From Urban Rooftops to Rural Woods

A good number of things differentiate The Beast from its predecessor, but chief among them are the environments and locale. Dying Light 2’s bright, sprawling concrete jungle is a thing of the past. The Beast takes a much darker fork in the road, placing players in the spooky Castor Woods, a rural environment far away from the colorful cityscape of Villedor.

Smaller, Denser Open World

Since The Beast was initially poised to be an expansion, its size was always going to be dwarfed by Dying Light 2. That is still the case despite its status as a stand-alone game; however, this more compact density is for its own benefit. The smaller map not only allows greater focus and time spent on bespoke asset creation and environmental details, but more distinct biomes that both feel and play differently.

More Varied Environments

One of my favorite aspects of dense, compact game worlds is the kind of variety they often exhibit. The Beast is taking a handcrafted approach to its environments. One sharp contrast we see right away is the amount of unique biomes within Castor Woods. There’s a proper township populated with vine-covered brick buildings, some swamplands, something that looks like a train graveyard, and of course the dark heart of the zombie-infested woods itself. This contrasts sharply with the vast and largely homogenized urban districts within Dying Light 2.

Handcrafted Spaces With Many Explorable Interiors

Complementing this environmental variety are the detailed interiors within Castor Woods. Yes, there’s still quite a bit of architecture to explore, despite the more rural setting. Dying Light 2 drew praise for the number of buildings that could be explored. Though feeling copy/pasted at times, the sensation that almost every building was enterable just added to the immersion. The Beast takes this to the next level with way more bespoke interiors and handcrafted spaces. The game’s director has been on record saying that around 98% of structures can be entered. Some of the structures mentioned ranged from churches to factories, we can assume both abandoned by anyone sane. The more compact world map allowed the devs to handcraft each interior to make them distinct from one another.

Parkour Stays Grounded and Slick

Because of the vast difference in location, parkour takes a rather substantial shift. In particular, no skyscrapers and less crowded infrastructure. Several areas still allow you to leap from building to building, such as the township, but there’s far more of nature to climb around this time. Parkour is creative, using tree trunks and other intentionally positioned objects, almost akin to the Pennsylvanian forests. Previews of The Beast haven’t shown any of the extreme paraglider or grapple traversal from Dying Light 2’s base game, implicating a more grounded and slick parkour style rooted in nature.

Survival-Horror Focus

Of course, dark woods and rural factories do something else beneficial for the game: survival horror. The Beast is consciously bringing back the gritty atmosphere of the first game and it’s accomplishing this in a number of ways. First, there’s the darker lighting that the forest ambiance allows. You’ll notice environments aren’t overly bright and colorful like they were in Dying Light 2.

Ammunition Is Scarcer

But The Beast does more than just visual horror. You’ll also encounter a scarcity in resources thanks to the locale being more rural and disconnected from infrastructure. Limited weapon durability also contributes to scarcity, though in The Beast (like Dying Light 2), players can repair and craft weapons. Let’s just hope the designers balanced weapons so it isn’t too irritating or, on the other extreme, overly frictionless.

Nights Are Deadlier and Scarier

The devs have repeatedly emphasized how much more deadly and frightening nighttime is compared to Dying Light 2. Sure, there’s the limited visibility thanks to overgrown trees and absence of artificial light, but the dreaded Volatiles stalk the night to boot, giving chase at the slightest sound or sight of movement. Between the isolated forest setting and the enhanced aggression of the zombies, The Beast is positioned to be the most horror-driven Dying Light game to date.

Different Protagonist

Dying Light 1 fans will either be pleased or annoyed that Kyle Crane returns as The Beast’s protagonist. Yes, that’s right, Aiden Caldwell from Dying Light 2 isn’t the lead anymore. Kyle Crane is back, seeking to take revenge on The Baron who experimented on him. You see, Kyle isn’t the same from his Dying Light 1 days; he’s now part beast, hence the game title.

Beast Mode

Kyle’s newfound abilities manifest through the aptly termed Beast Mode. Beast Mode is exactly what it sounds like, an Incredible Hulk-esque burst of power letting Kyle rampage through foes with his fists and sheer stature. Beast Mode enables unique kill animations and mounting of larger enemy types as well as a ground pound maneuver for crowd control.

More Gory and Visceral

One of the details that playtesters seem rather unanimous about is the sheer amount of gore and carnage compared to previous games. And you see some of that in the gameplay. Kyle ruthlessly decapitates Volatiles when activating Beast Mode. Zombies now rip and tear and have their own flesh torn apart or blown apart by Kyle’s weapons. In particular, there’s a lot of limb dismemberment compared to Dying Light 2 here.

Leaner Skill Progression

You power up these brutal executions through the new Beast Power skill tree. There are only around five or so visible nodes through this new segment of the tree, but if they’re anything like the decapitation animation, we’re all for it. Beast Powers can be purchased with Beast Points, a detail we know little about at this time. Besides just the Beast Powers, there are also a small number of other nodes in the leaner, and hopefully more significant, skill tree.

Drivable 4×4 Trucks

As a fan of Days Gone, the inclusion of drivable 4×4 trucks really piques my interest. Just from a cursory glance at the driving gameplay, everything looks solid. The first-person dashboard details (third-person cam is also available) look authentic, and the car exhaust has that deep V8 sound that’s oh so satisfying to the ear. From a gameplay standpoint, you can look forward to ramming over zombies while speeding up your rural A-to-B travel time. You can presumably go anywhere on the map with the 4×4, though driving around in a gas-guzzling V8 is incredibly dangerous since enemies will notice and harm you—if you don’t run out of fuel first, that is.

More Linear Story

Another difference from Dying Light 2 is The Beast’s more linear story. Sure, on the gameplay front, the game is wide open, but those branching story decisions from Dying Light 2 won’t be featured here. Expect an unchangeable narrative set more or less in stone.

Focused Runtime

The developers have gone on record saying The Beast’s core story content hovers around the 20-hour mark. Of course, being the open-world title that it is, there are still lots of side activities to explore, perhaps double the amount that the main story consists of. We’re potentially looking at around 50 hours of game here, and with four-player co-op that replayability only increases. Dying Light: The Beast releases as a stand-alone game on September 19 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5, and for PS4 and Xbox One at a later date. Its $59.99 price point matches its more pared-down runtime.

Terminator: Resistance Enhanced

Terminator: Resistance is a fun first-person shooter based on the popular movie which allows players a ton of flexibility in how they choose to go about the many encounters peppered throughout the story. You can choose to sneak through enemy areas and pick them off one by one, or you could just go in guns blazing, or anything in between. The Enhanced version soups up the original in a wide variety of ways, which makes it the best way to experience this underrated shooter.

Dying light 2

Developer Techland’s latest Dying Light 2 might not have fulfilled most of its promises, but it’s still a solid game that’s worthy of your attention. It excellently builds upon the foundations laid in the original, and meshes them well with new mechanics like paragliding and improved combat. Add to that some gorgeous graphics and oodles of content, and Dying Light 2 becomes a really great game that players can sink dozens upon dozens of hours into.

Haven

Released in 2020, Haven is an indie gem that tells the story of two lovers trying to make a life on a distant planet. It features a really charming story with beautiful characters, and while the gameplay mechanics are really simple – they work pretty well within the context of the game itself. Between this and a highly imaginative world, Haven has the capability to keep you engaged for a long time.

Bugsnax

Bugsnax looks like a rather childish game at first glance with its cartoony characters and Pokemon-style game, and while that notion isn’t completely wrong – it isn’t indicative of the full picture either. Bugsnax’s story can veer into pretty dark territory at times, and the gameplay revolving around constantly upgrading your snacks is surprisingly addictive for all age groups.

Weird West

WolfEye Studios’ Weird West is an action RPG that combines a familiar Wild West setting with dark fantasy elements that culminate in a world that looks like no other. The gameplay is pretty open-ended in its nature, and players are encouraged to come up with creative solutions for the presented problems. Add to that some quality writing, and Weird West becomes a really gratifying experience.

Aragami 2

Aragami 2 is one of the very few stealth games in the current gaming landscape, but what makes it special is the solid foundation of mechanics that it operates on. Aragami 2 is all about hiding in the shadows, carefully surveying your surroundings, and using your tools and abilities to pick out enemies and complete your objectives while being a complete ghost. The story might not be the most interesting, but the gameplay is engaging enough to make you want to keep playing regardless.

Evil West

Flying Wild Hog recently released Evil West to some great critical reception, but the game unfortunately never received the love and appreciation on a commercial level. Evil West puts you in the shoes of a cowboy hunting for monstrous creatures, and that weird premise has been wonderfully realized here – which makes for a fresh setting. Add to that visceral gameplay and high-fidelity graphics, and Evil West becomes a game that’s really hard to pass on.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy suffered from a lot of skepticism after Marvel’s Avengers flopped hard, which is part of the reason why it never got much mainstream attention. But those who have played it will most likely sing endless praises about the story and its simple yet fresh combat mechanics, and we can’t really argue with that. Guardians of the Galaxy is a really solid game that sadly flew under the radar for many gamers, but it is a game that is most definitely worth your attention.

Lost Judgment

The original Judgment was a fun spin on the Yakuza formula, and Lost Judgment does an equally good job of building upon those mechanics. The detective murder mystery at play never fails to keep one guessing, and those narrative beats are punctuated with some excellently choreographed fights and chase sequences – which makes for a thrilling ride through and through.

Chernobylite

Chernobylite is set 30 years after the disaster at the nuclear plant and focuses on a physicist that returns to seek out his beloved. Though players will have to deal with hostile soldiers, including Stalkers that roam the zone, they can recruit teammates to their cause. Crafting equipment and weapons is the key to survival but keep in mind that any character can die with a wrong decision. Two graphics modes are available for the PS5 version – Performance and Resolution. The former offers 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second gameplay with “higher graphics quality.” The latter is dynamic 4K and 30 FPS with ray tracing and improvements to shadows, environments and texture quality.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Sackboy: A Big Adventure was one of the PS5’s launch titles that sadly got overshadowed by the likes of Demon’s Souls and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a charming ride through some gorgeously knit levels, and the platforming also does a good job of introducing new kinds of obstacles at every turn. It’s a very relaxing game that doesn’t ask much from the player, and that alone has a very distinct kind of charm.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name might not be the franchise at its finest, but it is a game that has plenty of merits to its name. The gameplay transports us back to the series’ brawling roots, and the inclusion of multiple playstyles also makes combat a medium of personal expression. Of course, you also get a whole host of side activities to indulge in apart from the main story – so there’s that to consider as well.

Outriders

Developer People Can Fly’s Outriders is a pretty competent looter shooter that not only nails the shooting but also manages to create a progression loop where you are constantly getting more powerful and facing equally challenging obstacles. The story isn’t the best, and there are some balance issues here and there – but Outriders can be a really fun game to sink your teeth into, and it gets even better if you have a couple of friends raiding alongside you.

Solar Ash

Solar Ash takes place in a fantasy world where you must complete a series of challenges to save the world from imminent doom. Developed by Heart Machine, Solar Ash boasts a beautiful art style and a solid movement system with fluid animations and a great sense of flow to the gameplay proceedings. It has a few rough edges here and there, but it has its fair share of merits as well.

The Crew Motorfest

The Crew Motorfest aims to resolve most if not all of the issues with prior releases, and the end result is definitely remarkable. The smaller map means that it has been curated with plenty of attention to detail, and the selection of racing events also features some much-needed variety which ensures the gameplay doesn’t get stale after a while. It borrows a lot of ideas and elements from Forza Horizon 5, but that doesn’t make it a bad game by any means.

System Shock Remake (2023)

System Shock is considered to be one of the most important games of its time, as it was one of the earliest pioneers of systemic game design applied in a first-person space. But even apart from it, System Shock is an impressive game with a gripping story and a detailed world with plenty of lore to surround it all. Nightdive was hard at work on a full-fledged remake of the original, and System Shock Remake was finally released earlier this year to great reviews. It does a great job of modernizing this classic with plenty of clever design tricks and changes that make this experience a more digestible one for fans accustomed to modern first-person games. 

According to Pawlaczyk, in Quality mode, in addition to 4K resolution and ray tracing, players can also expect improved volumetric effects and better post-processing elements. Meanwhile, Performance mode will, of course, bring 60 FPS frame rates, though if you’re playing on Xbox Series X/S and PC, you can also enable Variable Refresh Rate (which, of course, isn’t support on the PS5 right now).

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is set to launch at the tail end of this year, on December 7, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates until then.

In terms of length, the show will be 90 minutes long and features 39 new videos, game announcements and interviews. Some of the titles that will be appearing include Naraka Bladepoint, Dying Light 2 (in which Techland will provide an “in-depth look” into protagonist Aiden), Hello Neighbor 2 (which receives new gameplay) and more. Viewers can also expect “big news” for the Orcs Must Die! franchise, a “major” announcement and reveal for Humankind, and “a message from Valve regarding Steam.”

Of course, there will be several unannounced titles along with reveals from Shiro Games (of Northgard fame) and a new game from tinyBuild. E3 2021 will run from June 12th to 15th – check out the schedule here for more details. Publishers that are confirmed include Microsoft, Bethesda, Capcom, Take Two Interactive, Gearbox Entertainment, Ubisoft and much more.

Setting

That Dying Light 2 is set after the first game was always obvious but it actually takes place 20 years later. Following the virus outbreak in Harran, which the GRE attempted to contain, several groups began selling the virus on the black market for their own ends. This resulted in different strains being created and circulated, and it wasn’t long before the virus spread throughout the world. In just five years, society as a whole had collapsed. Another 15 years later, 98 percent of the world’s population is dead and The City serves as (apparently) the last bastion for humanity.

Aiden’s Story

Players will control Aiden Caldwell, a member of the Pilgrims (considered the equivalent of ronin or wanderers in the present-day) and an outsider to The City who’s searching for a relative that may have clues to his past. Unfortunately, Aiden is infected and needs to stave off the virus before it’s too late. Perhaps because of the infection, he possesses exceptional strength and agility and thus becomes a valuable asset for many different interests.

Night Runners

As you might have guessed, The City isn’t a welcoming place. There are various Factions vying for control, each staking their own claim on what remains, while bandits and other miscreants roam free. It’s not long before Aiden encounters the Night Runners, a group that sought to help survivors, especially those trapped out at night when the Infected are most active. In the new gameplay trailer, he meets Hakon, who’s seemingly a member of the group but later reveals that it’s just a myth. Other members seemingly reside within The City and Aiden has the choice to join the group but their ultimate agenda is unknown. Of course, whether the player opts to join them or not is completely up to them.

Factions

There are three key Factions in The City: Survivors who create safe zones and nurture flora; Peacekeepers who maintain law and order through whatever means necessary (read: violence); and the Renegades, ex-criminals who follow the Colonel. You can help or harm any of them, perhaps even ignore them entirely for the sake of Aiden’s goal. Each faction promises multi-dimensional characters that can assist Aiden in different ways… or become his enemy and make life difficult. There are also various bandits and outlaws that roam the land who can’t be negotiated with and they may clash with different Factions on the streets.

City Alignment System

Water and electricity are some of the most important resources in The City so the factions that control them are at an advantage. Upon claiming water and electricity for a district, you have the choice to assign one of the factions to it. This will influence the district’s appearance and result in far-reaching consequences for The City’s overall prosperity. However, you can also unlock different tools that will aid in your own mission. These include car traps – which are good for dealing with bandits – or zip-lines for moving around more quickly.

New Infected Types

Though it hasn’t been completely overrun, the Infected are still very prevalent in The City. As night falls, they roam the streets more aggressively but due to the virus evolving over the years, several new Infected types have emerged. These include a giant Infected with a burly arm wielding a rebar attached to concrete as a hammer; a lithe Infected with long arms and hands that have mutated into long claws; and much more. Volatiles also return and will still pursue Aiden relentlessly. On the literal bright side, UV rays are still effective against the Infected and you get a personal UV flashlight to briefly stun them.

Infected Nests

In Dying Light, evading the Infected and Volatiles as long as possible at night would provide XP bonuses. While this still remains (more on that in a bit), there are other risk vs. reward sources. Once the Infected are out and about in the nighttime, you can explore their nests and find some of the most valuable loot. This seemingly includes injections that Aiden must take to keep his infection at bay. You’ll need to be sneaky though since there are still a few Infected left behind in the nest. It should be interesting to see what other risks await (and whether you can hang around in the nest until the Infected hordes return since there is a day/night cycle).

Parkour and Combat

Movement options in Dying Light 2 have been expanded significantly. The overall number of parkour moves has been doubled over the original (and look better than ever thanks to over 3000 animations). Aiden can still dropkick hapless fools, sending them off of rooftops into the street below, along with using an Infected’s body to break his fall and executing a super-jump of sorts. Combat has been improved to be smoother and more responsive compared to the original though Techland has yet to go over some of the finer differences. More details on the parkour and movement will be shared in “Dying 2 Know” episode 2 so that’s something to look forward to.

Deluxe and Ultimate Editions

Along with the Standard Edition, Dying Light 2 has Deluxe and Ultimate Editions to pre-order. The Deluxe Edition costs $80 and comes with the base game, the “Legendary” skin pack – which contains an outfit, weapon skin and para-glider – and weapon charms. Wallpapers, a digital comic and digital soundtrack are also provided along with the first of two story DLC. The Ultimate Edition costs $100 and includes all of the content from the Deluxe Edition along with the second story DLC, crafting items and a two hour boost to Night XP earned.

There’s also a physical Collector’s Edition for $230, available in limited quantities and which includes all of the content from the Ultimate Edition along with a steelbook, physical art book, UV flashlight, map of The City, UV stickers and a 10” statuette with a stylized UV lamp. Also, pre-ordering any edition nets the “Reload” pack which includes an outfit, weapon skin and para-glider for free.

Expansion Pass

As noted with the various special editions, there’s an Expansion Pass that contains access to two story DLC. Its cost hasn’t been revealed though and aside from the DLC releasing months after the game’s launch, virtually nothing is known about their content. Judging by the Reload and Legendary packs, not to mention the previous game’s sheer number of skin packs, it’s likely that Dying Light 2 will also have plenty of cosmetic DLC outside of the Expansion Pass as well.

The ESRB rating, which just went up, mentions both, user interaction across all the platforms the game is available on, as well as in-game purchases, which, of course, refer to cross-platform play and microtransactions respectively. Of course, neither details has yet been officially confirmed by Techland- in fact, we don’t even have concrete details yet on what the game’s multiplayer elements are going to look like for the cross-play detail to mean much. Even so, in the absence of an official announcement, an ESRB rating is as official as it gets.

Dying Light 2 is out on December 7 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Along with providing new gameplay footage and details for Dying Light 2, Techland also unveiled bonuses for pre-ordering the game. The Deluxe Edition and Ultimate Edition were also detailed, both which include additional outfits and story DLC. Pre-ordering any edition nets the Reload outfit, weapon skin and paraglider.

The Deluxe Edition includes the Legendary outfit, weapon skin and paraglider along with exclusive weapon charms. Players will also receive a digital comic, soundtrack, art book and wallpapers along with access to a story DLC that will be available in “the months after the release.” As for the Ultimate Edition, it includes all of the Deluxe Edition content along with a two hour Night XP boost, digital comic, wallpapers and crafting items.

There’s also a physical Collector’s Edition that’s available in limited quantities. Along with the base game and all of the digital content in the Ultimate Edition, it contains the following:

• UV Flashlight
• Art book hard copy
• Thank you letter from the creators
• UV Stickers
• Map of “The City”
• Steelbook
• Collector’s Edition box
• ‘Defender of the city’ over 10″ statuette with stylized UV Lamp

You also receive the Expansion Pass which provides two extra stories that will be available post-launch. Dying Light 2 is out on December 7th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay in the coming months.

Techland’s Dying Light 2 finally has a release date of December 7th and a new trailer showcased how the gameplay is shaping up. During the reveal stream, various developers shared other interesting tidbits. For instance, the story takes place 20 years after the first game and it’s not necessary to play Dying Light 1 to enjoy it. In short, the virus had overtaken the world and 98 percent of the world’s population is dead.

While humanity used a chemical attack to kill the Infected, it resulted in areas with heavy contamination in The City. Meanwhile, the virus has evolved and created new types of Infected though Volatiles are still a huge factor. As Aiden, who’s infected and must struggle to “stay human”, players can decide how he evolves and whether he reaches out to the city’s denizens to help them or search for his lost relative. It’s also up to you whether you join up with the Night Runners or not.

Since water and electricity are important in The City, how they’re doled out will influence each district. Assign one of the three factions to a district and its resources, and it will change accordingly. This also allows for unlocking new tools like car traps and zip-lines. Characters are described as complex and multi-dimensional – some may become your allies while others are your enemies.

The open world map is also divided into two main regions and several zones. Areas of lost civilization have been noted along with Infected nests that can be explored at night but some details are still to be revealed. Parkour fans rejoice though because the number of parkour moves has been doubled. There are also 3,000 different parkour animations that can be seen in everything from basic movements to tricks.

Dying Light 2 is coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PC and PS5. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Techland has finally unveiled its newest gameplay trailer for Dying Light 2, highlighting the game’s post-apocalyptic world. The player controls Aiden Caldwell, an outsider who is searching for a relative and comes to The City to unravel the mystery of their disappearance. Though threats beset them on all sides, they eventually come across the Night Runners, who can become your allies (or not, depending on your choices).

Three factions dominate the city – Survivors who create safe zones; Peacekeepers that maintain law and order ruthlessly; and Renegades that are looking to control the city. Help or harm them and The City will change accordingly. Though each faction has its share of complex characters, you may not always agree with everyone. Of course, there are also bandits and criminals that can’t be negotiated with.

At night, the Infected come to play and there are new types to deal with thanks to the virus evolving over the years. However, this also provides for some great opportunities – you can explore Infected nests and find some of the most valuable loot in the game. Combat has also been improved and the parkour looks much smoother. Depending on what you spec into, you can unlock more mobility options, crafting opportunities or become stronger in combat.

Dying Light 2 is out on December 7th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.