As gory and unnerving as the Dying Light franchise can be, some of its inspirations are rather kid-friendly. Case in point: Kyle Crane’s new Beast mode in Techland’s upcoming Dying Light: The Beast was inspired by none other than the Namco classic Pac-Man.
In an interview with Famitsu, Dying Light franchise director Timon Smektava reveals that Beast mode is meant to give players a sense of catharsis. Dying Light: The Beast has a much darker tone compared to its predecessors and features lots of running and avoiding zombies (especially at night). When Crane’s Beast meter is full (successfully landing attacks and getting hit are two ways to fill the meter), he can use Beast mode to unleash his rage and deal a ton of damage with his zombie-based moves.
Smektava likens Beast mode to how Pac-Man gets a Power Pellet. Pac-Man is weak by default and has to avoid ghosts that are chasing him. When he gets a Power Pellet, however, the roles are reversed, and he becomes the one who chases the ghosts. The development team was conscious of the feeling that Beast mode creates, and hopes players will find it fresh and interesting.
That said, they did not want Beast mode to turn the game into a one-sided slaughter-fest. Smektava says that while Beast mode is powerful, certain conditions need to be met before players can activate it (based on his statements, Beast mode also seems to have a lengthy cooldown period). Given Beast mode’s potency, players will want to carefully consider when to use it. A new enemy type called the Chimera is also meant to keep players in check, as their strength and high health pools pose a challenge even when Beast mode is active. As a side note, Smektava says that in addition to human anatomy, developers drew from Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan manga series when creating the appearance of the hulking Chimeras.
Dying Light: The Beast is set to release on August 22 for PlayStation 5, PC (Windows), and Xbox Series X|S. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions are planned for late 2025.
