Dying Light: The Beast Review

The idea of a sequel is to improve upon the original game, to build on what came before, while creating something similar, and yet at the same time new. When it comes to the Dying Lightseries, this has been a bit hit or miss, really, but maybe Dying Light: The Beast can bring this zombie-hunting experience back to the light?

Dying Light: The Beast is, in essence, more of a sequel to the original, rather than Dying Light 2 Stay Human, and has reoccupied the well-worn trainers of Kyle Crane, the protagonist from the first game. Now he’s had… a hell of a time, really, having been experimented on in a lab by a mad scientist known as the Baron. Thankfully, Kyle breaks out into the valley of Castor Woods, thanks to the help of a woman named Olivia, and makes it his mission to get revenge. 

The only problem really is that the Baron has an army of soldiers protecting, not to mention the undead apocalypse that has ravaged the world. Kyle is by no means weak, primarily because he isn’t entirely human anymore, but even then, he’s going to need all the help he can get. It’s an engaging plot with a clear end goal, although it can get bogged down in side quests from the various survivors you’ll meet. 

One thing to note is that you actually see Kyle's face a lot in the game, as the camera moves to third-person during cutscenes, which is a departure from the norm. This gives a bit more emotion than just annoyed, which was his default in the first Dying Light, although he’s still quite grumpy. The other characters are good, if a bit brief most of the time, while the Baron is more of a distant entity than a continuous presence that engages you. 

The gameplay is really what carries Dying Light: The Beast, and honestly, there’s a lot to love here. First things first, both the combat and free-running feel great. The movement has a fluidity that makes freerunning across the world feel like a dream. The combat, meanwhile, is visceral with a host of weapons to destroy the infected. To put it simply, if you liked the first title, then you’re going to like this one, plus there are a couple of new additions as well.

Firstly, there’s the new beast mode that allows Kyle to smash through hordes of zombies with ease: I wasn’t kidding when I said he wasn’t altogether human anymore. This new mode initially comes about when you hit enough enemies (or get hit) and will power you up for a brief time. You can eventually control after you level up a bit, which is where the other additions come in.

Kyle wasn’t the only creature in that lab; as the Baron was working on beings who are considerably more… monstrous. These creatures, known as Chimaeras, take the form of mini bosses that you’ll need to defeat to power up beast mode. They’re fun, cinematic fights, and ripping them apart is never a bad time, although they are basically supercharged versions of the other infected variants. 

Everything works as it should, and Dying Light: The Beast runs smoothly without too much lag or issues with glitches. However, no apocalypse is perfect, so there are a couple of gameplay caveats here that really should be mentioned. 

Firstly, the same old issues arise that we’ve seen in most Dying Light games, namely that first-person is great when running, but irritating when having to climb anything for a long period of time. If you need to climb, be prepared to stare at a wall a lot. Thankfully, you’re rarely stuck with having to climb something outside of some areas, so it’s not the biggest issue.  

While combat is fun, it can get a bit annoying when the zombies grab you. Although you can avoid them, there’s always one or two that you didn’t see, and the only initial way to get out of a grab is to repeatedly press the F key. On top of that, fighting human enemies is tedious; they constantly dodge, kick, or throw things, and the only real solution is to use a gun, or just drop-kick them a lot. 

There’s also driving, which is fine; that’s really all you can say about it. You need to do it as the map is quite large, but nothing about it really stands out, and the controls can feel a bit loose at times. However, it is quite fun to run over a horde on occasion. 

The big question I know you’re all wondering about is the nights, namely, are they fun again? I recently wrote a piece on this very subject, noting that Dying Light 2: Stay Human made the night sections feel trivial in the end due to how easy it is to just avoid everything. I have to say, Dying Light: The Beast has made the nights terrifying again. 

The Volatiles are not messing around in this instalment; they’re fast and come in much greater numbers. I managed to get in a few chases that had me swarmed in a matter of minutes, to the degree where I started to think that they actually spot the player way too fast at times. This is true to a degree, but they’ll also notice if you shine your flashlight on them for too long, as well, so it might have been a problem of my own making. 

The mix of different environments also helps, as having to run through a forest while being chased is a very different experience from the main town, and safe zones are a bit more distant. However, you can also hit them with a car if you like, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a final game plan. 

There are a host of other activities to do around Castor Woods as well, from the aforementioned side quests to locations and more. It’s a lot to take in, so it can be difficult to figure out what to do at times, but that’s where making your own journey while exploring. 

One thing I wasn’t a fan of seeing return was the odd equipment level system from Dying Light 2: Stay Human. Basically, you’ll find different outfits throughout the world that all come with a level and a set amount of buffs. For instance, a shirt might give you a plus 1.5% defence against zombies. The amounts are usually so minimal that it’s rarely worth worrying about beyond visual appeal. Thankfully, the weapons are much more interesting with a host of different options to smash your enemies' heads in. 

Visually, Dying Light: The Beast has some beautiful environments, with the town and fields all looking great. I wish I could say the same about some of the character models, though. The infected all look great, but the humans often feel a bit plastic, which takes me out of the experience a bit. There’s also one odd thing, namely the damage effects on the zombies. Initially, I thought it was amazing as chunks of infected flesh flew off after each attack I made. However, I soon noticed that it was always the same visual damage, regardless of what weapon I was using. 

With that being said, Dying Light: The Beast is a great experience, especially if you’re a fan of the series. Even if you’re not, and you’re just looking for a new adventure, then Kyle’s quest for revenge could be perfect for you, even with the odd flaw.