How Roger Craig Smith is Approaching Kyle Crane in Dying Light: The Beast

How Roger Craig Smith is Approaching Kyle Crane in Dying Light: The Beast

Key Takeaways

  • Roger Craig Smith is reprising his role as Kyle Crane in Dying Light: The Beast after almost a decade, with a more mature and vengeful portrayal.
  • Kyle Crane has been altered by 13 years of brutal experiments, leading to changes in personality, gameplay, and story in Dying Light: The Beast.
  • The new game sheds light on Kyle Crane’s story, answering important questions from the first game and connecting to the upcoming Dying Light 2.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that Roger Craig Smith’s return as Kyle Crane in Dying Light: The Beast is a momentous occasion. After almost a decade since we last saw him, this grizzled survivor has undergone a transformation that not only changes his gameplay but also his very soul.


Roger Craig Smith is known for giving voice to some of the most famous gaming characters ever created. From Ezio Auditore da Firenze in Assassin’s Creed and Batman: Arkham Origins’ Batman, to numerous Sonic the Hedgehog depictions, his voice has brought life to many cherished heroes. Now, he’s reprising another renowned character – Kyle Crane – in Dying Light: The Beast.

At Gamescom Opening Night Live, it was revealed that Dying Light: The Beast will reintroduce beloved character Kyle Crane, last seen at the conclusion of the DLC story for Dying Light: The Following. It’s been nearly a decade since Roger Craig Smith donned Kyle Crane’s parkour boots, and in a chat with Game Rant, he shared his thoughts on reprising the role.

Roger Craig Smith Is Bringing a New Version of Kyle Crane to Life in Dying Light: The Beast

As a gamer reflecting back, it’s been nearly a decade since we were first introduced to Kyle Crane in Dying Light, yet for him, it feels like over a decade has passed in the game world. The recent announcement of Dying Light: The Beast hinted at Kyle being subjected to experiments by some enigmatic group under the command of a Baron for the past 13 years. But now he’s broken free, and from what I gather, he’s not the same man anymore. Roger Craig Smith shared some insights on this with Game Rant, suggesting that:

He’s changed. We don’t want to lose Kyle Crane, we don’t want to lose that element we like about him, but he’s been altered by this experience. Kyle has been altered by 13 years of these brutal experiments. Skirting spoilers, this is not the same Kyle Crane, but it is still Kyle Crane. It’s Kyle Crane altered.

In the upcoming game, Dying Light: The Beast, players will recognize the central character Kyle Crane from the original Dying Light. However, don’t be surprised if he appears and sounds different from before. This change in appearance and voice reflects the significant experiences Kyle has gone through since his last appearance in Dying Light: The Following. Troy Baker, who plays Kyle, has ensured that these developments are deeply ingrained in his performance for this new installment. Players can anticipate hearing a more seasoned, vengeful version of Kyle Crane in Dying Light: The Beast. Troy Baker provided an illustration of this evolution, stating that the character has undergone a shift towards maturity and vengeance.

There’s one line in the demo that’s so simple, but it emulates that connectivity—when she says “Be careful” and Kyle goes “Yeah…right.” There’s a little bit of sarcasm. The old-school Kyle would have been like “Are you kidding me?” He would’ve been a little effusive in his language.

Absolutely, Kyle Crane’s transformed character isn’t limited to influencing the main narrative of “Dying Light: The Beast“. Instead, this expansion pack offers Kyle new skill sets and powers, possibly stemming from his ordeal with the Baron. Consequently, the last 13 years in Kyle Crane’s life have brought about changes not only to his personality but also to the storyline and gameplay mechanics of “Dying Light: The Beast“.

Dying Light: The Beast Is Finally Shedding Light on Kyle Crane’s Story

Reintroducing Kyle Crane into the story is a clever move for fans, but without adequate narrative context, it might seem insubstantial. Fortunately, Techland has thought ahead. In a recent conversation with Game Rant, Dying Light: The Beast’s development team shared some insights about Crane’s return in the upcoming game. Here’s what Dying Light’s franchise director Tymon Smektala had to say:

From what I can gather, this game provides essential answers about the initial title, and it hints at connections with the sequel as well, offering as much insight as possible in the process.

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2024-08-26 16:44