The Dying Light series is known for its intense survival against hordes of zombies, but what makes these battles even more engaging and nerve-wracking are the game’s dynamic parkour mechanics. In the previous titles, players could parkour through city lines and scale skyscrapers to escape danger.
However, with Dying Light: The Beast, the studio is taking a different route. Instead of reaching for even higher buildings, the developers are focusing on offering a fresh experience by removing the towering skylines. This time, the experience will be more grounded and tactical, unlike anything seen before.
Dying Light: The Beast brings a shift in perspective
From the tallest skyscrapers in Harran to the dangerous rooftops of Villedor, players spend most of their time climbing, vaulting, and sliding between high-rise buildings to survive the night in the previous titles. However, that won’t be the case in Dying Light: The Beast.
In an interview with TrueAchievements, director Tymon Smektala revealed that the upcoming title in the series is taking a more balanced approach. Instead of bringing more skyscraper climbs, they are focusing more on varied horizontal movement.
You won’t have towering skyscrapers, but we’ve designed the environment to encourage creative movement — fallen trees, cliffs, industrial ruins, and makeshift parkour routes.
This is an intentional design shift that aims at creating a more immersive and tactical movement experience. Since the game takes players into Castor Woods, a forest setting without the towering urban landscape, players will find themselves in scenarios they have never encountered in the series.
From sprawling valleys and cliffside paths to ruined industrial structures, players will have to navigate through all of them to survive. This will allow for a mix of horizontal and vertical movement, resulting in a more expansive and fluid traversal system.
But parkour is still a key part of survival. And yes, when Volatiles are on your tail, knowing how to weave through the terrain effectively will be the difference between life and death.
No longer are players confined to skyscrapers, they can explore the environment in new ways. In this rural setting, they will have more room to move around, creating an entirely new dynamic in terms of strategy and freedom.
While there will still be some vertical elements (abandoned factories and buildings), the focus on horizontal movement means that players’ agility, speed, and resourcefulness will play a key role.
A new kind of challenge for the fans
For long-time fans, the loss of towering cityscapes like in Harran and Villedor may feel like a step backward for the series. However, if they think about it, this actually introduces new kinds of challenges that will add an element of surprise to the game.
In Dying Light: The Beast, parkour isn’t just about escaping from the zombies, it’s about survival and resourcefulness in the wilderness. The developers are committed to offering fresh hurdles that will require players to think outside the box.
This makes every encounter feel more dynamic and engaging, as players need to outthink and outmaneuver the zombies, rather than simply jumping between rooftops or climbing the stairs.
While players still have the vehicles to cover larger distances, parkour remains the key. The players will encounter elements like fallen trees and hidden parkour routes in the environment, adding yet another layer to the experience.
In the end, there may not be skyscrapers to leap between, but the upcoming title promises to bring the series’ defining heart-pounding action. The only difference this time: the thrill comes from outsmarting the undead and rival factions in the dangerous wilderness of Castor Woods.
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