traditional open-world games where tasks are scattered across the map, each discovery becomes a strategic choice for resource acquisition in

1. I didn’t go there just to stay safe; instead, I went there to show my strength. And speaking of strength, Dying Light: The Beast’s combat did an excellent job at conveying that in the first few hours.

2. Safety wasn’t my goal when I went there; rather, I wanted to exhibit power. As for the combat system in Dying Light: The Beast, it really captured that essence within the initial couple of hours.

Spending just four hours on a game like “Dying Light: The Beast” isn’t enough to draw definitive conclusions, especially given its complexity. However, it’s sufficient to grasp why Techland is enthusiastic about the game and sometimes labels it as “Dying Light 3“. There seems to be something unique unfolding in Castor Woods, and I can hardly wait to return for another camping trip in August.

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2025-07-21 17:16