Everything we know so far about Dying Light: The Beast

Dying Light 2 Stay Human was one of our favorite games in 2022, and The Beast is on our Most Anticipated list for 2025. We're big fans of the worlds Techland builds, and we know you are too. With Dying Light: The Beast arriving sometime this summer, we're chomping at the bit for more on the title. Even so, there's a ton of great content out there regarding the game, and our friends at Techland brought some of it to our attention recently. If you haven't dived into the depths of The Beast, check out all the intel below to wet your whistle.

Announcement Trailer

Development background:

Initially planned as the second DLC for Dying Light 2: Stay Human, but a story leak in 2023 led to rethinking the narrative and expanding the game into a standalone adventure
A compact, self contained zombie survival adventure offering a new setting, new set of gameplay features and new story
18-20 hours of thrilling survival action

No plans for another DLC for Dying Light 2: Stay Human at the moment
Inspired by film Old Boy; when it comes to the game’s location, it was inspired by American TV shows presenting small mysterious towns, like Twin Peaks or Stranger Things
Techland aims to recapture the horror and survivor elements the Dying Light Franchise is known from

Story & setting:

Protagonist: Kyle Crane (voiced by Roger Craig Smith) - the hero of the original Dying Light - returns as the main character of Dying Light: The Beast. After 13 years of captivity and experimentation, Crane escapes and seeks revenge against the men responsible for his suffering
Main antagonist: The Baron - Marius Fischer - an emotionless, calculating, but brilliant scientist, the last descendant of a noble big pharma dynasty from Castor Woods. He brutally experimented on Kyle for over a decade with sinister virus strains, pursuing his grand design that still remains a mystery
Castor Woods - Dying Light: The Beast is set in a dark, rural region. It’s home to a national park with mountains, forests, fields and swamps, small villages, industrial complexes and the touristy town. The new location is densely packed and tightly-crafted with improved vegetation, lightning, weather effects.
The map offers a densely designed, fully immersive open world with diverse areas ready for exploration - players will encounter a variety of biomes and new locations that deliver unique gameplay experiences in a setting entirely new to the Dying Light series

Music/Soundtrack

Gameplay & features:

First-person parkour and combat, with movement adapted for forest terrain
New traversal options, including a 4x4 vehicle for off-road exploration, available to ride in a first and third person perspective
The beast-like powers with its own skill tree - superhuman abilities Kyle Crane has gained after DNA experiments
New weapons - revealed for now - grenade launcher and flame thrower
New enemies - revealed for now - new boss-like enemies called Freaks and human NPCs that are now armed and shooting back
Survival elements return, with weapon degradation, crafting, and scarce resources making each fight more intense
Co-op up to four players

Meet the Baron trailer and reaction

Relation to Dying Light 1 and Dying Light 2: Stay Human:

Dying Light: The Beast bridges the narrative gap between Dying Light and Dying Light 2: Stay Human
The story will answer long-standing questions regarding the canonical endings of Dying Light 1 and Dying Light 2: Stay Human
It’s a culmination of the Dying Light Franchise but also a great introduction to it for those players who haven’t played any of Dying Light games

Quotes from the dev team, and our interview!

Tymon Smektała - Dying Light Franchise Director

“Dying Light: The Beast is the next step in our journey as game developers and culmination of all of our experiences on the series. It takes all of the elements our games are known for - free-flowing, physical parkour; savage melee combat; dual experience of night & day - and combines them into one, essential experience. I like to say it’s like a double espresso: powerful, dense, delivering a great kick.”

“Elevator pitch for Dying Light: The Beast could be „Oldboy with zombies…in Twin Peaks”. Might sound crazy but that’s the kind of adventure this game is - edge of the seat unpredictable and set in a beautiful, rural place full of secrets and mysteries.”

“Dying Light games are known for their visceral horror vibes but Dying Light: The Beast might probably be our scariest yet. Why? Well, imagine being alone, in the woods, at night, with a flickering flashlight and a horde of zombies around you.”

“The return of Kyle Crane turned out to be extremely energizing to the whole crew. We have many developers that remember how we worked on the first Dying Light, including me, and it instantly made us 10 years younger. And it’s a good feeling, right?”

“Dying Light: The Beast is a must have for all fans of the Dying Light series as it connects the stories of the first and second game and answers most of the unanswered questions from the history of the series. But it’s also a great, easy to get into entry point for the newcomers - what helps here is that Kyle Crane was held captive for 13 years, so everything he sees is new to him in the same way as it is to players who have no knowledge of the franchise.”

Michał Broda - Lead Producer

“Dying Light: The Beast is, at its core, all about visceral melee combat - it's a fundamental pillar of the Dying Light franchise, and we intend to keep it that way. At the same time, we want players to have a wide range of combat possibilities, which is why there's a good selection of ranged weapons to choose from. In fact, we're expanding the arsenal even further with brand-new weapon types like a flamethrower, grenade launcher, and more!”

Katarzyna Tarnacka-Polito - Art Director

“In Dying Light: The Beast, we wanted to create a world that feels rich and diverse. The map offers a variety of environments – from a lively town to dense forests, steep slopes, riverbanks, and industrial areas. Every element is meticulously handcrafted by our artists, ensuring high fidelity and immersion of the experience. Castor Woods itself is set on sloping terrain, a deliberate contrast to the flatter landscapes of Dying Light 2: Stay Human, adding more verticality and depth to exploration and giving interesting opportunities for parkour.”

To keep up with everything Dying Light: The Beast, go and and follow their socials: Discord, Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. For even more info, go to www.dyinglightgame.com.

Stay tuned to GamingTrend for more Dying Light: The Beast news and info!

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