When Dying Light launched in 2015, it was a revelation. Parkour-infused zombie survival, a compelling lead in Kyle Crane, and the night/day cycle that kept players on edge long after sundown. Dying Light 2 Stay Human tried to expand that formula, but left many fans divided. Now, ten years later, Techland has brought Crane back for Dying Light: The Beast, and the result feels like a deliberate course correction — a return to the survival-horror roots that made the series iconic, sharpened by modern visuals and a darker, more brutal edge.
And for longtime fans, this is the sequel they’ve been waiting for.
The Premise: Man Meets Monster
You step back into the bloodied boots of Kyle Crane, though he’s not the man you remember. After years of brutal experiments at the hands of a sadistic warlord known only as the Baron, Crane has been transformed into something half-human, half-beast. The result is a protagonist caught between two identities, constantly battling his own monstrous instincts while seeking vengeance against the man who destroyed him.
It’s a premise that immediately sets The Beast apart from past entries. For the first time, players can freely toggle between “human” and “beast” playstyles, each with distinct combat abilities and traversal mechanics. As the tagline goes: “You want revenge, but first you must tame the monster within.”
Welcome to Castor Woods
The new setting, Castor Woods, is a striking blend of beauty and decay. Once a thriving tourist hub, it’s now overrun with the infected and littered with remnants of a lost world. From abandoned industrial zones and swampy farmland to crumbling resorts tucked in lush hillsides, it’s the most visually stunning backdrop Techland has created yet.
Exploration is more rewarding than ever. Scattered throughout the valley are collectibles, hidden quests, and memory fragments that not only flesh out the lore but also fuel progression. Side quests like What Lurks Beyond the Pines and A Sign of Love offer small but impactful detours that deepen the atmosphere without breaking pace.
Flesh, Steel, and Claws
Dying Light has always been defined by its first-person melee combat, and The Beast takes that brutality to another level. As human Crane, combat feels grounded and deliberate: parries, shield bashes, and carefully timed strikes. But when you give in to the beast? All restraint goes out the window.
In beast form, Crane becomes a whirlwind of claws and feral power. Heads rip free from shoulders, torsos are torn apart, and the sheer gore factor makes even DL1’s infamous dismemberment look tame. It’s grotesque, but undeniably satisfying.
The risk-reward loop is clever. Giving in to beast mode grants enormous power, but staying in it too long risks losing control entirely. It’s not just a combat gimmick — it ties directly into the story of a man at war with himself.
Night and Day Reimagined
The day/night cycle, always a hallmark of the series, feels more punishing than ever here. Daytime exploration is tense but manageable — scavenging supplies, crafting weapons, and prepping for the inevitable nightfall. But when the sun dips below the treeline, Castor Woods transforms.
Volatiles and new enemy types swarm the map, forcing you into desperate decisions: run, hide, or embrace your beast form and fight tooth and nail. The transitions are seamless, and the tension never relents. It’s less about “waiting out the night” and more about surviving one minute to the next.
Parkour and Traversal
If combat is blood and bone, traversal is the beating heart of The Beast. Parkour is smoother and more refined than in DL2, feeling closer to the grounded, weighty movement of the first game. Vaulting rooftops, wall-running, and sliding into combat all feel responsive and satisfying.
Techland also introduced vehicles back into the mix — off-road buggies that let you tear through hordes in style. It’s not the focus, but when the map opens up into farmland or swampland, it’s a welcome addition.
Mastery of movement is rewarded here more than ever. A mistimed jump or sloppy grapple can mean the difference between glorious escape and becoming zombie chow.
Co-Op Mayhem
Like its predecessors, The Beast shines brightest in co-op. Up to four players can dive into Castor Woods together, sharing progress, loot, and story beats. It’s chaos in the best way — one player distracting hordes while another scales a wall to secure supplies, or everyone piling into a buggy for a desperate escape across infected farmland.
Even in beast form, teamwork matters. Coordinating abilities and timing can turn a hopeless situation into a cinematic victory through beast transformations.
Technical Performance and Visuals
Built on their own in-house engine – C-Engine, The Beast is a visual stunner. Castor Woods looks hauntingly alive, every tree and decayed building crafted with detail. The lighting system is particularly impressive, with sunsets and night transitions that shift the mood instantly.
More importantly, the game is well optimized. Fans have praised its smooth launch performance, avoiding the rough technical hiccups that plagued DL2. Even on mid-tier rigs, framerates hold steady, making the chaos playable and enjoyable.
Olivier Deriviere returns to score the game, and his music once again nails the tension of night runs and the quiet despair of a world in ruins. The audio mix of snarls, screams, and ambient dread keeps you immersed and unsettled.
Rough Edges
It’s not all perfection. The writing has been a point of contention among players — cutscenes and dialogue often lean cheesy, undercutting the otherwise grim tone. Some players have also flagged issues with side quest design, feeling front-loaded, with fewer meaningful tasks in the later regions.
Combat difficulty can spike suddenly, particularly in the final areas where swarms of enemies and environmental hazards converge. Even maxed-out builds may find themselves overwhelmed, and food scarcity makes survival punishing.
Still, most of these frustrations feel like tuning issues rather than dealbreakers.
Dying Light: The Beast: Dying Light: The Beast is exactly what many fans have been asking for since the credits rolled on the original game. It dials back the bloated systems of DL2 and focuses on what matters most: brutal survival horror, tight parkour, and the return of Kyle Crane. The new beast mechanic adds tension and spectacle without feeling gimmicky, and Castor Woods is a beautifully dreadful playground that’s a joy to explore. It’s not flawless — clunky writing, occasional bugs, and some difficulty spikes drag it down — but as a complete package, this is Techland’s best work since 2015. For anyone who ever whispered “Good night, and good luck” before sprinting into the dark in DL1, The Beast is a triumphant homecoming. – Obsidian