Techland’s Dying Light series has long been known for mixing visceral melee combat with fluid parkour and the ever-present fear of the undead, but Dying Light: The Beast takes that formula in a bold new direction. Set in the sprawling Castor Woods, it doesn’t just drop players into another infected playground – it puts them in the scarred shoes of Kyle Crane, reimagined as a hybrid of man and monster after years of torment. This shift brings a darker, more personal narrative to the forefront, one that explores identity and revenge while experimenting with new mechanics tied to Crane’s dual nature.
That story foundation is one of the game’s most striking elements. The plot of Crane grappling with his inner beast adds a sense of tension that goes beyond surviving the hordes. Dialogue and character interactions don’t always deliver the emotional punch they’re aiming for, but the premise itself injects fresh energy into a series that risked feeling too familiar. What helps sustain it are the alliances you’re forced to forge along the way, with side characters that add both practical support and moral gray areas to the journey. While the narrative pacing sometimes stumbles, especially in the middle chapters, the overarching arc of revenge gives the campaign a strong backbone.
Gameplay is where The Beast truly embraces its name. Combat is brutal, unflinching, and more primal than ever, with Crane’s beast form allowing for devastating finishers that feel satisfyingly savage. The challenge comes in balancing this raw power with the risk of losing control, which adds a welcome tactical layer to encounters. Human enemies return alongside hordes of zombies, and the need to adapt your approach depending on whether you’re fighting a gang of bandits or a monstrous abomination keeps battles varied. Still, even with these new powers, the core loop can become repetitive at times, particularly if you spend hours grinding through side activities.
Parkour, always the standout mechanic in Dying Light, remains fluid and rewarding. Castor Woods’ mix of tourist towns, industrial zones, and natural landscapes provides diverse opportunities to leap, climb, and vault your way across the world. The off-road vehicles add welcome variety, breaking up the on-foot traversal with chaotic, zombie-plowing freedom. Controls are responsive across both movement and combat, though some of the more complex beast abilities can feel a touch unwieldy in the heat of battle, especially for players adjusting to the dual-playstyle system.
Visually, the game makes excellent use of its alpine-inspired setting. Sunlight cutting across dense forests or bouncing off snowy peaks creates a striking contrast with the decay and gore that define the world’s interiors. Character models don’t quite match the standard set by the landscapes, with some stiffer animations in dialogue-heavy scenes, but in motion the game looks fantastic. Audio is equally effective, with chilling ambient sounds in the night sections and a soundtrack that ramps up tension during frantic escapes. The guttural snarls of Crane in beast mode add an extra punch to the transformation, making his duality feel more tangible.
Ultimately, Dying Light: The Beast feels like Techland’s most daring step since the original. It retains the survival horror and open-world DNA of the series but dares to evolve the formula with its hybrid protagonist and extreme combat. Not every experiment lands – narrative beats sometimes fall flat, and repetition can creep in – but the sheer thrill of switching between man and monster, paired with stunning environments and classic Dying Light tension, makes it one of the franchise’s most memorable entries yet.
Score: 8.2/10
Press Play Media 