It’s been almost six years since Bend Studio’s Days Gone launched for the PS4. While the initial critical reaction wasn’t the best, the action-adventure title has sold millions of copies and gained a strong following. PC players would get their hands on it in 2021, but a sequel remains one of the biggest requests from fans, even if there’s little to no hope.
On the bright side, it’s finally bringing the game to PS5 with Days Gone Remastered. Launching on April 25th, it includes new modes, improvements, PS5-exclusive features and much more. PC players can also enjoy the content via a separate paid DLC, Broken Roads, which goes live on the same day. Without further ado, here are 15 things you should know about the remaster, whether you’re experiencing Days Gone for the first time or upgrading from the PS4.
Setting
Days Gone unfolds in Oregon following a zombie outbreak (with the creatures later termed Freakers). Though there’s a brief introduction during the outbreak, most of the story unfolds two years later, with protagonist Deacon St. John becoming a mercenary. While there are different factions, including hostile groups like the Rippers, to deal with, Deacon is also on a mission to find his wife, Sarah, who may still be alive.
Open World Design
The open world of Days Gone is intriguing because it offers the usual tropes – enemy camps, bounties, NERO checkpoints, Freaker nests, faction missions, and much more. Besides the Pacific Northwest region offering some incredible natural vistas, it also features wide areas and extensive roads to traverse. Fortunately, as a former biker gang member, Deacon has his motorcycle to navigate the wilderness.
Bike Management and Other Survival Elements
This leads to another distinguishing element of the gameplay loop – maintaining your bike. You’ll have to repair and refuel it regularly, and various upgrades improve durability, reduce the noise level, increase the amount of ammo it can carry, and even provide a speed boost courtesy of nitrous.
Freaker Types and Other Enemies
The Freakers are notable since, well, there are thousands of them, and they can attack you in a horde, literally spilling over each other in the process. Aside from the regular Freakers, you have Swarmers who hunt in hordes at nighttime, the hunter-like Newts, Screamers who alert the horde, the tanky Breakers, and much more.
You’ll encounter tougher variants of certain types like the Bleacher and Reacher as well, possessing more health and dealing more damage. If that wasn’t enough, infected wildlife and other humans further add to the danger.
Combat
There are several options for defending yourself, though, including a variety of firearms like submachine guns, pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, machine guns, assault rifles, and more. You can also equip melee weapons like axes, bats, and machetes, which help save ammo and ensure less noise is generated. You can equip four weapons at a time, though the usual Molotov cocktails, proximity mines, pipe bombs and so on are also available.
While going loud is very much an option in many cases – especially to attract Swarmers towards hostile humans and make them fight – you could also sneak around with a knife and quietly assassinate foes. Later, you’ll unlock suppressors for firearms and discover crossbows for even stealthier combat.
Post-Launch Updates
When the original Days Gone launched, its level of polish and technical state left something to be desired, but thankfully, Bend Studio stuck with it, offering extensive post-launch support. All those updates carry over into the remaster, including the option to reset Ambush Camps, Hordes, and Infestation Zones, weekly DLC challenges, New Game Plus, Survival difficulty (followed by Hard 2 and Survival 2), and more.
Horde Assault
The biggest new addition in Days Gone Remastered is Horde Assault. Described as a “survival arcade mode,” players must fight through an “ever-changing” landscape with much larger hordes and tougher enemies. The longer you stay alive, the more challenging enemies will become, but you can earn better gear upon leveling up. Aside from a unique experience for veteran players, it also provides rewards like new playable characters, Injectors, and patches.
Speedrun Mode
You’ve probably finished Story Mode in Days Gone multiple times, but have you tried to do it as fast as possible? Speedrun Mode is the ticket, challenging you to complete the story in the shortest time. If it’s anything like the Speedrun Mode in The Last of Us Part 1 and Part 2 Remastered, there should be an in-game timer and a way to distinguish legitimate times.
Permadeath
Alternatively, why not play through the game and attempt to complete it without dying with Permadeath? For the ultimate challenge (and maximum suffering), try playing on Hard 2 or Survival 2 difficulty. There probably aren’t any rewards for completing it, but bragging rights are bragging rights.
Enhanced Photo Mode
What’s better than trying to survive during a zombie apocalypse? Capturing pictures of gorgeous Oregon, whether it’s the extensive forests, the mountain peaks, or the deadly hordes of Freakers craving your flesh. The remaster offers a few enhancements to Photo Mode, and while new logos don’t sound as exciting, you can now set the time of day and leverage a three-point lighting system for just the right atmosphere.
Reduced Loading Times
Thanks to the PS5’s solid-state drive, loading times are reduced, which means less time spent fast traveling, respawning or entering the game. While it should undoubtedly offer a boost over the PS4, it should also beat out the loading times afforded by backwards compatibility (almost 30 seconds).
Graphical Improvements
Fans can also expect visual improvements, particularly to the shadow and lighting quality and foliage draw distance, thus leveraging that extra power. Those with supported displays can also take advantage of Variable Refresh Rate. Quality Mode and Performance Mode are available, and we’re curious to see how the remaster matches up to the PC version’s visuals. Though PS5 Pro support is confirmed, Bend Studio hasn’t outlined any specific enhancements yet.
DualSense Support
The DualSense’s Adaptive Triggers and Haptic Feedback are both supported, each adding to the immersion in unique ways. The former provides a different feel and resistance depending on the weapon while the latter simulates many in-game phenomena – whether it’s the roar of the engine or the feel of different roads – through vibrations.
Pricing and Pre-order Bonuses
Days Gone Remastered retails for $49.99 but those who pre-order will receive eight PSN avatars and several items and upgrades unlocked early. These include the Drifter Crossbow, Shroud Upgrade 1 (which increases the bike’s overall durability), Nitrous Upgrade 1 (for boosting and also increasing durability), Gas Tank Upgrade 1 (for slightly more fuel capacity) and the Monkey Wrench Skill (which makes scrap more effective for bike repairs). Once again, all of this is included in the game – pre-ordering simply unlocks them early and makes the initial hours slightly more comfortable.
$10 Upgrade for PS4 Owners
Like Sony’s other remasters, those who own the original on PS4 can upgrade to the remaster for just $10. Considering all the new modes, it’s not a bad deal, especially if you love Days Gone.
