Techland is offering a glimpse into the bloody brutality of Dying Light: The Beast through a new trailer titled “Blood & Guts”.
The video showcases a series of brutal moments players can experience in the title, including decapitations, bone-breaking slashes, bloody stabbings, and much more.
The Ambition to Create the Most Brutal Dying Light Yet
Dying Light has always been a franchise where horror and brutality went hand in hand, but Dying Light: The Beast aims to elevate this combination to new heights. “We cranked up the body horror to give players this feeling of fighting for survival and the thirst for revenge that Kyle harbors,” commented franchise director Tymon Smektała.
These new additions aren’t just for show—the heightened brutality introduces significant interactive storytelling elements alongside psychological horror. “It’s one thing to see a health bar gradually decrease, but seeing your own skin melt off your bones or having a charred, destroyed face grafted onto yours? That’s how nightmares begin!” the director concluded.
This unprecedented level of brutality was made possible through significant improvements to the game’s engine.
“We overhauled the body damage system,” explained game director Nathan Lemaire. “We doubled the number of locations on enemies—which we call Gore-Nodes—where players can inflict damage, while also increasing visible injuries per enemy. Player attack precision was enhanced too, meaning attack angles and trajectories now determine impact points and enemy reactions. You can slice off body parts with surgical precision.”
Combinations of wounds, mutilations, and enemy damage will be nearly limitless, turning every battle in Dying Light: The Beast into a blood-soaked spectacle. While core combat is bloodier, brutal takedowns elevate the violence further by tripling execution animations.
Techland Takes Blood and Violence Seriously
To achieve realistic violence in Dying Light: The Beast, Techland’s art team elevated their efforts drastically. “We added countless visuals for the most grotesque injuries and wounds we could find. The research was intense—I hope nobody checks my browser history,” remarked art director Katarzyna Tarnacka-Polito.
Techland recently released another video detailing the creative process behind The Beast’s realistic gore. Katarzyna explained: “Existing references didn’t deliver the blood splatter intensity we wanted. We purchased gallons of fake blood and recreated effects using a live-action performer.”
Dying Light: The Beast launches September 19 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC. PS4 and Xbox One versions will follow later.
