Dying Light: The Beast Review

Player(s): 1 (single player), 2-4 (online co-op)

Extra Features: Online co-op play

The original Dying Light and its DLC combo stand as the best zombie action that I have played. The sequel was just as good, but it had a bunch of technical problems upon release. Dying Light: The Beast was originally a DLC for Dying Light 2, but the developers added so much to it that they decided to release it as a full game – and it very much is! The Beast brings back Kyle Crane as the lead character. The gameplay feels a lot more like the first game with less focus on parkour and more zombie action. This game picks up the story from what happened at the end of The Following DLC from the main game and has an overall more interesting story than Dying Light 2.

The Beast picks up 13 years after the events of the original Dying Light. Kyle Crane was captured by the Global Relief Effort (GRE) and has been tortured and experimented on by the Baron. Crane now has a mix of zombie and human DNA. You pick up the action as Crane escapes from the facility and realizes his new powers. He can now call upon the beast within himself when all odds are stacked against him. Kyle eventually meets up with other survivors while on his quest to get revenge on the Baron.

Just like the other Dying Light games, The Beast is a first person action game where the main enemies are zombies. It has a great blend of action and parkour just like the original Dying Light. While exploring, you’ll be looting environments and scavenging for weapons and other items to help out in combat. Once again, you can equip weapons with modifiers that will enhance their abilities. And yes, weapons still break and can only be fixed a certain amount of times. Your character gains experience as you chop down the undead and perform missions. Just like the other games, you have a skill tree where you can unlock various skills from skills points that you receive as you level up.

Unlike the other games, Crane already has many of his parkour moves and some of his basics attacks that were brought over from the original game. For instance, you don’t have to worry about your stamina getting too low when performing parkour. You can climb as much as you want without limit in the Beast. Crane also carries over some of his other moves as well. Some moves have to be relearned however (such as the dropkick) and there are several new moves and skills to unlock (create a flamethrower, etc). Your skill tree now has a new branch called “The Beast”. This section can only be unlocked with beast points that you get from fighting certain boss enemies. Crane will take samples of their blood to empower himself with beast points that will allow you to level up your beast moves.

There is a red meter below your health bar that slowly builds – this is the beast meter. Once it is at full level, Crane will unleash his beast power. During this time, he is an unstoppable killing machine that should be feared. He is nearly invincible and can kill most enemies with just a few attacks. To make the beast look even more fearsome, the developers added extra animations to Crane’s attacks while in beast form. He will actually tear off torsos and sometimes rip enemies at an angle while you attack – this seems random. He definitely gives the beat down to his prey while in this mode and it is so very fun to watch.

I really like how Crane can actually be seen (in third person) during cutscenes in this game. This is new for him since all cutscenes from the first game and its DLC never showed him since they were all in first person view. The game still has a bunch of first person view cutscenes, and the entire game is in first person, but it’s so nice to finally get to see more of the actual character. It keeps him from falling into the “you” sort of character range, which I’m not a big fan of. Roger Craig Smith once again returns to voice Crane with his fantastic voice talent. Crane still has all the same gruffs and snarls along with sarcastic remarks that he had from the first game. Crane is also just as much of errand boy as he was in the first game. People around him find that Crane goes along with doing what they ask, oh so gullibly, that they take advantage of the poor man. Thankfully, this gives players plenty of stuff to do though!

Just like all the other Dying Light games, you’ll perform main missions and side missions. Side missions were made better in Dying Light 2 and they are made even better in The Beast. The Beast side missions very often reference the main story, so they honestly feel just like story missions when I went to do them. Unlike the other games, I felt that side missions were just as important as the main missions, so I wouldn’t put them off as much as I usually did in Dying Light 1 and 2.

Returning from Dying Light: The Following, Crane once again has access to vehicles. He can drive trucks throughout the environment. You can drive in first or third person. First person is still a lot more pleasing, but third person allows for a smoother navigation (it’s really good to have a choice). Just like in The Following’s vehicles, zombies can hop up onto your vehicle and damage it. All vehicles can only take a certain amount of damage before they start to burn and eventually explode.

The map for The Beast seems small at first glance, but just wait until you start exploring it. It has just as much variety of places to visit as Dying Light 2. It has some high level places that you can’t (easily) go to until you’re a certain level. You have forest and city areas and they have so very much detail. Speaking of detail, the zombies in this game look the most detailed they have ever been along with the models for the main characters. Zombies show damage whenever you hit them with weapons. You can cut off their limbs and shatter/severe their heads along with tons of other mutilation.

The sound is also quite satisfying when hitting enemies. This is the best weapon sound effects of the series. I usually rush off to blade weapons, but I actually prefer blunt weapons in The Beast. I absolutely love the satisfying clang of a blunt weapon when my Crane hits a zombie upside the head – there is no greater satisfaction outside of beast mode. Crane also has special kills that he can perform when certain weapons are equipped and an enemy is staggered. The game has a remix of the Dying Light 1 theme during gameplay. It’s hard to notice at first, but give it a careful listen. It’s so very pleasing if you’re a fan of the first game.

The story was very good overall. Crane is just such an interesting character and it really shows when we return to him. Aiden was good, but it’s so much more satisfying to return to an established character to see more of his story. You can honestly tell that the developers have more fun with Kyle Crane and Roger Craig Smith definitely does. Overall, if you’re a fan of the first game, go out and buy this game right now. It’s made for you. I honestly like every piece of Dying Light that I can get my hands on, so each game has been great for me. The Beast has a few bugs here and there but nothing like what Dying Light 2 had when it first released. The Beast runs at a VERY smooth framerate from the start on Xbox Series X and PC. No doubt, Techland will give this game support for years to come, just like they have done with Dying Light 2. The Beast stands out as my personal favorite Dying Light so far. It just has all the best of Dying Light combined into one – tons of zombie splattering, decent amount of parkour (not overdone), the Kyle Crane character and a great story. Bravo Techland!

The Good:
+ Very good overall story and lead character
+ Absolutely fantastic sound and soundtrack
+ Side missions are the best they have ever been
+ A continuation of the Kyle Crane story!

The Bad:
- A few random bugs here and there. This is no where near the amount that Dying Light 2 when it first released however.