REVIEW – Techland’s latest work has evolved from DLC to a standalone game. Since the Polish developers announced their intention to release a new episode in the Dying Light franchise every three to four years, we advise the team that if the other games are of a similar standard, many people will return to the second or even the first installment, which wouldn’t reflect well on them.

In a few words, this game falls short of what we’ve seen so far in terms of quality.

Kyle Crane after the experiments

This started out as DLC, which is why anyone who purchased Dying Light 2: Stay Human Ultimate Edition gets DLTB for free. It sets a slightly different pace compared to what we’ve seen so far. It takes place in Castor Woods, a small town with wooded, cave-filled areas and industrial sections that still has a village feel. You can drive around in cars, which have decent controls. It’s particularly annoying at first because you’ll often run out of gas. In return, though, it’s a sight to behold as you mow down hordes of zombies (à la Carmageddon). It’s best to stay away from rivers because if your car ends up in one, there’s no way out.

Our hero is out for revenge against the Baron, who performed countless experiments on Kyle. Years of experimentation have left Kyle with mutant DNA, allowing him to behave like a monster. He can activate Beast Mode by filling up the bar with attacks. While in Beast Mode, Kyle becomes temporarily invulnerable and can perform powerful attacks with his bare hands. These attacks can be further enhanced by defeating the great mutants, the chimeras. Kyle can expand his abilities with their blood and remain in Beast Mode longer.

This is where DLTB differs from the other two games, in which you often have to run away; here, you can be the one that everyone else has to fear. However, this is not always the case, so sometimes you still have to run away. Along with parkour, this is the essence of the franchise, although Castor Woods is not the typical place for it. You can cover greater distances by jumping between buildings and moving along telephone cables (sprinting with the help of them is a strange sight).

The new environment has also significantly changed the visuals. There are fewer colors, and the sun thoroughly saturates everything. The mountains and rooftops give us a slightly alpine feeling. The change in time of day is noticeable and enhances the environment and atmosphere, although a thunderstorm can sometimes interfere with the situation. If we’re driving at the time, it affects our vehicle’s physics.

However, DLTB is not perfect. A few things detracted from the overall picture (and consequently from its score). What’s wrong with Kyle Crane’s story?

Kyle along

The DLTB checkpoints were not always placed appropriately. On more than one occasion, after failing, the game replayed the dialogue preceding the fight. Couldn’t the checkpoint have been placed after the dialogue? Sometimes, vegetation appears in midair. There were also times when a safe house wouldn’t activate, even after leaving no one alive in the area. Sometimes, the game suggests spending skill points when there is nothing to spend them on.

Perhaps the game engine is outdated. Even when maxed out on PC, the graphics can only be described as average due to poor texture and lighting, and the game is prone to stuttering unless you limit the frame rate. The graphics are average at best on a console. The audio is decent.

Another major problem is that the area is smaller than in Dying Light 2. If this were DLC, it would be acceptable, but it’s a standalone game, so it doesn’t hold up. The gameplay feels outdated because there are no significant changes other than Beast Mode. Beast Mode itself is also subdued.

There are puzzles, and defeating the chimeras may extend the playing time because Kyle’s development — whether it’s his abilities, equipment, or weapons — is enough to keep fans hooked. However, it should be emphasized that it’s only for fans. It’s uncertain whether Techland’s game will have the same effect on everyone. The final sad fact is that this game can easily be played through in 10 hours. For this price, that’s too short, especially since it’s not a $20/€20 game.

It’s a few years too late

If Dying Light: The Beast had been released during the PlayStation 4 generation, it would have easily received an 8/10 rating. However, it wasn’t released then, so it gets a 7/10—and that’s generous. The voice acting is good, and the franchise’s usual humor is present, but the game feels a bit old-school. If you liked the first two Dying Light games, go ahead and get this one and consider it an 8/10. The score was pulled up by the four-player co-op.

-V-

Developer: Techland
Publisher: Techland
Genre: Action / Open World / Survival Horror
Release Date: September 18, 2025