Dying Light 2 vs Dying Light: The Beast: 5 Biggest Changes

Fans of zombie-slaying action have had a treat as Dying Light: The Beast came out swinging with crowbars, machetes, and baseball bats. It’s been a couple of years since Dying Light 2, and fans of the formula were hungry for more parkour-infused zombie bashing. Thankfully, Techland has delivered exactly that.

The open-world zombie-killing formula, which started with Dead Island in 2011, has evolved. With Dying Light 1, Techland successfully introduced an impressive open world to explore with parkour. The combat, while basic, was responsive, intuitive, and gory. But the evolution continues. So below, we examine the biggest changes in Dying Light: The Beast.

The Escapist recaps

• Dying Light: The Beast marks the return of Kyle Crane, the protagonist of the first game. 
• It is a grounded and more realistic experience, backed by physics-based movement and combat. 
• Scary nights are back in the game with plenty of dangerous enemies to avoid. 
• Vehicles are also back for faster but noisier travel. 
• Weapon degradation is faster, but the Beast mode is a nice compromise. 

Old protagonist, new stories 

Dying Light fans will rejoice to know that Kyle Crane, the protagonist from the first game, is back in Dying Light: The Beast. The story picks up right where we left Kyle back in Harran. After nearly a decade in captivity and having been experimented on, Kyle is a changed man; there’s anger and beastly vengeance inside him now. 

Dying Light: The Beast protagonist has animations to reflect his new form. Each swing feels powerful, raw, and with purpose. The character can also transform into a beast, complete with supernatural zombie-slaying powers. While Jonah Scott delivered an excellent performance as Aiden Caldwell in Dying Light 2, Roger Craig Smith is retaking his crown as the series’ leading man.

Open world, but not too vast

Dying Light: The Beast started as a DLC for Dying Light 2 but quickly expanded in scope and ambition. The game takes place in a brand-new area called Castor Woods, a location exclusively created for the new game. The most significant difference between Castor Woods and previous open-world areas is the natural and varied environment. 

Gone are the cityscapes of previous games; instead, the map has a good mix of tourist towns, forests, farmlands, swamps, and villas. That’s a big departure from what Dying Light 2’s densely packed urban areas offered. Techland has done a good job making each sector feel visually distinct. While the map isn’t as big, it still has all the classic Dying Light staples, from collectables to easter eggs. 

Jekyll and Hyde

As our Dying Light: The Beast review explains, combat in the game is brutal and hard-hitting. The combat feels familiar but has been remade from the ground up to showcase Kyle’s vicious nature. Kyle can turn into a beast, dropping weapons in favor of his fists. Ragdoll physics and destructible body parts also add to visceral combat; it’s always fun to see enemies fly after being slapped. 

The game also has a renewed focus on firearms. Dying Light 2 neglected guns and ranged weapons in favor of more melee skirmishes. However, in Dying Light: The Beast, the developers are course correcting with plenty of firearms. You’ll need those, too, as human enemies are now more intelligent. While some rush you in a straight line, many use cover, flanking, and more effective strategies to take you on. 

Dying Light: The Beast also focuses more on survival elements when compared to the last game. Weapons are less durable and break faster, the nights are scary, and you need to pay attention in combat with zombies. If you are looking for more casual, zombie fun, Dead Island 2 is also a good time. 

Solid Loop

Dying Light’s parkour is one of its chief defining features. While Dying Light 2 had a little floaty parkour, The Beast tones it down to make it feel more grounded and physical. The physics is also adjusted here, making jumps feel realistic with a good balance of weight and momentum. Techland has also introduced new animations for parkour, with 17 explicitly included for ledge climbs. 

Exploration is not limited to your feet either; vehicles are back, and there is more variety. After joyriding in The Following, fans were disappointed to know there would be no vehicles in Dying Light 2. Thankfully, cars, including new 4×4 off-road trucks, can be driven. There is also a harvester, and yes, you can “harvest” zombies with it.  All is not positive, though; riding a noisy machine can be deadly, especially at night. 

There’s crafting in the game, and you’ll need to keep your arsenal updated because there are plenty of zombies to fight. With faster weapon degradation, you’ll need all the help you can get. The usual zombie suspects are back: Biters, Virals, and of course, Volatiles are all there, ready to take some meat off Kyle’s bones. 

Scarier and more brutal 

Night used to be terrifying in the first Dying Light, not so much in the second game. Techland tried to make it more dangerous after launch, but it wasn’t the same. Dying Light: The Beast comes out of the gate with scarier nights, featuring actually threatening Volatiles. 

The Volatile behavior is also changed; they can work together to take you down. You are not safe on the roofs either this time around. Volatiles are everywhere, including roofs. Dark Zones are back in The Beast as well, and they are just as intense as the last game. 

The developers have worked on the immersion. The dynamic sky looks stunning. Rain, wind, and lightning all come together to make the experience more life-like. Music also plays a significant role in the immersion and building tension in key story moments. Audio cues are also crucial in identifying threats. Overall, the game has been a stunning improvement on what came before. 

Long live Kyle Crane; the real Beast incarnate!

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