I Love Dying Light The Beast... Aside From This one Thing

Recently, I have been playing through Dying Light: The Beast and, while I have been having an exciting time, it’s reminded me of one design choice I really don’t like. 

There’s a lot to love about Dying Light: The Beast, from the plot to the combat to the freerunning, but if there’s one thing I really hate, it’s the climbing. The issues aren’t how you do it, as that actually works as intended. The problem is that Crane’s POV is always in first person when you are in control. This works for the majority of the experience, but it’s really not a great viewpoint for clambering up the side of a building, unless you really like staring at a wall that’s three inches from your face.

One of the things I really enjoy in Dying Light: The Beast is the look of the world around you; from the design to the ambience it creates. However, that same feeling suddenly disappears because I now have to stare at bricks for five minutes. Now, I will say that it’s certainly not as bad as it was in Dying Light 2 Stay Human, if only because you don’t need to climb nearly as much as you did in that title. However, it remains a significant part of some missions and exploration as a whole. 

It’s not just the visuals that take a hit, as I also find it to be pretty annoying from a mechanics standpoint as well. Here’s the thing: Dying Light: The Beast minimises the amount of “yellow paint” pathways that you see in a lot of other series. What I mean by that is that it doesn’t overly telegraph where you can and can’t climb. Personally, I find this ideal, as it emphasises the player finding their own route, rather than having to follow a set path. 

The issue is that you have to actually find the path, which is made much more difficult when you’re stuck in a first-person view. It changes your perception of distance, especially if you need to jump to something or figure out how long it should take to move across a wall. It’s not game-breaking by any means, but it is just that little bit more annoying. The other problem is that it’s much slower, which is an issue in a series that otherwise presents itself as faster-paced.

So, what are some practical solutions? Well, there’s an argument that you could move the camera to third-person when you climb something. Considering that Dying Light: The Beast is the first in the main series to have the main character appear in third-person during videos, it wouldn’t be too out there. It would also allow the game to display the equipment you’re wearing, which you otherwise wouldn’t see in action. 

However, the issue with that idea is that it would be pretty jarring to switch between cameras every time you touch a wall. One possible option would be to allow players to choose their preferred point of view, which is something Resident Evil Village recently offered in a DLC. The only issue with that is that it would remove one of the biggest builders of tension in the game. See, the limited and more personal experience offered by a first-person camera really can’t be beat.

So, I don’t know, it's a minor issue, but it’s one that I have been consistently aware of as I play through Dying Light: The Beast. I don’t know the best solution, but I would love to hear what you guys think, or even if you happen to think it’s best as it is.