The Beast’s Nighttime Experience Makes It a ‘2-in-1 Type of Game’

As its name suggests, one of the most memorable elements of a Dying Light game is its nighttime experience, as the shift from day to night instantly transforms the world into something far more hostile and unpredictable. It is in these moments that the true horrors arise, making the world far more treacherous for players to navigate. It’s also when a Dying Light game reaches its peak in terms of gameplay, with heightened tension and risk, and the thrill of the chase complemented by satisfying parkour to boot. Now, that torch is being passed to Dying Light: The Beast, where new nighttime challenges await even the most experienced players.

In a recent interview with Game Rant, Dying Light franchise director Tymon Smektala and game director Nathan Lemaire fleshed out the franchise’s iconic nighttime experience, as well as how Dying Light: The Beast aims to keep players on their toes, regardless of how familiar they are with the series’ gameplay. During the conversation, it was made clear that while the rules and mechanics are the same, Dying Light: The Beast has a few tricks up its sleeve that should make its nighttime gameplay feel even more unnerving than ever before.

Dying Light: The Beast Treats Nightfall Like a Genre Switch

There’s nothing quite like that moment when the sun goes down in Dying Light. In fact, it’s likely that most fans of the game have not forgotten their first night in the franchise and the intense feeling of terror it evoked. It’s a core part of the Dying Light experience, to the point that some players might even intentionally stay out until the night falls, if only just to feel the rush of adrenaline that comes from a Volatile being on their tail. Most of this comes from how Dying Light games are designed, with their day-night cycle serving as more than a way to modify the lighting and environment; instead, it’s an opportunity to introduce a fresh gameplay loop. Lemaire explained:

“In the franchise, night is not just a weather/light modifier; it is a whole experience. If, during the day, you can freely move around infected and fight, night is there to remind you that you are still prey. We transition from a survival action experience to a horror stealth experience.”

Something about Lemaire emphasizing that the “night is there to remind you that you are still prey” is enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine. The light acts as a security blanket of sorts, which can make players feel invincible against the infected they fight, especially considering that the more dangerous zombies come out under the cover of darkness due to their vulnerability to light. Add to that limited vision, and suddenly Dying Light‘s open world isn’t a playground for the player anymore, but for the infected.

Now, Dying Light: The Beast doesn’t necessarily want to rewrite the rulebook, but it does want to change the context of those rules — and that may be enough to keep players from feeling too confident when the night comes. Smektala went on to explain how the new game aims to evolve Dying Light‘s iconic nighttime formula:

“Since the start of the series, our goal was to create an entire “night experience,” not just a darker version of the regular one that you get during the day. We were joking that we’re creating a “2-in-1″ type of game, but actually these jokes hold a lot of merit — both the day and the night parts of the Dying Light experience play differently, use a lot of different rules, they really do change how you feel about your presence in the world, how vulnerable or fragile you feel, how you think and what decisions you make as you play. In The Beast, we’re again helped by the new environment, which adds a new, exciting shade to the experience. Our players are used to nights in the cities, but a night in the forest or a night in the swamps — even if it uses the same rules and mechanics — feels completely different.”

So, yes, Dying Light: The Beast does play by the rules — mostly. Navigating the city at night is one thing, but when players are thrown into a dense forest or murky swamp and asked to outrun or sneak by the infected, it might throw them for a loop. It’s an old system with fresh tension that should make Dying Light feel dangerous again, stripping away the safety players may have once found in rooftops and UV traps and forcing them to find new ways to survive the night.

Dying Light: The Beast

Released

September 19, 2025

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Use of Drugs

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op

Franchise

Dying Light

PC Release Date

September 19, 2025

Xbox Series X|S Release Date

September 19, 2025