Days Gone is a game that focuses on established patterns while still providing a very engrossing experience for veteran gamers. The open environment ruled by sick “freaks” is Days Gone’s strongest aspect. We feel more and more like we’re in remote American forests and mountains with each kilometer ridden on a motorcycle. At the same time, entertainment keeps you engrossed for hours. However, before we accelerate, the game exposes us to the fundamentals of the tale, primarily through flashbacks. We don’t know where the infected came from or what happened to some of Deacon’s comrades, the game’s primary character. To be sure, the story moves at a leisurely pace, but this is acceptable for the game. The second half of the game becomes more lively, and occasionally even shocking. The entire thing, however, is built on fairly well-known and sometimes easy to anticipate patterns, which does not interfere with the overall experience of the game.
This one isn’t very shocking, but it’s sophisticated. It is an open-world third-person action game. So we have a lot of leeway in the sequence in which duties are completed, and there is a lot of extremely well-executed stealth and motorbike chases in addition to shooting. Days Gone also emphasizes survival – luckily, the bar isn’t set too high, so most players should be able to overcome the trials with ease. Surprisingly, as part of the game, we fight not only the undead, but also humans. Deacon was a member of a motorcycle club before freaks, the equivalent of zombies, took over America. In the harsh realities of the new world, he travels from camp to camp, assisting surviving alongside his comrade. He is a vagabond, or a nomad – a person who is not affiliated with any group and moves around. Deacon, a freelancer, travels many work camps, assisting the residents and eventually uncovering the secrets of the afflicted as well as deeper personal concerns.
However, living between camps is difficult because the whole globe is ruled by various varieties of undead, bandits, and perpetuals. The latter grouping is fairly significant for the tale, but we won’t divulge any more details about them so that you may enjoy the game on your own. The biggest opponent, though, is taking risks and making rash travel decisions. The most crucial items in Days Gone are gasoline for our motorbike and scrap, which we utilize to fix the machine and melee weapons. While scrap metal is rather easy to obtain, we typically locate it beneath the hoods of automobiles – you frequently have to strive to obtain gasoline. Canisters and dispensers with remaining fuel are marked on the radar across the game area, although reaching them might be difficult. Especially when the tank is running low. In this case, we can either ride the motorbike backwards, pushing off with our legs, or go trekking. In the case of the second option, we will eventually come across big groups of freaks, which generally results in the death of the hero. Fortunately, the game is nice and teleports the character and the motorcycle to a location near the fuel supply.
This is an oversimplification, but it demonstrates that the game makers were seeking for a happy medium between realism and informal adventure. The outcome is twofold, because it is clear that there should not be too much fuel in such a world. On the other side, we have to refill the machine frequently, which rapidly gets tedious. In fact, completing even two missions without stopping to seek for gasoline is difficult. In reality, the gaming environment requires us to stop at nearly every abandoned automobile to grab precious stuff and, in some cases, gasoline. In this regard, the balance should surely be addressed. The fact that we do not encounter other bikers or even automobiles on the road while traveling the trails further casts a shade on the world’s reality. It’s remarkable that only two-wheelers have stayed “alive.” However, we quickly forget about it because the motorbike handles fantastically. The driving model has been enhanced, and traveling the environment on various surfaces, as well as driving in the forest, avoiding obstacles, and hitting zombies, is just fantastic. However, there are some issues with accurate collision computation, particularly when we run into others in the camp. While we can run over practically any freak, we just bounce back from our allies in an unusual way. These and a few other sorts of collisions can result in some amusing issues.
However, it is preferable to avoid colliding with the bike since repairs are costly, especially if we want to fix them in the camp workshop. The same is true for refueling. The most essential factor, though, is that minor inconsistencies in the environment do not detract from the game’s overall enjoyment. The sensation of navigating through a disintegrating universe is fantastic. When night falls and it begins to rain, we are overcome with feelings of loneliness and pessimism. Despite the fact that the map is relatively wide, it is quite compact, and we frequently pass past abandoned cities or camps. The world is also not empty. Aside from the primary plot, the creators have planned a number of side activities. And, while they are not required, it is worthwhile to pay attention to them. The benefits for completing additional chores are loyalty points in a certain camp, which can later be used to purchase motorbike upgrades – which are always helpful. Other actions revolve upon regaining control of the so-called Nero’s medical points. In each situation, the procedure is the same: locate fuel for the generator, turn off the speakers, and switch on the power. We then use an injector to obtain entrance to a hidden research facility. We boost the number of health, stamina, and concentration points with a unique injection. This is still an optional activity, but without it, the game becomes extremely tough in later stages. There are also random occasions where we generally save victims from bandits’ hands or zombie claws. We shepherd the survivor to the chosen camp, receiving various forms of bonuses and loyalty points in the process.
All of the mechanics utilized in Days Gone are thus quite familiar to video game fans. And, in reality, this is Bend Studio’s most valuable asset: the game avoids unneeded revolutions, instead relying on tried-and-true answers. Days Gone captures the imagination with its ambiance, world design, and various undead. It’s a game that doesn’t offer hollow promises, instead relying on excellent workmanship. Fans of open-world action games will enjoy dozens of hours of good gameplay.