Thanks to a hands-on opportunity during Summer Game Fest 2025 Play Days, I was able to play Techland’s Dying Light: The Beast, an upcoming action-adventure set in the Dying Light universe and starring returning character Kyle Crane. In Dying Light: The Following, players had to choose Kyle’s fate, either by nuking the city he tried to save or sacrificing himself to protect the citizens of Harran. Dying Light: The Beast reveals that Kyle chose the latter, which led to him being captured, tortured, and experimented on by a figure known as “The Baron” for the next 13 years.
By some twist of fate, Kyle eventually escaped and has now returned to exact payback on The Baron for everything he did to him. Something along the lines of “Revenge is gonna hurt you a lot more than it hurts me.” Or at least that’s how I think that’s how the saying goes.
The Quest For Revenge
At the start of the demo, I took control of Kyle, tasked with infiltrating a remote complex surrounded by zombies. It was here that I was introduced to the game’s mechanics. Of course, there was access to weapons, the drop kick, which is a staple of the Dying Light series, but I also got to try a new feature born from the experiments performed on Kyle: Beast Mode. This new ability lets Kyle transform into a brutal force capable of smashing through anything in his path once a meter is charged, which is done by mowing down enemies with melee weapons. When activated, Kyle becomes a frenzy of raw power, nearly unstoppable, delivering devastating punches.
Beyond Beast Mode, I had to navigate toward the complex while adapting to the game’s new dynamic weather and day-night cycle. These systems aren’t just cosmetic. For example, rain creates slick surfaces where Kyle can slip and slide. We didn’t explore the full extent of this system, though, as the demo was timed and my objective was to reach the complex.
Along the way, I tested out the melee system, hacking and bashing enemies with axes and combat knives. If you’ve played Dying Light, it will feel familiar. But the environment shifted as night fell. I was quickly instructed to find shelter in a nearby room. After dark, stronger creatures called Predators emerge to hunt. Moving silently, crouching, and using my flashlight to guide the way became essential. I swore a few times enemies spotted me, but thankfully, none attacked.
The parkour system came into play as I climbed and leaped toward the safe room, avoiding detection. After making it there, I had to restore power by finding a fuse and reactivating electricity to transition the game back to daylight.
With the sun up and the worst of the night creatures gone, I continued toward the complex, now guarded by The Baron’s men. I was advised to take the high road, scaling the structure to avoid most enemies and scavenge better weapons. At the top, I took down one enemy and claimed his compound bow, which I used to pick off three others and grab an assault rifle. Fully armed, I intentionally triggered an alarm, drawing more enemies to test my gear. The Following DLC was known for its surprisingly solid gunplay despite being melee-focused, and I’m happy to report it holds up here. It’s just as fun as I remembered.
Overall, I’m Impressed
The demo wrapped with a final set piece that delivered a taste of the game’s story. I found myself in a junkyard, facing a massive creature called a Chimera. The only way out was through it. Thankfully, I had picked up a flamethrower that looked fantastic in action and dealt serious damage. But the Chimera wasn’t going down easily. It charged me, delivered crushing ground pounds, and hurled debris. I’m not going to lie — it took me out a few times, thanks to an unpredictable charge that caught me mid-dodge. But eventually, I prevailed and took that sucker down.
After finally bringing the Chimera down, I was greeted with some more story bits, along with Kyle extracting blood from the Chimera, and then injecting it into himself. I was then informed that this is how Kyle will gain new powers and abilities throughout the game, which is an interesting way to go about that. Following that, the demo ended with a “Coming Soon” screen. I thanked the guide who walked me through it.
Overall, this was a fun and promising preview that showcased just a slice of what Dying Light: The Beast has in store. It still feels very much like Dying Light, but with welcome new layers that make the experience even better. The dynamic weather and day-night cycle add to the immersion, and after speaking with Techland members on hand, it’s clear they’re proud of what they’ve accomplished.
From the little that I’ve played, Dying Light: The Beast looks poised to deliver a great evolution of the series. I’m definitely looking forward to playing more when it launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam) on August 22, 2025. And with that, there goes another game onto my ever-expanding Summer 2025 games line-up.
