Days Gone (PS4)

Days Gone tickles an itch most open world games don't.The basic gameplay loop is you explore the world and complete story missions to a backdrop of mutants having overrun everything except for the last few holdouts sheltered in the beautifully rendered Oregon wilderness. Stealth is key especially at first as you don't have the weapons and skills to take down large groups but you'll eventually figure it out as things are fairly open ended.The story is engaging if a bit OTT talking and cutscene heavy but just go along with it for the ride, its worth it in the end. Voice Acting is top tier as well so you get a rich detailed environment to explore with a rich and detailed story very well acted.10/10 game that disserves a sequel. You hear me Sony? This disserves a sequel.

The game is very good. Fun, open world, with a good story. It reminds me a lot of Far Cry 5, given both are out in the forest and mountains and are both open world games. The story is better than FC5's, but the gameplay is not quite as good. It's still fun, but if the story was bad, it wouldn't be enough to get me to the game's end. A feature I feel is missing is the opportunity to customize your weapons. You can customize and upgrade your bike, but the only gun upgrades are unlocking a new gun. It would be very cool if you could add scopes and swap out barrels and whatnot to improve the performance of whatever particular gun you want to run. Another sometimes annoying, sometimes seemingly broken feature is the communication with camp. Maybe you have no missions, ... MoreThe game is very good. Fun, open world, with a good story. It reminds me a lot of Far Cry 5, given both are out in the forest and mountains and are both open world games. The story is better than FC5's, but the gameplay is not quite as good. It's still fun, but if the story was bad, it wouldn't be enough to get me to the game's end. A feature I feel is missing is the opportunity to customize your weapons. You can customize and upgrade your bike, but the only gun upgrades are unlocking a new gun. It would be very cool if you could add scopes and swap out barrels and whatnot to improve the performance of whatever particular gun you want to run. Another sometimes annoying, sometimes seemingly broken feature is the communication with camp. Maybe you have no missions, but if you ride your bike for a couple mins (usually out of/away from camp), it will initiate comms and you have to head back to start the next mission. Sometimes you are in the middle of a mission, in the middle of a gun fight and it will start comms for another mission's availability, sometimes you get 2-3 of those during that same gun fight... I do like how it handles interruptions for the most part - if it was trying to do comms to make a new mission available and you start shooting/getting shot, it stops and picks back up as soon as you are done - though if you're clearing out an enemy camp, it can trigger/restart the communique several times between you actively engaging enemies. There's an element to the story I am disappointed with, but it would be a big spoiler, so I won't mention it in a review. Otherwise, it's a beautiful post apocalyptic world full of zombie-like, animal and human enemies. The Freaks (zombie things) are well done. They are pretty easy to handle in small groups, but in huge hordes, they are very hard to tackle, and it's easy to get swarmed by them. I think they feel perfect as far as a zombie-like enemy should. Some of the bigger ones in the latter part of the game, are obviously there for the increased challenge, but I think I'd prefer being forced to contend with hordes more than just an "elite" Freak. Enemies of different types/factions will fight each other. Often, I have let a freaker swarm wipe out a marauder camp or vice versa and then cleaned up the survivors. Watching a Rager (infected) Bear throw a marauder around like a rag doll is pretty cool. All in all, I really enjoyed this one. The minor story element I didn't care for ended up still being out of place in my opinion, but not a big deal overall. The story was pretty good throughout otherwise. Definitely recommend it.

This game really hooked me, I think it has a good balance of story-driven elements while giving the options to play in an open-world sandbox. The combat isn't overly complicated and the array of weapons and stats are not overwhelming. It feels to me that this was designed to slot in between a big RPG and an action game.Cons:I think there are some imperfections both in design and in gameplay but not enough to really detract from the experience all that much. As I mentioned above it might not be as complex as some would like, both in "quest" or "mission" variety or character & customization. And it might also get a bit grindy for others who just like killing zombies.Limited inventory space, for scrap in particular.Melee weapons lose durability too quickly and if ... MoreThis game really hooked me, I think it has a good balance of story-driven elements while giving the options to play in an open-world sandbox. The combat isn't overly complicated and the array of weapons and stats are not overwhelming. It feels to me that this was designed to slot in between a big RPG and an action game.Cons:I think there are some imperfections both in design and in gameplay but not enough to really detract from the experience all that much. As I mentioned above it might not be as complex as some would like, both in "quest" or "mission" variety or character & customization. And it might also get a bit grindy for others who just like killing zombies.Limited inventory space, for scrap in particular.Melee weapons lose durability too quickly and if you spec into repairing them, it takes too much scrap to replenish it.Motorcycle is a gas-guzzling beast. Just impossibly poor gas mileage.Pros:Stealth kills, I'm a sucker for these.Motorcycle riding is smooth and the upgrades feel good and are noticeable improvements.AI is decent if not punishingly goodFast Travel system that is sensibly implemented, you have to clear certain obstacles in order to fast travel to a location and you have to have enough fuel to make it there.

Days Gone isn't a "game". It is, as Penny Arcade once said, "a great way to fill bars". All its systems are predictable and craftsman-quality, yet are slapped together in such a way as to perfectly ruin each of them, as if intentionally sabotaged. Little glitches ruin setpieces, larger glitches ruin attempts at inventive play. The way certain inevitable gameplay interactions actually play out suggests that those who designed the individual systems never got to play the finished product, or simply didn't care.So it's empty and nutritionally bereft; so is popcorn, so is soda, so is candy. But I guess I have a older-school sweet tooth for such things. The high-fructose corn syrup used in this game's production is hardly the cane sugar found in, say, Assassin's Creed ... MoreDays Gone isn't a "game". It is, as Penny Arcade once said, "a great way to fill bars". All its systems are predictable and craftsman-quality, yet are slapped together in such a way as to perfectly ruin each of them, as if intentionally sabotaged. Little glitches ruin setpieces, larger glitches ruin attempts at inventive play. The way certain inevitable gameplay interactions actually play out suggests that those who designed the individual systems never got to play the finished product, or simply didn't care.So it's empty and nutritionally bereft; so is popcorn, so is soda, so is candy. But I guess I have a older-school sweet tooth for such things. The high-fructose corn syrup used in this game's production is hardly the cane sugar found in, say, Assassin's Creed 1. Maybe you want to fill bars and thunder through the forests of the PNW on your motorcycle; this is all you can really do without having to pretend the game is sweeter than it is.The worst part is that with a little more effort, much of its sharp edges could be sanded down, but at the end of the day you play a guy named Deacon St. John who wears his baseball cap backwards in the pouring rain. There was clearly something in the eyes of the devs -- cheese, probably -- and you'll need something occluding yours to actually enjoy this game.

A lot of the surprises this game offers lies beyond its long, slow burn.The moment you begin the game, you'll notice the story starts pretty weak - a brief glimpse of main characters and the apocalypse shortly before your real adventure begins. It undersells some of the better written and acted moments in the later half.Days Gone can genuinely be tense - especially at the start where you don't have much of a chance against big threats. You spend a chunk of the beginning with a pretty weak arsenal and bike, in a forested area - it can be pretty unforgiving with mistakes and learning the basics - scavenging, stealth, refueling, etcIt's not the best game ever, nor does it offer hundreds of things to do, but for me it was more surprising than expected. A rough gem.

Days Gone is an open-world, third-person survival action game. The game tells the tale of biker buds Deacon and Boozer two years after an apocalypse wipes out a majority of the population. The story told here is heartfelt and encompasses many different aspects of the world and the characters, and really gets you immersed in the world that the developers built here -- at the cost of the story being extremely long and a drag at some points, with seemingly no end in sight.However, the gameplay loop kept me going. It's your standard open-world affair with enemy camps, guns, and craftable explosives and traps, but the main star of the show is the hordes, which are these massive numbers of zombies that give chase the moment they sense you. There are quite a few of them ... MoreDays Gone is an open-world, third-person survival action game. The game tells the tale of biker buds Deacon and Boozer two years after an apocalypse wipes out a majority of the population. The story told here is heartfelt and encompasses many different aspects of the world and the characters, and really gets you immersed in the world that the developers built here -- at the cost of the story being extremely long and a drag at some points, with seemingly no end in sight.However, the gameplay loop kept me going. It's your standard open-world affair with enemy camps, guns, and craftable explosives and traps, but the main star of the show is the hordes, which are these massive numbers of zombies that give chase the moment they sense you. There are quite a few of them in the game and each one feels just as exhilarating as the last. The highlights are ones that are hiding in areas with explosives and narrow pathways, which allows the player to add some creativity to how they want to lead the hordes and take them out. Really good design here! You can definitely make your own fun here too thanks to mods.Technical performance on PC is excellent. With an RX580 and Ryzen 5 1600 I was easily hitting 1080p60 fps at mostly high settings, leading to a very smooth gameplay experience. My only issues arise from the way the game was developed; it seemed like the ambition was to have seamless transitions between cutscenes to gameplay, but sadly this wasn't achieved, and can lead to some very jarring transitions and even an occasional glitch of the world not loading in properly after a transition. These were few and far between, but it is worth noting that sometimes it can get tiring, especially given how long the story is.Overall I recommend this game.

Days Gone, this title is a PS4 title that can be played on a PS5 with better performance and on PC with multiple support options such as ultra wide, frame rate etc. Having this on a SSD drive offers an improvement in the loading time. This is an open world game, what I refer to as Ubisoft Far Cry type, that sees you playing in a setting of post zombie type settting. I had a thought that it could mirror The Walking Dead as the game had many instances reminding the player that humans were often the worse enemy. This game is massive in the amount of hours you can put into it. There is new game plus, challenge mode, survival mode. After finishing the main story, there are a few story lines that can be finished, along with the massive undertaking of eliminating all the ... MoreDays Gone, this title is a PS4 title that can be played on a PS5 with better performance and on PC with multiple support options such as ultra wide, frame rate etc. Having this on a SSD drive offers an improvement in the loading time. This is an open world game, what I refer to as Ubisoft Far Cry type, that sees you playing in a setting of post zombie type settting. I had a thought that it could mirror The Walking Dead as the game had many instances reminding the player that humans were often the worse enemy. This game is massive in the amount of hours you can put into it. There is new game plus, challenge mode, survival mode. After finishing the main story, there are a few story lines that can be finished, along with the massive undertaking of eliminating all the hordes on the map (each one is an undertaking). Much like Horizon Zero Dawn, I felt that the progression of upgrading your character's abilities and weapons and the difficulty scaling of the game was good, including the introduction of new freakers (zombies). Make no mistake that even after the main story, you can be taken down by freakers swarming you. Yes, there is also an increase in the rate of having random hostiles such as wolves, cougars, humans setting traps for you that seem annoying when you are trying to move on. With Horizon Zero Dawn, you could ride a mount (after you obtained the ability) but you could traverse on foot throughout the game. With Days Gone, you really are tied to your motorcycle which guzzles gas. You can upgrade you motorcycle throughout the game, including a larger gas tank - but makes no mistake - you will be on the lookout for gas. Fast travel is included and is a nice feature to use when you have already seen the area. The area is generally bleak which is to be expected given the setting, but there is plenty to see being outdoors.There are opportunities to hunt deer and other animals to obtain meat to sell/earn favor. There are camps that you establish a relationship with that by earning favor and credits, you can upgrade your bike, buy newer weapons, ammo and some upgrades/supplies. Crafting is not only present but is part of survival and use of various weapons and tools. Melee weapons have durability and can be either replaced when they break, swapped for another weapon found, repaired (after gain ability), or upgraded with crafting. There are 3 skills trees that offer some choice in how you want to progress the character or play style. You can fully upgraded if you play long enough (I maxed out after the main story). Plenty of cut scenes to give flash backs or give context to the story. Combat can be stealth (ie stealth take down kills, cross bow or silenced guns) or guns a blazing style. There are plenty of progressive unlocks that give a full arsenal / array of weapons and tools to utilize. Various collectables - some such as the injections are more important to the campaign or the mini recorders that give background are more important that the tourist collectibles. Different storylines (missions) will give rewards such as bike skins and crafting recipes.The story is okay overall. Some real good writing from the standpoint that not everyone in everry situation can be saved and that there are some hard choices to be made. The protagonist that you play shows some depth and moral decision making during the campaign. He does come across as a little gruff and snarky. Give the gritty, dark nature of the setting, I thought that it made sense. The story takes some twists and bends which will lead to different play areas. Your main focus is finding your wife that you lost 2 years prior when all hell was breaking loose with the outbreak and protecting those who you love. Plenty of things to do throughout the game - until you complete the main story and complete the other missions. You still have the increased randon encounters and can travel the whole map. Your objective at that point is to eliminate all the hordes scattered across the map. Killing freakers gets you XP and ears (to sell for favor/credit with camps) while killing hostile humans grants you XP and rng loot/crafting supply. Some supplies like cans can be hard to find after the main story and your well of hostile camps are depleted. You basically have to travel around searching for more cans or crafting supplies to gear up for the next horde (cans help craft attracters for instance). Forunately ammo can be bought through the camps and even stored on the bike. To sum up - great Ubi Far Cry style game that offers a ton to do in a dark/gritty environment. I did not review the challenge or horde modes but you can have additional hours playing those or new game plus (enticement of a new weapon) with increasing difficulty. Unfortunately there is not a sequel or another game in the works.

If you're a fan of Sons Of Anarchy, The Last Of Us and The Walking Dead (before it got boring!), then you'll love Days Gone. The game follows the story of Deacon (Deek) St. John, a former MC gang member who is trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic Oregon, that has been ravished by zombies, a.k.a. ''Freakers'' and rival gangs. After discovering that his wife, Sarah, might still be alive, Deek sets out on a quest to find her, but along the way he uncovers some chilling information about the pandemic, and more importantly how and why it began. While zombie games are certainly nothing new, the story of Days Gone holds its own and adds something different to the genre that we haven't seen before. As with any game of this type, there's a good amount of zombie-killing ... MoreIf you're a fan of Sons Of Anarchy, The Last Of Us and The Walking Dead (before it got boring!), then you'll love Days Gone. The game follows the story of Deacon (Deek) St. John, a former MC gang member who is trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic Oregon, that has been ravished by zombies, a.k.a. ''Freakers'' and rival gangs. After discovering that his wife, Sarah, might still be alive, Deek sets out on a quest to find her, but along the way he uncovers some chilling information about the pandemic, and more importantly how and why it began. While zombie games are certainly nothing new, the story of Days Gone holds its own and adds something different to the genre that we haven't seen before. As with any game of this type, there's a good amount of zombie-killing action, but as we all know, some of the worst monsters are human and Days Gone sheds a light on the lack of humanity, which draws an effective parallel to the Freakers. What I love most about Days Gone is the open-world concept. The location is so vast and there's so much to explore that it's difficult to get bored. Nothing feels repetitive, and I really enjoy how your choices impact the game. Without spoiling anything, the ending is an intense cliff-hanger and I really hope they will make a second instalment!

Biking in the Zombie Apocalypse

Days Gone is a game that squanders some of its potential for greatness, but depending on your tastes, you may end up loving it or hating it. On its face, Days Gone is a relatively standard zombie game, with enemies called Freakers out in the beautiful open world of eastern Oregon. These enemies aren't anything amazing; however, the big draw here are the Freaker hordes, which provide a new, exciting challenge for anyone who's become bored with the endless zombie games of the past decade. Groups of 50-100 zombies running after you can give you a thrill that's unlike almost any game before. Your main method of transportation is your motorcycle, which plays into the story about a former member of a biker gang, trying to survive a pandemic-induced apocalypse with the ... MoreDays Gone is a game that squanders some of its potential for greatness, but depending on your tastes, you may end up loving it or hating it. On its face, Days Gone is a relatively standard zombie game, with enemies called Freakers out in the beautiful open world of eastern Oregon. These enemies aren't anything amazing; however, the big draw here are the Freaker hordes, which provide a new, exciting challenge for anyone who's become bored with the endless zombie games of the past decade. Groups of 50-100 zombies running after you can give you a thrill that's unlike almost any game before. Your main method of transportation is your motorcycle, which plays into the story about a former member of a biker gang, trying to survive a pandemic-induced apocalypse with the help of his biker brother as he searches for his long lost wife. The bike is a unique item, and if you're okay with having to keep up its fuel levels and overall maintenance, you'll enjoy the challenge the bike provides in traversing the environment. The story has received mixed reviews, and if you are not enjoying it, you probably won't make it through the roughly 40 hour long game. I happened to really enjoy it, and it kept me captivated the whole way through, but it may not land right with others, so ymmv. Days Gone may not have the polish and refinement of a Last of Us, but if you are interested in an open-world zombie game, this might scratch your itch. I will also note that Days Gone has received a recent patch which apparently allows it to run much better on a PlayStation 5 console, so if you are in the market for a PS5 and skipped some of the PS4 generation, I highly recommend this game for your new console.

Excellent Zombie Apocalypse

I came late to this game after its release, but I wish I'd played it sooner. It's a very detailed and realistic survivial-horror experience with weapon degradation, character fatigue, inventory management, and a compelling story of finding the truth about a lost loved one.This game is very engrossing with it's realistic weapon damage, wildlife, and environmental changes. It's particularly difficult when facing off against a zombie horde, which will overwhelm you in seconds with one wrong mistake. You go around clearing hordes around the countryside and improving your reputation with communities of survivors.The narrative is interesting enough to hold your attention until the end, and it's a fairly long game too if you are a completionist. There are periods of ... MoreI came late to this game after its release, but I wish I'd played it sooner. It's a very detailed and realistic survivial-horror experience with weapon degradation, character fatigue, inventory management, and a compelling story of finding the truth about a lost loved one.This game is very engrossing with it's realistic weapon damage, wildlife, and environmental changes. It's particularly difficult when facing off against a zombie horde, which will overwhelm you in seconds with one wrong mistake. You go around clearing hordes around the countryside and improving your reputation with communities of survivors.The narrative is interesting enough to hold your attention until the end, and it's a fairly long game too if you are a completionist. There are periods of variety to go in guns blazing or to use stealth to your advantage, so it's a massively open world with zero load times.The graphics are very good! The sound effects are great. The gameplay is very laid back and open to any play style.