Details of Dying Light: The Beast — not an expansion, but a full-fledged game

Recently, Techland shared a 30-minute gameplay video and revealed more details about its next game, Dying Light: The Beast. Here are the most exciting features of the project.

In the new Dying Light, players will once again step into the shoes of Kyle Crane. At the end of the first game, he was infected with the zombie virus, and in The Following expansion, the hero tried to find a cure or at least a way to slow the spread of the infection.

According to the premise of Dying Light: The Beast, 13 years later Kyle Crane is still alive. Moreover, as a result of experiments conducted on him by Marius Fischer — head of a secret viral research program, known as the Baron — the hero has become a hybrid of human and infected. Outwardly, Crane looks like an ordinary person, but in practice, he possesses the abilities of a true superhero.

The protagonist's main motivation is to track down the Baron, take revenge on him for years of captivity and agony, and stop his immoral experiments on other victims. Marius Fischer is obsessed with the idea of accelerating evolution and creating new forms of life. He is powerful and influential, commanding a huge faction of like-minded followers.

The subtitle The Beast reflects Crane's new state. The game gives him an ability similar to the "Spartan Rage" from the God of War franchise — the so-called Beast Mode. When the character deals or takes melee damage, a special "rage" meter gradually fills up. At the right moment, the player can "unleash the beast." Crane then temporarily becomes much stronger, allowing him to tear zombies apart with his bare hands, slam the ground with his fists to create shockwaves that knock enemies over, and hurl heavy objects.

During the gameplay demo, Beast Mode proved especially useful in a fight against a mini-boss, where conventional melee weapons were ineffective. Of course, you can also shoot such dangerous creatures with powerful guns — but in the world of Dying Light: The Beast, ammo is so rare that it’s often better to save it and settle things with your fists.

Like the previous games, Dying Light: The Beast is an open-world game where parkour is essential for exploration. Fundamentally, this mechanic remains unchanged, but the developers have introduced several new elements to breathe fresh life into the familiar gameplay formula.

For example, dynamic weather now plays an important role. It's not just a visual effect but a gameplay factor in the spirit of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Heavy rain affects visibility, enemy behavior, and interactions with objects and the environment. For instance, it’s better not to try setting enemies on fire during a downpour — instead, you should use electricity in combination with water to electrocute zombies.

Another curious addition is the introduction of parkour puzzles. In some areas where you might think you’ve hit a dead end, you’ll need to figure out the correct sequence of grabs and jumps to progress.

Incidentally, parkour isn’t the only way to get around. Dying Light: The Beast also reintroduces drivable vehicles. Cars require fuel and can be damaged, but they also provide certain tactical advantages: you can plow through hordes of enemies with a sturdy off-roader and quickly transport heavy cargo for certain quests.

Originally, The Beast was conceived as an expansion for Dying Light 2: Stay Human. However, two years into development, the project had grown so large that the developers decided to turn it into a full-fledged game. Still, for owners of the Dying Light 2: Stay Human Ultimate Edition, this new entry will be free — a friendly gesture toward the loyal community.

The developers also hope that The Beast will serve as the perfect starting point for newcomers who haven’t played Dying Light before. According to Techland, completing the game will take approximately 18 hours.

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Dying Light: The Beast launches on August 22 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X. The developers are also working on a port for previous-generation consoles, but that version requires more optimization and shouldn’t be expected before late 2025.

What do you think about The Beast? How do you like the Dying Light series in general? Share your thoughts in the comments.