Days Gone

Days Gone is an action survival game set in post-apocalyptic North America, ravaged by a mysterious virus. It was developed by Bend Studio, whose previous work includes Uncharted: Golden Abyss on PlayStation Vita, which was released in 2012. Days Gone is the team's first project developed for the PlayStation 4. Two years after the console release, the game was also released on PC.

Plot

The action of Days Gone takes place two years after the outbreak of a global pandemic virus that turned millions of people into mindless creatures, called by the survivors "marmots". The main character is a former member of a motorcycle gang, and now a bounty hunter, Deacon St. John. The man is trying to cope with the loss of the love of his life and the complete disintegration of the world he knew. The theme is survival, not finding a cure for an illness and saving the world. In presenting its story, the game often returns to the past - the time before the virus that decimated humanity. There is also the story of NERO (National Emergency Response Organization), which tried to cope with the pandemic - unfortunately without success.

Gameplay

Days Gone is a classic action adventure game in which the camera is always behind the main character. We explore the vast sandbox map, perform tasks (main and side - such as cleaning camps from bandits or hunting for animals) and fight with enemies - both human and various types of dangerous virus victims. The latter often move in hordes of up to several hundred individuals, and have their own needs and a daily cycle that regulates their behavior. An interesting detail that makes the game more interesting is the partial interactivity of the environment - we have the ability to, for example, push enemies onto objects or cut ropes supporting felled trees. The developers also focused on tactics and planning - especially in the case of encounters with human enemies.

We fight using an extensive arsenal, including machine guns, shotguns and snipers. Deacon also has a few special abilities, such as slowing down time during the fight (classic bullet time) or the so-called survival vision, which allows us to highlight important objects and enemies, making it easier to see what and who is around us - and where potential threats may be hiding. As the hero progresses in the game, he can learn new things and gradually develop his statistics (such as life or endurance).

The game has an extensive, but relatively easy to use crafting system, which requires us to collect large amounts of various materials. The motorcycle, which we use to move around the map, also has a great impact on the gameplay. We have the opportunity to customize its look, technical parameters (e.g. by changing the tires or the engine), as well as to gain other improvements, such as bags that allow us to carry more items. What's interesting, our steel steed needs gasoline, which we have to take care of if we don't want to get stuck in the dangerous wilderness.

Multiplayer

Days Gone has only single player mode . Game contains so called survival mode which is in practice more difficult version of campaign; it is characterized by lack of fast travel and simplified interface. In the game there are also additional challenges in the form of races or fighting with a horde of "sorcerers".

Technical aspects

Days Gone runs on Unreal Engine 4 and looks very good. The authors have prepared diverse locations and reliable, well animated character models. Bend Studios programmers also took care of the day and night system and variable, realistically reproduced weather conditions. The production is characterized by a depressing, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.