Like most other gamers, I’m also a big fan of zombie games, movies, TV shows, and basically anything with zombies in it. I’ve pretty much watched (almost) every zombie movie and played a lot of zombie games too.
Dying Light was one of the most unique and memorable zombie games I’ve ever played. And I loved every minute of it. That changed when I started playing Days Gone.
Days Gone is certainly a unique experience. Unlike most other zombie games, this game has a protagonist with an unlikely background. Certainly, one you wouldn’t expect in a zombie game.
Without further ado, let me dive into the details. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum. And cover the main story with just a brief overview.
Days Gone revolves around a guy named Deacon St. John. He’s a tough and loyal member of a biker gang. But, not the kind of the tough biker dude you would imagine. Deacon also has a soft side. And a will to never give up.
The game begins when Deacon gets separated from his wife, Sarah in the midst of the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. Deacon sends Sarah to safety on a chopper. Or at least that’s what he thought would be. And Deacon stays behind to protect Boozer, his brother from another mother. The rest is history.
The game is all about Deacon and Boozer surviving together. And even after years since the separation from his wife, Deacon continues to search for her. And goes through hell to find even the small glimpse of hope.
In between this story, you also have to go through some challenges and quite entertaining missions. The first thing you need to know about Days Gone is that it has many different kinds of zombies.
Unlike most other zombie games, you can’t just rush in and smash zombies. In Days Gone, you need to combine stealth and strategy to take down zombies. Especially when you’re tasked with destroying zombie nests. And, don’t even get me started on hordes.
Hordes is one of the many unique aspects of Days Gone. Just as it sounds, hordes are hundreds of zombies that flock together. I’ve had a few fits of anxiety attacks while taking down hordes. But it’s from excitement.
But I’m getting side-tracked by the best part of the game—Deacon’s bike.
Days Gone has a massive open world you can travel around using Deacon’s bike. Throughout the game, my main goal was to upgrade this bike and just ride across the map. Took some beautiful screenshots using the photo mode as well.
You can also buy and customize weapons. And there’s a skill tree you can use to make your own melee or weapon-based builds.
Another unique aspect of Days Gone is that it doesn’t have the usual currency system. The game has settlement camps spread across the map. You have to complete missions for each settlement to earn reputation with each camp to unlock upgrades and purchase them.
This was a great approach to gameplay. You can’t grind the same mission over and over to earn money and buy upgrades. You have to complete the missions and progress through the game to unlock them.
In terms of graphics, the game truly takes advantage of the full potential of the PS4. The visuals are stunning. And the dynamic weather system, which cycles between sunny, rainy, and snowy weather, makes everything even better.
There are still a few bugs and glitches in the game. But nothing that breaks the game or your gameplay experience. Since its release, the game received so many patches and updates. And it’s now well-polished to offer a smooth experience to newcomers.
Overall, I really enjoyed my first playthrough of Days Gone. Other than the panic-inducing hordes, the entire time I was playing Days Gone there was never a dull moment. I’m planning on going back and playing the game again with the New Game+ mode. And even complete some of the challenges. The game has enough content to keep you going for 100+ hours and possible 3-4 playthroughs.
I’m confident that Days Gone will be THE best zombie game on PlayStation for many years. Even with Dying Light 2 on the horizon, I will still have a strong bond with Days Gone. Especially because of its unique storytelling aspect and, of course, the cool ride I’ve been building to perfection over dozens of hours.