Days Gone
Release Date: 26 April 2019 (PS4)/ 18 May 2019 (PC)/ 25 April 2025 (Remastered)
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Bend Studio
We're not going to focus much on the politics but rather speak on the beautiful game and creative game that is Days Gone. It is a fresh take on zombies ( or rather 'freaks' as they're dubbed here) in a modern post-apocalyptic world, which always causes humans beings to revert back to their most basic need of survival, therefore turning on each other and fending for themselves.
Gameplay:
Graphics:
Just as most first-party PlayStation video games, Days Gone focuses on realistic visuals that resemble the real world in so many ways. Similar to Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, it takes Unreal Engine 4 to its' limits in terms of visuals and making the world appear to be something you could believe exists exactly how it is. This is one beautiful video game.
Art Style:
With photorealism being the main aesthetic for the game, they really nailed the post-apocalyptic, zombie-filled world, or rather "freakers" as they are called since they have not died yet. The freakers also look the part to resemble humans that lost their minds and reverted back to only live for survival, even though the game argues that they have evolved beyond human beings.
Gameplay Mechanics:
The game has some of the most innovative mechanics that were never really tried or shown in such a manner before. There might be freakers, but there are also hordes that travel in large groups that could force you to try out different strategies in order to get rid of them. There's a day and night component to the game that the freakers adhere to as they can only travel at night or when it's cloudy and raining, so in most cases, you would usually encounter other enemies during the day and fewer freakers. There are makeshift silencers for your weapons which does not usually last a long time when used, which causes you to strategise as the freakers are attracted to loud noises. With limited resources, it is adviced that weapons are used sparingly, especially explosions, which are needed to fight hordes. The best mechanic that I praise this game for is the bike needing petrol/gas for travelling, which means you should always keep an eye on the tank so you don't stray too far in this dangerous world. I truly believe most open-world video games could use such a feature to up the stakes. Imagine how brutal cop chases would be in GTA for example if you had to abandon a car and hijack another when it runs out. not to mention that the bike in Days Gone also needs maintenance because roads aren't maintained and most cars are abandoned there, so taking the needed beaten path may damage your bike. A sequel was much needed for this one.
Story:
The story may not be the best thing about the game as it puts the characters in the centre of everything instead of focusing only on their survival, but it is engaging enough to follow and want to figure out what happens next, and who these characters are. People argue that the main character does not have much emotion and depth, although I kind of agree, I believe him being an ex-soldier/biker also puts him in the perfect position to be the best candidate for this kind of survival. Other issues people had was that there aren't many black characters in the game, which I think is an unfair way to judge a video game about bikers as there aren't as many black biker gangs. Unless they are talking about survivors, but even that, apart from large cities, most people are usually around similar-looking peers with similar goals, beliefs, and interests. That would not fly considering how some camps (i.e Hot Springs & Copeland's) are run in the game.
World Building:
A beautiful, horrific open world with torn roads, gravel paths, traps, and burnt buildings. You travel a lot in this world and have everything and everyone trying to kill you for their own survival. The safe zones are camps, but they have different rules and beliefs which the main character does not usually agree with, so he became a drifter and prefers not to be associated with permanently with any. Outside the camps it's wild animals, enemies, and freakers, so once out there, you should always keep the pedal to the metal.
Weapons & Equipment:
You can run out of supplies and bullets, which is necessary as there can always be a horde nearby, especially when you run out of suppressors so every bullet shot calls them near. You have to take care of your bike, mind where you park, make sure the petrol/gas is full at all times, and is fixed. Every item can be rare if not used wisely and that can limit your progress with the game if you misuse Molotov cocktails and napalm bombs for example.
User Interface (UI):
Everything about this game has a clean aesthetic about it. The UI, pause menu and weapon wheel and crafting is easy to navigate and know exactly where you are in the story (as in the percentage) and where you are on the map along with where you need to go in order to progress. HUD has all the relevant information about the world, the character, weapons and bike. Beautiful design overall, especially in the crafting and story menu.
Innovation:
- Hordes
- Bike gas/ petrol
- Bike maintenance
- Collecting components and crafting
- Weapon makeshift silencers
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