Dying Light: The Beast Has a Stronger Horror Vibe Than Past Games

As a longtime fan of the Dying Light series, I can confidently say that the latest trailer for Dying Light: The Beast has me absolutely thrilled! The shift from urban environments to the sprawling Castor Woods is not only refreshing but promises an altogether more terrifying experience.

The new trailer for Techland’s game “Dying Light: The Beast” showcases parts of Castor Woods, the game’s recently introduced rural backdrop. Unlike the urban landscapes featured in the first two games, “The Beast” offers a setting rich with forests and swamps instead. This change is expected to bring a new perspective to the usual parkour-focused exploration in “Dying Light,” while also presenting intriguing opportunities for enhancing the horror aspects of the series.

In an interview with Game Rant, franchise director Tymon Smektala shared insights about the new location for Dying Light: The Beast – Castor Woods. He emphasized that the dense swamps and forests would enable a stronger focus on horror elements within the game. A suitable environment significantly impacts a game’s ambiance, and it appears that Castor Woods is well-suited to achieve this effectively.

Dying Light: The Beast is Shaping Up to Be the Franchise’s Scariest Entry So Far

Regarding the game Dying Light, though it centers on themes like zombies, resource gathering, and survival, it hasn’t strictly adhered to a horror genre. Instead, it skillfully blends elements of parkour, urban exploration, and intense melee combat, straddling the boundaries between horror and action-adventure. The recent shift in setting for The Beast, from an urban environment to a rural one filled with swamps and forests, has given developer Techland more room to create a significantly eerier atmosphere. As Smektala mentioned, this change allows them to showcase their creativity when crafting a scarier ambiance.

As a fan of crafting immersive digital landscapes, I felt compelled to step out of my comfort zone and design an atmosphere distinct from our typical urban cityscapes. This new environment, rich with forests and swamps, offers a unique advantage: it pushes the boundaries of our games towards survival horror and horror genres, amplifying the eerie, suspenseful vibe we’ve always aimed for. I believe this shift not only adds depth to our creations but also allows us to convey that atmosphere more powerfully than before.

Dying Light: The Beast’s Setting Will Allow for a Fresh Take on Parkour

Indeed, mapping out a rural landscape poses unique hurdles for a series predominantly centered on parkour. The absence of rooftops to navigate required Techland to adopt innovative strategies in their free-running design. Smektala acknowledged that the setting of The Beast, to some extent, necessitated a compromise between parkour and atmosphere. He further explained that this meant they had to strike a balance between the thrill of parkour and maintaining an immersive environment.

We stepped up the difficulty level with the parkour scenes a bit more due to the challenging terrain in the swamp areas. The geometry needed for extended parkour sequences isn’t as readily available there, so we decided to balance out parkour with the atmospheric elements I mentioned earlier, rather than focusing solely on jumping over obstacles. However, this also provided an opportunity to discover innovative ways to incorporate parkour in places where it might not be immediately apparent.

In his continued explanation, Smektala made it clear that players of “Dying Light: The Beast” would seldom find themselves walking through the main entrance of buildings. Rather, they should explore their surroundings to locate alternative entry points like open windows or rooftop hatches. Some zones will emphasize the game’s horror aspects, while others will showcase its parkour features. Certain areas might even combine both elements harmoniously. What’s certain is that “Dying Light” enthusiasts can anticipate experiencing something innovative when “The Beast” releases in summer 2025.

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2024-12-28 00:25