Developed by Bend Studios and released in 2019, Days Gone is an open world zombie title. This is one I'd been looking forward to playing for a while, ever since I saw the initial gameplay footage of a man pursued by a literal flood of zombies, using doors to hold them at bay and preparing himself to cull the numbers when they break through, the building shaking and wood collapsing as they do. Really, it was like some sort of boyhood fantasy of mine made real, and I couldn't wait to fight these "hordes" for myself. So how does the game fare to this impressive footage?
The game follows Deacon St John, a man with a name so ridiculous and badass that it instantly becomes one of the most memorable in gaming (for me at least). Once a member of a biker gang before the world was taken over by a zombie virus, he is a natural survivalist, but having lost almost all that he held dear, his wife in particular, he is left jaded and cynical, alive, but without a purpose. However, once his only remaining friend is badly injured, he is forced to reconnect with other survivor camps, uncover secrets about the NERO organisation and their observations on the ever evolving "freakers", search for closure from his losses and keep the camps safe from growing threats of cultists and gangs.
Firstly, I quite liked the character of Deacon St John. Played by Sam Witwer, whose other roles in the Star Wars franchise and Battlestar Galactica have been very enjoyable, coming across as a fan of the works he invests himself in just as much as the audience, he has a dry wit to him, trying to find any bit of twisted humour he can in the zombie infested Oregon, having a subtlety about him through a generally stoic persona. I only wish this game allowed us to see more of his range, as I felt he was slightly limited by the game and the motion capture, but he is always a welcome face.
Additionally, the use of his bike is a well executed one, serving as your method of transportation, your lifeline to escape when the odds are stacked against you, your ability to reach off the track items and enhancements, and even as a weapon should the occasion call for it. It plays very well, and makes traversing an entire region a breeze, even fun, something that a lot of open world games struggle to do.
Now, for the unique selling point of the game; the hordes. They can be divided into two; the hordes you can find while exploring, and the set-piece hordes with larger numbers and a dynamic environment to add to the excitement. However, no matter what form they are in or precisely how many freakers there are, they are all exhilarating. Seeing hundreds of zombies clamouring toward you at a time, all running and covering your view is absolutely fantastic, not to mention terrifying, especially when you run into one early in the game. These are the primary reason anyone would buy the game, and they make it more than worth it, sparking not just a deep sense of fear or tension, but also letting the imagination run wild. I said earlier how it was like some sort of boyhood fantasy made real, well it truly is, pushing the boundary for what a game can do in my eyes, at least on a visual and mechanical level.
Where the game falls short is what it doesn't innovate - supporting characters and story. While a few overarching plot threads really pay off and have some emotional weight to them, I can only really think of four characters that I truly cared for, the rest were fairly stock or generic, and combining this with a very non-linear story that doesn't seem to know when to start or end, and I could completely understand why someone would be put off and not make it to the more satisfying moments. Rather than looking at the game as a single story, I would recommend going in with the expectation of it being far more episodic than your usual game of the same ilk, taking its time and experimenting with many different things rather than a one and done story with a few side quests to do along the way. It's more like two or three seasons of a show than a movie in terms of narrative, so I'd bear that in mind going in.
Also, if open world games feel repetitive or boring to you, I'd imagine this one would do the same, with new regions gradually opened up to explore, a long list of collectibles and activities to complete dotted all across a giant map. While it managed to engage me in a way that many others don't, I'm going to have to say I'm pretty biased on this one due to the reasons I enjoy it so much I listed earlier.
Still, despite these seemingly glaring flaws, there is something that compelled me to play on. Perhaps the gameplay loop that never seemed to get old, or my familiarity and admiration for Sam Witwer, or the promise of the hordes and the rush of adrenaline I got taking them on. Whatever the case, Days Gone is a game that I truly love. Subjectively, I'd give this one a 9 out of 10, but when I bring myself back to reality, I know it is more of a 7.5. Nevertheless, if you get the opportunity, I would definitely say to give it a go. You may well experience some fraction of the awesome wish fulfilment that it granted me.
7.5 out of 10
SPOILER SECTION
I found one of the most compelling aspects of the story was Deacon's struggle for Boozer's life, from the early game of tending to him after being burned by Rippers, to having to bring him to Lost Lake for professional medical help and the amputation of his arm, to giving him a reason to keep living. In order to achieve this, he also had to become involved in Lost Lake, eliminating threats and improving the lives of those there. In a way, giving Boozer that reason to carry on going in spite of the loss, injury and depression gave one to Deacon, a very powerful theme that I only wish could have been explored a little more concisely.
This problem of conciseness persists throughout the story, most notably in the backstory of Deacon and the Farewell Mongrels. Jack, Jessie before he became Carlos, leader of the Rippers both should have been given some flashbacks to set up twists or let the player in on references. It feels like entire chunks were cut out in favour of some quests that don't seem to add anything, leaving many character moments, like the revelation of Jessie, feeling strangely hollow when they should have been impactful, or the naming of Boozer's dog Jack. And, when you finish off the Rippers, something that feels like a climax in the story, you go on an entirely new journey to find Sarah in the Militia occupied Southern Regions, adding a whole new set of characters and objectives, only to have the militia attack Lost Lake again, creating a sort of narrative loop.
To make the story more concise, the problems of the Rippers and the militia needed to be dealt with at about the same time, with only one attack on Lost Lake. Perhaps if, in order to take on the militia, Deacon had to overthrow Jessie and use the Rippers as soldiers, or maybe if he needed their equipment and had to take them out to get it and successfully storm Wizard Island. It would certainly help with the pacing of the game and give each of the factions more narrative significance than just being the bad guys that had to be dealt with at this particular time.
The first two regions needed more to do in the story as well, instead of just taking a backseat to Lost Lake, as after the first dozen hours, there really wasn't much incentive to return to them, making them feel fairly null.
Still, the post-game kept the appeal going, with post-credit quests that offer greater finality to the story, like Iron Mike's burial and Lisa's return that both made me realise just how invested in the game I got, as I really began to feel for the characters. Then came the warning from O'Brien - the freakers are evolving. He removes his hazmat helmet to reveal himself to be infected, and yet in control of himself despite painful contortions and a disfigured appearance. He then tells Deacon that "they" are coming, whether he is referring to NERO or the freakers remains unknown. This is a great final cliffhanger to leave the game in some uncertainty. We hadn't seen the faces of any other NERO personnel, so it is very possible that the others are infected like him, but are able to control it, or exploit it to enhance themselves, a daunting thought for a possible sequel, which at this point we can only hope will be made.
UP NEXT
I'll go on a few more tv reviews for the time being, ranging from personal favourites like Attack on Titan and Doctor Who to some of the more contentious like Wandavision and Torchwood. Stay tuned!
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