Days Gone Remastered brings Bend Studio’s 2019 open-world survival game back to the forefront, this time optimized for the PlayStation 5. The remaster enhances the original’s visual fidelity, offering improved lighting, increased foliage draw distances, and smoother performance options. Players can choose between a Quality mode, which emphasizes higher resolution, and a Performance mode, which targets a steadier framerate. Additionally, the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers provide a more immersive experience, especially during motorcycle rides and combat sequences. But is it worth the upgrade?
The game’s narrative follows Deacon St. John, a former outlaw biker navigating a post-apocalyptic world overrun by “Freakers.” While the story remains unchanged, the remaster introduces new gameplay modes, such as “Quick Game” and “Permadeath,” adding fresh challenges for returning players. The inclusion of a new Horde Assault mode offers intense combat scenarios, requiring a degree of strategic planning as well as quick reflexes to survive waves of enemies.
Visually, the remaster capitalizes on the PS5’s capabilities, delivering more detailed environments and dynamic lighting effects. The improved draw distances and enhanced shadows contribute to a more immersive world. However, while the graphical upgrades are noticeable, they may not be substantial enough to warrant a repurchase for those who played the original – which was already one of the most impressive PS4 titles to grace that console.
Gameplay mechanics remain largely consistent with the original release. The core loop of scavenging for resources, maintaining your motorcycle, and engaging in combat with both human and Freaker adversaries continues to provide a satisfying experience. The addition of DualSense features enhances the tactile feedback during gameplay, adding a new layer of immersion.
Despite the enhancements, some of the original game’s shortcomings persist. Despite a strong setup, certain narrative elements and character developments feel underwhelming, and some gameplay mechanics could benefit from further refinement. These lingering issues suggest that while the remaster improves upon the original, it doesn’t fully address all of its flaws.
In conclusion, Days Gone Remastered offers a more polished version of the original game, with visual and performance improvements that enhance the overall experience. For newcomers, it’s an excellent opportunity to explore Deacon’s journey with the benefits of modern hardware. For returning players, the new modes and enhanced features provide additional reasons to revisit the game, though they may not be sufficient to overcome the original’s enduring issues. We’re still hoping for sequel, and perhaps this remaster can ignite interest in that.
Score: 8.0/10
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