Action-adventure, survival horror game
Days Gone is a Windows action and horror game by Bend Studio and Sony Interactive Entertainment that drops you in a zombie-filled, post-apocalyptic Oregon. You’ll complete missions and fight to survive as you explore the open-world environment full of gruesome monsters.
Immersive open world
This game takes place in the harsh American wilderness, two years after a global pandemic. You’ll step in the shoes of Deacon St. John (Deek), traveling the lands, scavenging abandoned settlements, crafting weapons, and taking your chances with other survivors.
The rural environment is quite diverse, with forests, meadows, plains, and deserted lava fields. It’s almost as beautiful as it is lethal. However, you shouldn’t get too comfortable. You’ll soon run into vicious hordes of zombies (dubbed as Freakers) for blood-curdling combat.
The environments create an atmosphere of realistic hopelessness. The graphics of the gruesome moments can match even Outlast 2, but the game also gets emotional as Deek struggles to find his missing wife.
Well-structured gameplay
The central storyline is easy to follow, sending you off to specific locations to clear them of Freakers. The primary campaign in itself provides over 40 gameplay hours, without the side quests and extra challenges.
You’re free to roam the world and examine every crevice it has to offer between missions. The open maps feel well-developed, hinting at government conspiracy behind the pandemic and presenting you with distinct human factions to interact and trade with.
A bit formulaic
Despite the excellent worldbuilding and adrenaline-pumping battles, Days Gone feels underdeveloped. The story doesn’t offer much depth, the protagonist seems flat, and the narrative quickly gets repetitive.
While it ticks all the boxes on the surface, critics and gamers feel like something was missing in this release. The open-world maps are beautiful, but they quickly get dull, and the missions aren’t half as challenging as in Bloodborne, creating an unremarkable air around this title.
Our take
Overall, Days Gone is a decent game. It provides long hours of engaging gameplay and meets modern design standards. However, it ends up providing a mediocre experience.
Should you download it?
Yes, if you’re after some thrilling, zombie-packed action on your PC screen. But, look elsewhere if you’d like to play an inventive, ground-breaking game.
