Days Gone

"*The world comes for you.*"
―Tagline.

International boxart, depicting protagonist Deacon St. Johns and his motorcycle, with a horde of Freakers in the background

### Director

John Garvin
Jeff Ross

### Platforms

PlayStation 4
PC

### Release

**PlayStation 4**:
April 26, 2019
**PC**: Spring 2021

### Genre(s)

Action-adventure, survival-horror, stealth

### Mode(s)

single-player

***Days Gone*** is a 2019 action-adventure survival-horror video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. A PC port was released in 2021.

Set in Oregon, US, *Days Gone* chronicles the story of Deacon St. John in a post-apocalyptic United States two years a global pandemic which was caused by mindless, cannibalistic zombie-like creatures referred to as Freakers. Deacon, an outlaw-turned-drifter and bounty hunter, embarks on a quest to find his missing wife Sarah after discovering a hint that she might be alive. The game is set in an open-world environment comprised of Oregon's abandoned towns and landmarks, which Deacon can explore to find supplies or complete various quests for leaders of survivor camps. Deacon can use firearms, stealth and improvised weaponry to fight off Freakers and other survivors; large mobs of Freakers, known as "Hordes", occupy certain landmarks and appear in specific story quests. A key mechanic in the game is Deacon's motorcycle, which has to be maintained and can be upgraded with the necessary currency and tools.

Announced at E3 2016, *Days Gone* was Bend Studio's first console title since 2004's *Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow* and first new IP since launching the *Syphon Filter* series in 1999. Development began in early 2015 under the title *Dead Don't Ride* and made use of the Unreal Engine 4. The game's open world nature was decided early on, and its mission structure was designed to replicate linear titles with heavy set-pieces and memorable narratives akin to Naughty Dog's *Uncharted* games. Due to the scope and ambition of the game, Bend encountered several obstacles during development, which led to scrapping some mechanics such as story choices. *Days Gone* was originally slated for a 2018 release, but was delayed numerous times prior to its April 2019 release. It was the last game by Bend Studio to involve studio veterans John Garvin and Jeff Ross.

*Days Gone* received generally mixed reviews. It was praised for its visuals, vocal perfomances, fundamental game mechanics, map design and Horde encounters, but criticized for technical issues present at launch, writing and pacing, enemy designs and open world activities, with several outlets commenting on its post-apocalypse setting as lacking originality. Despite mixed reception, *Days Gone* was nominated for several end-year accolades and enjoyed steady sales, selling over 5 million copies. A pitch for a sequel was reportedly rejected by Sony, leading Bend to begin work on a new intellectual property.

## Gameplay

*Days Gone* is an action-adventure video game with survival-horror and stealth elements, set in a post-apocalyptic open world. Players control Deacon St. John, a former outlaw biker who sets on a journey to find out if his wife Sarah survived the outbreak. The world of *Days Gone* is inhabited by desperate survivor camps whose leaders hire Deacon, unaffiliated marauder gangs, a death cult by the name of "Rippers", and feral zombie-like creatures referred to as Freakers.

## Reception

### Pre-release

Rachel Weber of GamesRadar believed *Days Gone* was "shaping up to be worth the wait" following its delay to an April 2019 release. She praised the vibrant environments of Oregon and the hostility presented by the game's various enemies, finding the Freakers to be "a genuinely unnerving foe to deal with".

### Reviews

* MetaCritic: 71/100 (109 reviews)
* OpenCritic: 71/100 (142 reviews)
* Destructoid: 6/10
* Easy Allies: 7.5/10
* Edge: 5/10
* The Escapist: 4/5
* Eurogamer: 8/10 (IT)
* Game Informer: 7.8/10
* GamesRadar: 3.5/5
* GameSpot: 5/10
* Guardian: 3/5
* IGN: 6.5/10 (EN); 8/10 (ES); 8/10 (IT)
* PlayStation LifeStyle: 9/10
* PlayStation Official Magazine: 9/10 (UK)
* PlayStation Universe: 8/10
* Push Square: 7/10
* VGC: 2/5
* VideoGamer: 8/10

*Days Gone* received generally mixed-to-positive reviews. It currently holds a score of 71/100 on MetaCritic based on 109 reviews, categorized as "mixed or average reviews" by the site. On OpenCritic, the game holds a score of 71/100 based on 139 reviews, categorized as "fair" with 50% of reviewers recommending the title; the reviewers summary states "While there are some great moments in *Days Gone*, its best ideas are never at the forefront. Though some critics genuinely enjoyed the title, others criticized its dull narrative and uninteresting world."

Eurogamer's Malindy Hetfeld considered *Days Gone* to be "frequently gorgeous" but "sadly generic" as an open world game. GamesRadar's Leon Hurley called it a "keen and engaging" game despite its issues. Edwin Evans-Thirlwell of VGC found it to be a dull open world game that barely justified its existence. In contrast, Chandler Wood of PlayStation LifeStyle believed the title "checks all the boxes of a proverbial PlayStation exclusive", but had its own "unique identity" that made him fall in love with the game. VideoGamer's Josh Wise called *Days Gone* a "grim, beautiful B-movie" and enjoyed the "pulpy thrills" of its gameplay and story.

*Day Gone* was noted for receiving a more positive reaction from fans. In a feature listing the game as Push Square's Reader's Choice game of the year, Push Square's Robert Ramsey noted how the game "was an instant hit with so many regular gamers" which "struck an undeniable chord with" the PS4 userbase.

*Days Gone* received post-release support and patches from Bend Studio, which contributed to improved reception. Push Square's Croft believed *Days Gone* became an "essential" addition to the PlayStation 4 thanks to Bend Studio's continued work to improve the game through free downloadable content. He further noted that Bend Studio's efforts attracted "a fanbase eager for more". I a feature overseeing Sony's studios, IGN's Jonathon Dornbush commended Bend Studio for "a great job of post-launch support".

The PlayStation 5 update for *Days Gone* also received generally positive reactions. Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter was impressed with the improvements, praising the updated visuals and consistent framerate. In examining the update, he noted how the PS5 patch "actually build[s] upon a solid PlayStation 4 version" following the game's post-release support. John-Paul Jones of PlayStation Universe called the update "satisfying" for the framerate-per-second increase, deeming *Days Gone* to be "effectively reborn and an experience worth revisiting again".

### PC release

* MetaCritic: 75/100
* Eurogamer: 8/10 (IT)
* GameRevolution: 4/5
* Gaming Age: B+
* PC Gamer: 63/100

### Sales

While *Days Gone* received mixed reviews, it was a commercial success, becoming the top selling physical release in the United Kingdom on its week of release, before maintaining its position as the best selling software in all formats for three weeks.

The game was opened to strong sales in Japan, where it outsold Sony's previous exclusive titles, *Horizon Zero Dawn* and *God of War*. By May 2019, it outsold the lifetime sales of *God of War* and fellow PS4 exclusive *The Last Guardian*. It sold around 114,319 physical copies on its first three days.

In North America, *Days Gone* was the second best selling software of April 2020 after Warner Bros.' *Mortal Kombat 11*. It became the best-selling game developed by Bend Studio, and the seventh-highest debut in sales for a Sony-published title. By June 2019, it was the eighth best-selling title of the year.

By November 2020, *Days Gone* sold over 5 million copies.

## Legacy

References to *Days Gone* were made by other PlayStation Studios titles, including *Ghost of Tsushima* (2020), *Astro's Playroom* (2020), *The Last of Us Part I* (2022) and *God of War Ragnarök* (2022).

## Future

In November 2019, technical director and Bend Studio head Christopher Reese hinted at the potential of a sequel, stating "this is a world that [Bend Studio] want to keep breathing more life into, and explore many, many different avenues". A report from Bloomberg published in April 2021 claimed that a sequel to *Days Gone* was pitched but ultimately rejected. The report was corroborated by *Days Gone* directors Ross and Garvin, who at the time of the publication, already left the studio. According to Ross, the sequel would have included improved technical aspects and features, including co-op gameplay.

In a June 2021 interview, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst confirmed that Bend Studio was working on a new intellectual property instead of a *Days Gone* sequel.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/broken-hearts-bones-and-baby-monsters-days-gone-is-a-big-mood-and-the-green-apocalypse-you-didnt-know-you-need/
2. ↑ https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/01/game\_of\_the\_year\_push\_square\_readers\_top\_10\_ps4\_games\_of\_2019
3. ↑ Feature: *Days Gone* - Why Sony Bend's PS4 Open Worlder Is Essential a Year Later. Croft, Liam.
4. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/the-state-of-playstation-studios-2021-update
5. ↑ https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2021-days-gone-ps5-the-60fps-difference
6. ↑ https://www.psu.com/news/hands-on-impressions-days-gone-is-reborn-on-ps5-with-incredible-performance-boost/
7. ↑ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/05/03/days-gone-sales-top-the-uk-charts-for-the-month-of-april/
8. ↑ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/05/07/days-gone-sales-numbers-uk-retail/#/slide/1
9. ↑ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/05/08/days-gone-launch-in-japan-bigger-than-major-sony-exclusives/#/slide/1
10. ↑ https://gematsu.com/2019/05/famitsu-sales-4-29-19-5-5-19
11. ↑ https://gematsu.com/2019/05/famitsu-sales-4-22-19-4-28-19
12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWH7hvR7LGk
13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZIcYtn\_CCM
14. ↑ Daniel Ahmad, *Twitter*.
15. ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/days-gone-2-sequel-tease/
16. ↑ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-09/sony-s-obsession-with-blockbusters-is-stirring-unrest-within-playstation-empire
17. ↑ https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/12/days-gone-2-details-revealed-by-games-director-including-a-shared-universe-with-co-op
18. ↑ https://blog.playstation.com/2021/06/02/hermen-hulst-qa-whats-next-for-playstation-studios/