Something that I don't hear a lot of other game reviewers talk about is how easy it is to get stuck in a game and not have the internet to rely on for help. There might be a puzzle where the solution isn't immediately clear, or you might face a major choice in the game and be unaware of which choice has the "best" outcome. Many developers offer help via email or Discord for these situations, but waiting for them to respond sometimes just isn't optimal if you're on a time crunch or if you're at a spot in the game where quitting would lose you progress. During my time reviewing Dying Light: The Beast, I encountered a similar issue with a puzzle, and I used Google Lens to solve it.
I don't use Google Lens very often in life. Primarily, I use it when I find an interesting looking spider in the house and I want to make sure it's not going to harm me or my family, or I might use it if I want to know what type of plant I'm looking at. I even used it once to help me figure out what color wall paint would look best with my countertops. However, I don't think I've ever used it to help solve a puzzle in a video game, especially one where the solution wouldn't be found anywhere online as the game had yet to be released. Dying Light: The Beast marks a first for me there, and it was one of the more satisfying moments I had during my time with the game.
How I Used Google Lens to Solve One of Dying Light: The Beast's Puzzles
Dying Light: The Beast Has Safes That Can Be Unlocked With a Nearby Code
Dying Light: The Beast's star attraction is Castor Woods — a beautiful open world that is far different from anything the series has seen thus far. As players explore the world, entering its many Dark Zones, uncovering treasure maps, and looting everything they can find, they might occasionally stumble upon locked safes that can only be opened using a nearby code. Generally, these codes are found on notes lying around, and they're usually right there within feet of the safe.
Finding these codes is almost always worth the little effort it takes, as most safes are filled with Epic and Legendary valuables that will net players plenty of cash to spend on resources for Dying Light: The Beast's increasingly expensive crafting. It might not seem worth it to some, but for a completionist like me, it's worth it for more than one reason. Most of the safes I came across during my playthrough had their solutions hidden in plain sight, but I quickly found that just because I could see the solution didn't mean I understood it.
One of Dying Light: The Beast's Safe Codes Was Written in Binary
At one point during my time with Dying Light: The Beast, I encountered a locked safe with its code written on a nearby dry-erase board. The only problem is that the code was written in binary, and I don't know a thing about binary. Sure, I could have taken the time to simply Google the numbers, but my instincts quickly kicked in, and I thought of Google Lens. So, I pulled out my phone, opened Google Lens, and the solution immediately pulled up for me. I then plugged in the code, and the safe opened, revealing the valuables inside.
I won't say where this particular safe is at, though I would recommend that you use Google Lens like I did when you find it, rather than trying to look at a guide detailing the solutions to all the safes in Dying Light: The Beast's Castor Woods. It might sound silly for me to say this, but I was surprised that it actually worked — even though I've used Google Lens many times before for other things.
Dying Light: The Beast
