When I started my job at GameStop in 2019, I bought a PS4 on my first day on the job to acclimate to console gaming after delving into the master race for more than half a decade. The first game I played was Days Gone, a title I took a keen interest to due to its presentation, setting, and survival tactics. Unfortunately, I had trouble adjusting to shooting with a controller, and was too stubborn to look past playing a game with a framerate lower than 60. Thankfully, Bend Studio got to port the game to PC, so I gave it a second try in 2021.

It’s common for video games to get a slow start, as the protagonist gets a heavy heaping of backstory and starts with a barren inventory. Thankfully for Days Gone, the story starts off gripping and engaging, and transitions to its musty Oregon map seamlessly. The player controls Deacon St. John, a “drifter” who traverses via bike and takes jobs from camps in the post-apocalyptic forest-y surroundings.

Deacon has to fight off Days Gone‘s take on zombies: Freakers, who range from agile Swarmers to annoying Newts and muscle-bound Heavy Freakers. However, the combat isn’t just against Freakers. Deranged, maniacal Rippers sideline Deacon’s best friend Boozer early on. In addition, scavengers and marauders will be a thorn in Deacon’s side, stealing from his bike when he’s off of it and setting up traps and ambushes to stack the odds against him. Of note is Deacon’s voice actor Sam Witwer, who delivers what I consider to be the most memorable voice acting performance in recent memory. Deacon grunts, exhales and moves his voice up and down to give the dialogue weight and memorability.

As Days Gone progresses, Deacon has the ability to upgrade his bike in several ways. It can only take so much abuse, so adding some protection is a must once you earn the trust of each camp by doing jobs for them. Most important though is upgrading the bike’s fuel tank. It guzzles gas like nobody’s business and necessitates a fill more frequently than one may think. Luckily, gas is prevalent at stations, fill-ups at camps, and canisters off tow trucks.

The focus on survival in Days Gone sets it apart from other titles in the genre. Deacon has to balance a lot such as stamina, health, very limited ammunition, melee weapon durability, suppressor durability, and more to stay alive at any given moment. There were plenty of moments in the early game when I was feeling out combat situations where I was down to just my boot knife with a few Freakers to go. That feeling of desperation gave me the same rush that multiplayer games can give when down to the wire.

Unfortunately for Days Gone, a sequel was passed upon by Sony. Worse off, the game’s director was infamously quoted saying “If you love a game, buy it at f****** full price.“, drawing a lot of backlash from gamers who may get their titles via Xbox Game Pass, PS+ free titles, and sales. Don’t let this take mar the legacy of what is a fantastic action survival game that got passed up by tons who could potentially enjoy it. Days Gone is a diamond in the rough that elicits the best out of gamers who can get the full package of intense combat, heart-wrenching story, and a gameplay loop that will have players hooked for dozens of hours.

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Days Gone

$49.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Incomparable Gameplay Loop
• Best-in-class Voice Acting
• Great Object Permanence

Cons

• Moderately Buggy