DAYS GONE REVIEW
DAYS GONE REVIEW
Days Gone is a phenomenal, must play game. I wasn’t able to play it much when it first came out due to a busy schedule, but the last week I plowed through it, completing the campaign and most side missions. The game features a lengthy, in depth campaign, focused on Deacon St. John, a former biker from Farewell, Oregon. As Deacon, you are tasked with surviving a broken world, barely clinging to its past self while dealing with its current apocalypse. This world, (very much the embodiment of Days Gone), also represents Deacon. He’s a rough, but good man, barely hanging on to the will to live. His best friend Boozer, along with the nagging feeling that his missing wife Sarah is somehow still alive, are all that keeps him going. As the story progresses, Deacon finds himself dealing with all kinds of post-apocalyptic unpleasantries: cultists, bandits, “freakers” (infected), wolves, bears, and other manner of enemies.
VEHICULAR WASTELAND
To me, Days Gone feels like a cross between the narrative heavy post-apocalyptic masterpiece The Last of Us, and the vehicular heavy wasteland game Mad Max. Your bike, simply put, is incredibly important in the game. Not only is it a symbol of Deacon’s past, but it is his method of transportation throughout the game. Along with the ability to upgrade your skills as you level up, you gain the ability to purchase upgrades for your bike as you gain influence in the various settlements in Days Gone.
Combat in the game is very gritty and brutal. The sheer number of different weapons you can purchase or build in the game is quite impressive, with every weapon feeling unique and best suited for a given encounter. Nailed baseball bats, Molotovs, submachine guns, sniper rifles, revolvers, and a combat knife are just a few examples of Deacon’s available tools. The radial dial for selecting weapons, healing supplies, and other gear is intuitive and easy to use.
For all the completionist out there, many side quests, collectables, and earnable trophies are available. These tasks and quests include, for example, personal favor type quests for a friend, clearing out “freaker” nests, bounty hunting, defeating bandit camps, etc. A lot of these task type things are available post campaign as well, so don’t fret if you plow through the campaign quickly and still want to spend time in this world; there’s certainly plenty to do!
There are some bugs in the game, ranging from game-crashing, to stuttering screens from time to time, but these are things I can overlook, assuming the story, characters, world, and gameplay are good. In the case of Days Gone, they are all phenomenal, so I definitely wouldn’t let a few annoying bugs stop you from experiencing this gem. There’s a reason the game is selling very well despite some overall “meh” reviews from some gaming critics: The game is awesome. Absolutely recommend it.
Miscellaneous: (Reviewed on PS4 Pro) Beautiful graphics, really pushes the PS4 Pro to its limits. Amazing soundtrack as well.