N※N

I really wish Dying Light: The Beast had fast travel

  //travel-leisure.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. -wish-dying-light-the-beast-had-fast-travel.html
  Published in Travel and Leisure on Sunday, October 5th 2025 at 11:43 GMT by Polygon
          ^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

How Dying Light’s Fast‑Travel System Works – A Quick‑Guide

If you’ve ever wandered the sprawling streets of Harran on a damp, zombie‑infested night, you’ve probably felt the crushing weight of time. A single run across a fresh zone can consume hours of your day‑night cycle, and the only way to truly explore everything the game has to offer is to push your stamina to the limit. That’s why the fast‑travel system, introduced in Dying Light and expanded further in the The Beast DLC, is a game‑changing feature. Below is a concise rundown of how fast‑travel works, why it’s essential, and how you can make the most of it.

1. Where It All Begins: Unlocking Fast‑Travel Nodes

In the original Dying Light, fast‑travel is tied directly to the completion of each zone’s main objective. Once you’ve beaten the boss or cleared the designated area, a glowing “travel point” appears on the zone’s entry gate. In The Beast DLC, a similar mechanic is used but the expansion adds a handful of new nodes—most notably the Beast’s Lair and the sprawling “Cave System” that now hosts its own travel hub.

How to Unlock:

1. Finish the Main Quest: For most zones, the main quest or boss fight is the trigger.
2. Return to the Gate: After you’ve won, the gate will glow. The glow indicates the zone is now “travel‑ready.”
3. Visit the Gate: Walk to the glowing gate and press the context button (default: E on PC, X on Xbox, Circle on PS).

You will then be transported back to the city center, where the game adds the newly unlocked node to your fast‑travel map.

2. The Fast‑Travel UI – Seeing the Big Picture

Opening your map (default M on PC) shows a stylised, hand‑drawn city layout. Each zone is marked by a small icon, and unlocked zones have a subtle blue glow. The fast‑travel map is a separate layer that can be toggled on and off with the “Travel” button. When you’re standing in a zone that has been unlocked, a “Fast‑Travel” icon appears at the bottom of the screen. The icon’s colour changes to green when you have a zone ready to jump to.

Polygon’s screenshots in the article show a clear visual guide: the icon is located near the zone’s gate, and the map highlights the path from your current location to the target zone. The UI also includes a small “travel cost” indicator, which tells you how many “Sick” points or “Stamina” you’ll expend when you teleport. In most cases, the cost is negligible—an instant portal that costs a single tick of your stamina.

3. How to Use Fast‑Travel

1. Open the Map (M), then select the “Fast‑Travel” layer.
2. Choose a Destination: Click on the zone you’d like to jump to. If you’re still in the middle of a mission, you’ll see a warning about unfinished objectives. If you’re in a safe zone, the travel icon will flash green.
3. Confirm: Hit Enter (or the relevant controller button). You’ll be whisked away to the zone’s spawn point in an instant.
4. Return to Action: Once you’ve reached your destination, you can head straight into a quest or begin scouting a new area.

The article stresses that fast‑travel is best used for “quick get‑aways”—for instance, dropping out of a melee‑heavy fight to refill your health or to pick up a new weapon before heading back to the city.

4. Why Fast‑Travel Is a Must‑Have

“Without fast‑travel, the game feels like an endless grind.” – Polygon

Fast‑travel isn’t just a convenience; it’s an integral part of Dying Light’s design philosophy. Here’s why it’s essential:

1. Time‑Saving: Traversing the city on foot or bike can take a toll on your stamina and kill your sense of urgency. Fast‑travel eliminates the grind, letting you focus on the combat and exploration.
2. Risk Management: The city is littered with “Horde” events—spontaneous waves of zombies that can catch you off‑guard. Fast‑travel lets you retreat quickly if you’re outmatched.
3. Inventory Management: Each mission usually requires you to pick up a specific set of gear or ingredients. Fast‑travel reduces the time you spend carrying items between missions, lowering the chance of losing them in a horde.
4. Replayability: Fast‑travel opens up “side‑quest” routes. Instead of replaying entire zones, you can jump to a side mission, complete it, and then hop back to the main quest, making the game feel less linear.

5. Advanced Fast‑Travel Tips

Polygon offers a few nuanced tips for seasoned players:

• Stargate System (The Beast): The DLC introduces “Stargates,” portal‑like structures that let you teleport between any two unlocked zones. These can be used to create a custom fast‑travel “highway” that bypasses the usual city gates.
• Use the “Cannon” System: A secondary fast‑travel option in The Beast allows you to load the cannon on a tower, fire it, and “shoot” yourself to a distant zone. It’s fast but requires a full ammo count and a clear line of sight.
• Combine Fast‑Travel with Biking: If you’re in a hurry but need to maintain the city’s vertical traversal, you can fast‑travel to a zone and then bike to a specific point that’s only reachable by bicycle.
• Track Unlocked Zones: The map overlay updates in real time. Keep an eye on the blue glow indicators to know when new fast‑travel nodes become available after completing side quests.

6. Fast‑Travel Limitations

Fast‑travel isn’t a magic bullet. Polygon points out the following constraints:

• Only Unlocked Zones: You can’t jump to zones that haven’t yet been cleared. The travel icon stays grey until the zone is unlocked.
• No “Mid‑Zone” Fast‑Travel: You can only teleport to the entry gate of a zone, not mid‑street or mid‑buildings. That means you might still need to traverse a short distance once you arrive.
• Stamina Cost: While minimal, fast‑travel does consume a tiny fraction of your stamina, which can be significant if you’re already at low health.

7. Conclusion

Fast‑travel is a hallmark of Dying Light’s gameplay loop, seamlessly blending parkour, combat, and strategic navigation. By unlocking zones, mastering the map’s UI, and using the advanced Stargate and cannon options, you can cut through the city’s endless maze with ease. The The Beast DLC extends this system, giving you new nodes and fresh travel mechanics that keep the game fresh for veteran players.

As Polygon notes, “Fast‑travel isn’t just a shortcut; it’s a gameplay design choice that respects your time and your survival.” If you’re looking to master Harran’s night‑time streets, it’s time to embrace the fast‑travel system and keep moving.