It’s been a little over a decade sinceDying Lightmade its impressive debut. Created by many of the same devs behindthe firstDead Island,Dying Lightreleased in a very crowded market back in 2015, but it managed to stand out from the sea of other zombie games by forging itself a distinct identity. It did this by combining several gameplay styles, merging mechanics that hadn’t often been seen together in the zombie genre.
One ofDying Light’s most distinct elements was its focus on parkour. Players were encouraged to leap from rooftops, slide down ziplines, and bound from every wall in the concrete jungle of Harran, and that freedom of movement quickly became a key selling point ofDying Light. Parkour has remained a core part ofDying Light’s identity over the last decade, but while it’s still going to appear in the upcomingDying Light: The Beast, it could end up taking a bit of a backseat due to the game’s new setting.
Dying Light: The Beast Might Forget a Core Part of its Identity With its Castor Woods Setting
Dying Light: The Beast’s Setting Doesn’t Look Conducive to Parkour
BothDying Lightand its 2022 sequel were set primarily in sprawling cities, densely packed with tall buildings, cars, billboards, and plenty of rooftops. These urban settings felt tailor-made forDying Light’s parkour mechanics, with the proximity of buildings allowing a smooth flow of movement and a natural build of momentum that felt rewarding to control and master.
TheDying Lightseriesoften feels best when players are in these large urban areas, with the game’s unique merging of parkour and action gameplay really getting to shine. It’s this engaging flow of parkour and action gameplay that’s become an ingrained part ofDying Light’s identity, one that fans now expect to be present in any subsequentDying Lightgame.
ButDying Light: The Beastmight not be putting parkour at the forefront of its gameplay, at least not as much as previous entries.Dying Light: The Beastis set in Castor Woods, a popular tourist spot that’s located in a rural town surrounded by dense forests. Castor Woods looks very different fromDying Light’s previous urban settings, and while the change of scenery will undoubtedly be refreshing after all these years, it could come with the risk of offering fewer parkour opportunities.
The recentDying Light: The Beast30-minute gameplay deep-dive began with the player free-running through the new town, leaping from rooftop to rooftop and dashing through open windows. All the parkour mechanics fans have come to expect fromDying Lightare present during these opening minutes. But the player quickly reaches the edge of the town, and the rest of the mission sees them infiltrating a warehouse, fighting in an abandoned trainyard, and driving through the woods. During those sections, parkour is rarely used.
It seems likely thatDying Light: The Beast’s rural setting won’t have players engaging in parkour nearly as much asDying Light 1and2’s urban settings.
Dying Light: The Beast’s Setting Might Result in a New Type of Traversal
But instead of going all in on parkour for a third time,Dying Light: The Beastmight be putting forward some new traversal options. Players will have access to vehicles inDying Light: The Beast, more specifically an off-road 4x4 that can store useful items in the back. Players will also have access to a suite ofsuperhuman abilities. While the abilities shown so far are combat-oriented, there’s a chance players will be given some powers that help with traversing the new setting.
So whileDying Light: The Beast’s Castor Woods might not lend itself to the amount of free-running fans are used to, there’s a strong chance they’ll still be given plenty of tools to enjoy traversal.
