Dying Light: The Beast marks the next major evolution of the ten-year-old franchise that first turned heads in 2015. It’s a high-octane, energetic series that boasts intense parkour mechanics fused with gory zombie-slashing combat, large open-world maps, and branching stories backed by solid talent and phenomenal developers.
It has been more than a year since Dying Light: The Beast was revealed, and it’s finally here. I’ve been piecing my review together since the start of September, and I’ve got so many things to say about this game, I’m positively bursting.
Read on to soak up my unabridged, comprehensive Dying Light: The Beast review.
Here’s the full video version of the review:
This is Dying Light 3
Techland confirmed to me at Summer Game Fest that Dying Light: The Beast has been referred to internally as Dying Light 3. It’s easy to see why, given that it was pulled away from being a DLC for Dying Light 2: Stay Human and pivoted into a full-fledged, standalone release.
I never understood the full scale and impact of that statement until I poured 40 hours into The Beast to complete it, marvelling at the full scope of this incredible title. From the movement mechanics to the new setting, the powerful story to the characters, and the visuals to the look ahead to what comes next, Dying Light: The Beast well and truly holds its own in the series.
It might run on the same engine as Dying Light 2: Stay Human and borrow a lot of assets and animations, but Dying Light: The Beast is a perfectly unique game that offers a grounded and effective experience, and Techland has jammed it full of new elements to make it feel fresh – and it does.
I’ve said before that Dying Light: The Beast is a love letter to the fans, giving them a piece of history and taking things back to the ground and mimicking a lot of what made Dying Light (2015) such a roaring success.
Gone are the immense verticality, endless events, and in-game currencies from Dying Light 2: Stay Human, and what remains is a well-rounded, brutal, and mostly believable end-of-the-world adventure that fans of the series will die for.
Into the Belly of The Beast
Dying Light: The Beast is a no-holds-barred experience right out the gate. From the moment the opening cutscene has played out, you’re cast into the role of Kyle Crane, brought back to life by Roger Craig Smith after years away from the franchise. His story is immediately a fervent one, represented by a bloodrage-fuelled determination for revenge and revelation.
I have to give props to Roger Craig Smith for his return to form with Crane, an iconic enough character turned superhuman in The Beast. Every snarl, guttural snap, and roar feels purely emotional and authentic, and being a 20-year fan of Smith’s work, I’d go so far as to say that this is some of his very best.
The supporting cast is phenomenal, and from the choreographed sequences to the set pieces I was introduced to, everything just kept blowing me away and holding my attention, as a result of both the actors and the effort poured into the visuals and effects of Dying Light: The Beast.
Techland went all-out with The Beast, creating an unforgettable and moving soundtrack with Olivier Derivière, piecing together cutscenes outside the first-person POV for the first time, and offering up some remarkable twists and surprises that had me gasping at my monitor.
The Beast has delightfully brutal and satisfyingly gory combat mechanics that will see you hack, smash, and pull apart the infected around you, doing battle with some fearsome, extraordinary enemies, created fresh for this game. There’s a tantalizing mix between forced stealth to avoid monstrous mutants and all-out war with human enemies, and the pacing is nothing short of magnificent.
When my story came to a close after 40 hours (including a lot of side content and exploration), I was already looking forward to kickstarting another run-through. There’s so much meat on the bones of what was once a simple DLC, and from collectables to races, you’ll have enough to keep you firmly occupied for a good 50 – 60 hours, all in.
Writing the Love Letter
As I’ve said, Dying Light: The Beast is a love letter to the fans, and I’ve learned on several occasions just how excited Techland has been to get this game into your hands. I’ll be transparent; I went into Dying Light: The Beast halfway impressed already, being as I am a huge fan of the series thus far. I still play Dying Light 2 a couple of times a week to keep up with events and updates.
Even with that being said, I was aware that I could have been disappointed with what was on offer. Not everyone was happy with Dying Light 2 at launch, and the release still rankles with some fans today. Could we have seen a repeat being lined up with Dying Light: The Beast?
I’m pleased to say with the utmost clarity that Techland took my expectations and blasted them to smithereens. Dying Light: The Beast is everything I wanted, and it has me reminiscing about the past, enjoying the present, and getting excited for the future.
This game is as grounded as it gets. I mean, it took me around 15 hours to get my hands on a grappling hook. Kyle Crane’s new beast-like powers are a wonder to behold and control, and the way you can tear enemies limb from limb in the midst of a rage-fuelled explosion is something stunning.
But that’s not the constant pacing. You’ll learn to harness the powers more acutely as time goes on, levelling Crane up, unlocking new abilities and equipment, and meeting new allies and enemies. There are times when I’d cruise around Castor Woods in a car, enjoying the scenery, mowing down a few zombies, and worrying about very little but seeking out a bit of loot.
The difficulty levels are accessible as hell, but there’s still a nice challenge present even on the lowest tier. If it’s your kind of thing, you can ramp up that difficulty as you please, but it’s not for the weak among us. Going out at night, even on the easiest difficulty, is absolutely terrifying.
Dying Light: The Beast’s night setting struck fear into my heart on more than one occasion, I’ll tell you that. Techland has rescued the feeling of terror from the first game that was somewhat lost in Stay Human, and going out at night is something that actively fills you with dread.
Again, it’s that love letter to the fans concept I keep hammering home.
An Evolution, Not a Mutation
This is the start of the next generation of Dying Light. It’s a perfect opener and an immersive adventure that brings some elements of the story full circle. I couldn’t be happier with Kyle Crane, and the game is just the right length and size to feel achievable.
It reminded me of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, which was a much smaller ‘return to form’ and the first Assassin’s Creed game I completed to a 100% standard when it came out in 2023. Well, since the Desmond quadrilogy, at least. Coincidentally, those games also featured Roger Craig Smith’s talents.
I was so interested in the story of Dying Light: The Beast that I kept scouring every piece of lore I uncovered. I wanted to dig into every corner of the world, which manages to feel massive despite being fairly compact. It helps that you can’t fast travel, I guess.
Even the most ‘mundane elements’ of the game, like enterable buildings that you can loot, have a point. You get rewarded for doing almost anything in this game, which puts more of an incentive on looting and travelling around the map to explore the back alleys and intricate buildings.
Dying Light: The Beast is simply astounding, and I’m actively seeking out my second walkthrough. The revelations I uncovered have me dramatically excited for what’s to come, and I’d bet my last dollar you’ll walk away from this game feeling the same thing. Ultimately, Dying Light: The Beast represents a tremendous evolution, and I’m so grateful to Techland for putting it together.
Verdict: 5/5 – ‘Masterpiece’
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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