Summary
One of the biggest surprises from Gamescom Opening Night Live,Dying Light: The Beastis a brand new installment in Techland’s open-world zombie franchise. Though it originally began life as a story DLC forDying Light 2,Dying Light: The Beastis now a fully-fledged standalone adventure, apparently containing over 18 hours of content and a wealth of new features. But that isn’t the most exciting aspect ofDying Light: The Beast.
By far the most exciting reveal fromDying Light: The Beast’s announcement trailerwas that Kyle Crane is back as the main playable protagonist. With the series' original protagonist having been presumed dead, it’ll be interesting to see how Techland resurrects the fan-favorite character, though even the most die-hardDying Lightfans might now be wondering just how this new entry fits into the franchise’s timeline.
How Dying Light: The Beast Fits Into the Dying Light Timeline
The Current Dying Light Timeline
In the Spring of 2014,Global Relief Effort agent Kyle Cranelands in the city of Harran to hunt down Rais, a criminal who holds sensitive information about the virus that’s now wreaking havoc on the city. After weeks of turmoil, Crane eventually finds Rais, secures the information, and decides to stay in Harran to help his newfound allies and friends.
Just a few months later – inthe events ofDying Light’s The Following DLC– Crane heads out to the countryside outside Harran in an attempt to find a cure for the virus. Crane stumbles upon a cult that supposedly has this cure, and he attempts to gain their trust. Once ingratiated into the cult, Crane meets The Mother, a human-Volatile hybrid who forces Crane to drink a substance that will turn him into the same monster.Dying Light: The Followingthen gives the player two choices. One sees Crane siding with The Mother to destroy Harran with nuclear weapons. The other sees him kill The Mother, leave the countryside, and seemingly turn into a Volatile.
Dying Light 2takes place 22 years after the events of the first game and its DLC. InDying Light 2, Harran’s fate is left rather ambiguous. While the intro cutscene to the game states that Harran was “wiped from the map,” it’s never specified if that was due to the original virus, due to Crane’s actions, or due to something else entirely.Kyle Crane’s fateis also left ambiguous inDying Light 2, with some returning NPCs from the first game claiming he suffered a tragic end.
Dying Light: The Beast Takes Place Between Dying Light 1 and 2
According toDying Light: The Beast’s official description, the game will take place13 years after the events ofDying Light: The Following. While Techland is remaining fairly tight-lipped about Kyle Crane’s current status, it has been confirmed that Crane has been the subject of brutal experiments for the last 13 years. It seems as though these experiments have given him some new beast-like abilities, as well as a strong desire for revenge on those who have kept him locked away. Being set in betweenDying Light 1and2, it’ll be interesting to see how muchDying Light: The Beast’s story ties in with its predecessors.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
WHERE TO PLAY
It’s been 20 years since the events of the original game. The virus won, and humanity is slowly dying. You play as Aiden Caldwell, a wandering Pilgrim who delivers goods, brings news, and connects the few remaining survivor settlements in barren lands devastated by the zombie virus. However, your true goal is to find your little sister Mia, who you left behind as a kid to escape Dr. Waltz’s torturous experiments. Haunted by the past, you eventually make the decision to confront it when you learn that Mia may still be alive in Villedor — the last city standing on Earth.You quickly find yourself in a settlement torn by conflict. You’ll need to engage in creative and gory combat, so hone your skills to defeat hordes of zombies and make allies. Roam the city, free run across Villedor’s buildings and rooftops in search of loot in remote areas, and be wary of the night. With every sunset, monsters take control of the streets.
