Dying Light: The Beast Gives Off The Following Vibes [PREVIEW]

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Dying Light: The Beast Gives Off The Following Vibes [PREVIEW]

As a seasoned gamer who has traversed countless virtual landscapes in search of that elusive parkour fix, I can attest that Techland’s offerings have always been a delight to my pixel-hungry eyes. But it was Dying Light: The Following that truly stole my heart, and now, with the announcement of Dying Light: The Beast, I find myself reminiscing about those endless hours spent exploring Harran’s open world.

I’m a fan of video games with parkour elements: if a game has that, I can’t resist playing it. That’s how I ended up playing Dying Light after its release in 2015, but what really kept me hooked on the series was The Following. It took the original game’s gameplay and improved upon it with fresh twists, characters, mechanics, and more, and it looks like Dying Light: The Beast is doing much of the same. However, there’s a slight difference – while The Following was a DLC for the first game, Dying Light: The Beast is an entirely separate zombie adventure game. It’s linked to both the original and second game, reintroduces Kyle Crane, and continues to develop the franchise in a manner similar to how The Following expanded on the first title.

During Gamescom, we had a sneak peek at Dying Light: The Beast, and throughout the demo, it was hard not to notice how much it reminded us of The Following. While Harran and Villedor establish unique atmospheres for their games, they are starkly different from the rural landscapes seen in The Following and now The Beast‘s Castor Woods. The more open, natural elements of these two settings subtly change how players approach zombie combat, exploration, and story engagement, leading to a surprising similarity between them.

Dying Light: The Beast’s Demo

We watched a member of Techland’s QA team play about 40 minutes of Dying Light: The Beast at Gamescom. The mission returning protagonist Kyle Crane was on seemed simple: break into a facility and learn about the Baron’s experiments on the Infected, all under the guidance of a new character named Olivia. Fitting to Dying Light‘s nighttime gameplay, the Infected were extremely dangerous, but the demoist managed to sneak through and get to a safe house, completing a small puzzle to set it up. It was something any Dying Light fan should be familiar with, but the vibe was on par with The Following instead of the safe houses of Villedor. The woodlands were very dense, and that played to the advantage and disadvantage of the demoist. The danger felt very real, despite there being no controller in my hand.

Following this, Crane ventured to one of the Baron’s establishments, discreetly deploying his team before erupting into an intense firefight. The episodes underscored that stealth and parkour were integral parts of the gameplay, equal in importance to the game’s hand-to-hand combat and weapon battles. Interestingly, the demo emphasized a great deal of gunplay; however, Tymon Smektala, the franchise director, highlighted that while it was an available choice for players, the core essence of Dying Light: The Beast remains melee. He elaborated that ammunition was scarce, emphasizing the survival aspects of Dying Light, even though it’s worth mentioning that Crane appeared to have a plentiful supply during this demo. Inside the facility, Crane could interact with a novel gas capable of attracting the infected. Throughout his infiltration, there were numerous loud roars emanating from the compound, with Crane discovering a cell broken apart as if it had been forcefully busted open. Upon encountering one of the scientists, he learned that the Baron was experimenting and testing a new strain linked to Chimeras/Freaks.

1. In this scenario, Kyle Crane is tasked with transporting a gas canister to a vehicle and venturing towards the woods to provoke the monster known as the Freak. The brief truck sequence suggested that the gas supply was scant and the container fragile. Nonetheless, players will relish the opportunity to mow down zombies. Each impact appeared thrilling, as squashing zombies never fails to excite. The concluding boss of this mission was a colossal Freak, drawn out from the woods, allowing Techland to exhibit Kyle Crane’s new Beast Mode. Acquired through melee combat, this transformation sees Crane become significantly stronger and aggressive, able to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Freak, despite being close to death on multiple occasions. During his Beast Mode, Crane can pick up large objects nearby, such as massive rocks, to hurl at adversaries, ultimately concluding the battle. Interestingly, it appeared that Crane extracted a vial of blood from the Freak when all was said and done, but the reason for this wasn’t clarified.

As a devoted fan, I must say that during this demo, we witnessed fresh environmental interactions, enhanced visuals, and one thrilling dynamic encounter, all of which underscore the unique essence of Castor Woods compared to Harran and Villedor. Although anticipation for the game is high due to Crane’s return, it appears that the comprehensive narrative and gameplay are what will truly make Dying Light: The Beast worthwhile as it transforms from DLC into a complete standalone game. Many questions remain unanswered: how will Beast Mode evolve, how will the Beast Skill Tree impact the entire game, and how will all the new story elements, characters, and gameplay components weave into the broader tapestry of Dying Light? Nonetheless, even with the recent announcement, this demo was an irresistible teaser.

Dying Light: The Beast’s Development Also Feels Like The Following

I wasn’t the only one who found The Beast reminiscent of The Following. I sought confirmation from Smektala and art director Katarzyna Tarnacka about my observation following the demo, and they agreed. As it turns out, a significant portion of the team developing Dying Light: The Beast also worked on the original game and its expansion, The Following. Smektala elaborated that The Following was their “favorite project” because with the core elements already established in the first game, there was less pressure. He went on to explain that while numbered titles come with higher expectations, spin-offs like this one allow them greater freedom and enjoyment when working on the game.

When Tarnacka expressed that crafting the DLC for The Following seemed more like play than labor, Smektala chimed in,

“I believe the essence of what we’re creating is present too. There’s a noticeable lack of tension. Sure, it’s crucial to honor it due to the players’ anticipations, but the vibe is distinct. It feels incredibly liberating, less confining, and filled with more possibilities for enjoyment. I hope this sense of freedom will resonate with players once the game launches.”

This spirit is no doubt what I felt when I watched the Dying Light: The Beast demo, and that’s very promising for the game. Tarnacka eventually summed up her feelings about Dying Light: The Beast as getting to see an old friend again in Kyle Crane and that overall “it feels like coming home.” It remains to be seen, of course, but I can see this homecoming feeling spreading come Dying Light: The Beast‘s eventual release.

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2024-08-26 18:33