For long-time fans of Dying Light, most of The Beast will be business as usual: parkour, savage melee combat, and a city overrun by zombies. But this time, Kyle Crane is not quite human. The new feature—and the beating heart of the game—is the Beast mode, a volatile-like mutation that turns Kyle into a monster who can blow through enemies and do things no survivor could possibly do.
How Beast Mode Works
You first see Beast mode in the first mission, when Kyle loses his temper and lets loose the beast within him. The change comes with a meter that fills whenever you take or receive damage. Initially, the transformation occurs as soon as the bar is full automatically, which can be frustrating if you wish to save it.
As you make your way through the game and take down massive Chimeras, you also receive upgrades that allow Beast mode to be more versatile. Before long, you’ll have unlocked the ability to activate it on demand with L3 + R3, and still later, to turn it on at half a meter. Once you’ve got control over Beast mode, it’s dramatically more tactical, whether you’re mowing down waves or getting ready for a boss battle.
In this mode, Kyle’s melee attacks are lethal, his speed is boosted, and his health partially replenishes the instant you transform. As you upgrade his powers, you’ll also unlock new attacks and traversal tricks that redefine the way you go about combat and exploration.
Unlocking Beast Powers
Olivia takes you through the principal questline by dispatching you on hunts for Chimeras, abominations born from mutation that you have to defeat to acquire new Beast abilities. These powers are not tied to choice like usual skills—you’ll eventually acquire them all as you finish the story.
Most of the powers are combat-oriented: heavy slams, shockwave wails that knock people back, and tossing heavy objects around like they’re light. But the more thrilling upgrades are mobility-related. One allows Kyle to jump huge distances, and another takes the grappling hook and turns it into a sort of living zipline that enables quick, smooth travel.
Among the most important upgrades are the control-related ones. The former lets you choose when to switch, while the latter allows you to activate Beast mode at half-range. They are a big deal, particularly for boss battles or Volatile escapes.
Making the Most of Beast Mode
Regardless of its flashy dance moves, Beast mode is surprisingly straightforward, and it’s using it wisely that will make the difference. The key thing to keep in mind is that the meter replenishes every time you rest. If you plan to utilize the change at night—when Volatiles roam the streets—don’t skip time at a safehouse.
Another important tip: don’t waste the meter on special moves. They consume your bar fast, and since even the regular swipes instantly kill most foes, they’re usually not worth it. Maintaining the transformation longer is nearly always preferable to trying for a flashy slam.
Be careful with that half-meter activation, too. Although it’s tempting to bring out the Beast early, you forfeit the all-important healing effect that accompanies a full transformation. That regen can make all the difference between death and life in long fights.
Outside of combat, Beast mode has surprising utility. The high jump and enhanced grappling hook can trivialize difficult climbing sections and open up shortcuts across the city. If you’re stuck or simply want to move faster, don’t hesitate to burn the meter for mobility—especially once you’ve unlocked these traversal powers.
And an amusing aside: don’t count on Kyle being very heroic-looking if you stop the game and activate Photo Mode in the middle of the transformation. Beast mode is about brute strength, not aesthetics.
Beast mode is not a gimmick; it’s what makes Dying Light: The Beast a defining game mechanic. It adds another dimension of ferocity to combat and opens up new manners of movement through the world, yet it makes you think twice about timing and resource use. Whether you’re ripping through soldiers, shoving swarms of biters back, or leaping across buildings in massive bounds, it reminds you constantly that Kyle Crane is no longer a survivor, but so much more dangerous.
