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Days Gone Review Thread (See Staff Post)

Predict Days Gone's Metacritic score

  • 59 or lower

    Votes: 12 1.3%

  • 60-69

    Votes: 18 1.9%

  • 70-79

    Votes: 358 37.6%

  • 80-89

    Votes: 549 57.7%

  • who needs TLoU anyway? (90 or higher)

    Votes: 13 1.4%
  • Total voters
    952
  • Poll closed .
Yautja_Warrior

Yautja_Warrior

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,707
United Kingdom
Got back from Avengers Endgame (wow) and couldn't resist having a go of Days Gone.

First impressions, it looks really great on the Pro, the level of detail in the world is really nice and HDR looks good. It sounds fine too, with a nice soundtrack and decent voice acting so far. The framerate feels mostly fine, but it does have some dips hear and there.

Riding the bike feels great, drifting around tight corners is a lot of fun. Shooting feels a little light, lacking a bit of impact but it's not bad and melee combat feels fine. I like the survival elements too. Cannot wait to take on the big hordes.

Need to play more of course but so far my experience is really good, it's certainly far from terrible.

It's definitely rough around the edges in places and lacks the polish of God of War or Horizon but to me, it feels like some of the reviews were a little too harsh on it.

Hopefully Bend can fix some of the issues because there's a lot to like and it seems a decent game so far, even if it's a bit of a step down from Sony's best exclusives.
 
SushiReese

SushiReese

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,991
Really feeling bad for devs. Imagine hundreds of devs spending five years of their lives on this project and then get these negative receptions:( Triple-A games today are costly to make. Hope Bend studio could make though.
This score reminded me of Dead Space 3, even World War Z pc meta score is higher :(
 
tanky

tanky

Banned
Apr 2, 2019
351
ThaNotoriousSOD said:
Do you guys think Bend is in danger at all? I really really really hope not, I'm just asking out of genuine concern after seeing some studios I really like get killed off or divorced from Sony after not meeting expectations. (zipper, evolution, ready at dawn, Lightbox).
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It'd be premature to shutter Bend after their first big project, especially since Days Gone appears to be solid enough. The game had been in development for some time but the studio is also on the smaller side, too.
 
joe_zazen

joe_zazen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,490
SushiReese said:
Really feeling bad for devs. Imagine hundreds of devs spending five years of their lives on this project and then get these negative receptions:( Triple-A games today are costly to make. Hope Bend studio could make though.
Even World War Z pc meta score is higher :(
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Lots of people really like the game and each member can feel pride in their own work. Accentuate the positive...
 
Castlemadeofsand

Castlemadeofsand

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
672
Did not know they were behind syphon filter. I loved that game and would have definitely bought a new one. Not this though. Disappointed
 

Deleted member 48897

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 22, 2018
13,623
ket said:
The Last Guardian!
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Yeah -- Sony usually puts a lot of effort into marketing stuff on its platform that isn't violent either, a lot of which is first-party or long-term exclusive. Flower and Journey got a lot of attention. Everybody's Golf/Hot Shots series has been going on for how long? Isn't Tetris Effect supposed to be like the game selling people on PSVR? and oh god I spent forever trying to remember the name of Hohokum
 

Deleted member 8408

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
6,648
SushiReese said:
Really feeling bad for devs. Imagine hundreds of devs spending five years of their lives on this project and then get these negative receptions:( Triple-A games today are costly to make. Hope Bend studio could make though.
Even World War Z pc meta score is higher :(
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Ok the game isn't a knockout hit by any measure of the imagination (it's clearly nothing special) but where does this notion that the reviews are "negative" come from?

Just two of the reviews on metacritic fall into the "negative" category and the majority fall into the "positive" category. It basically averages out to be... Average. You could even say "disappointing" since many reviews state the fact that this game was a missed opportunity.

Glancing back at this thread anyone would think it's a complete disaster.
 
Mona

Mona

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
26,151
We may never learn exactly why the game changed so dramatically, but it's obvious to anyone who's been following closely that we're not playing the Days Gone Bend Studio intended to make even a year ago.
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thats troubling to say the least
 
Mona

Mona

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
26,151
Vinc said:


This is hilarious
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9f179c7c7637cd82e7d2a2580dd8b37b.gif
 
tulpa

tulpa

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
3,878
Tonky said:
How so? What exactly changed dramatically?
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Definitely the story choice element has changed. I looked at some older gameplay footage and there's an emphasis on making big decisions that impact the story and there's basically none of that in the final game. Luckily it still works as a linear story imo
 
KORNdog

KORNdog

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
8,001
HenryEen said:
I might be misunderstanding you, but I'm thinking of AC mission where the game drops you into heavily fortified place and you need to stay near target "circle" to eavesdrop. The problem is the game want you to keep up with the moving "circle" all while avoiding guards, get caught and you fail the mission immediately. I recall nearly giving up on Black Flag because I get stuck on one such mission.

In the Kotaku review apparently the eavesdropping mission is designed just like that, you can't get caught at all or you immediately fail the mission.
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I mean context is everything. Evesdropping missions aren't always bad. Assassin's creed your evesdropping character conversations using the typical "keep in the zone" mechanics. But in assassin's creed what is being said by those characters isn't interesting, which doesn't help an already simple gameplay loop used as an excuse to deliver plot.

If the stuff you was evesdropping was more interesting to listen to, the act of evesdropping would feel more engaging.

RDR2 is an example of a game that is using similar "boring" gameplay to deliver story. But i think it gets away with it because the stuff the characters are saying is interesting.

If days gone at least achieves the latter and delivers interesting plot points via its evesdropping missions. Then I think they'll be fine. Nothing earth shattering of course. but they don't need to be.
 
Baji Boxer

Baji Boxer

Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,380
I watched the GB quick look, and it better than I thought it would. I think it'll do well commercially. Not clear if I'd want to spend 50+ hours with it though. Deacon might really get on my nerves after awhile.

One minor criticism I don't get (or something a few found funny) was his "psychic vision" letting him see footprints and shit like that. I didn't find it out of place. It's just a good (and normal) way of conveying tracking ability in a videogame. I think it'd be weird if there wasn't something similiar in an open world game largely focused on survival elements :-P
 
RPGam3r

RPGam3r

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,519
These are not surprising results. I don't think this game looked special in pre-release coverage and it looks like that translated into the final game. I was mostly likely going to pass, but I am for sure going to pass now.
 

Deleted member 8408

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
6,648
Tonky said:
How so? What exactly changed dramatically?
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They removed branching dialogue choices and they originally wanted to go the From Software route as far as difficulty options go (which in itself immediately muddies the waters since you have no idea what difficulty most reviewers played on).

Then there are the repetition, bug, performance, AI and balancing issues mentioned in variety of reviews.

Basically it could have done with some more TLC and polish. I have a feeling that the survival mode patch will be much closer to the originally intended experience. Honestly, more developers need to stick to their guns and say "no, this is the experience we want you to have. Take it or leave it." People like to moan regardless but then at least there are no regrets.
 
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Bung Hole

Bung Hole

Banned
Jan 9, 2018
2,169
Auckland, New Zealand
Going only on the reviews so far, for a first attempt at AAA title, i think this is a good effort. Bend can only build from here. I have the game already downloaded but i am yet to play it as it unlocked at 12am this morning and i have work today so i ain't going to be playing at 12am in the morning with work in a few hours. Can't wait to get home to try this out.

On a different note: On a gaming forum one would think that enthusiast gamers would root for a new AAA title, even if its critical reception is lukewarm. After all we want devs and games to succeed, not fail. Let's get behind the developers on all platforms.
 
BabyDontHurtMe

BabyDontHurtMe

Member
Dec 9, 2018
21,088
New Jersey
Bung Hole said:
Going only on the reviews so far, for a first attempt at AAA title, i think this is a good effort. Bend can only build from here. I have the game already downloaded but i am yet to play it as it unlocked at 12am this morning and i have work today so i ain't going to be playing at 12am in the morning with work in a few hours. Can't wait to get home to try this out.

On a different note: On a gaming forum one would think that enthusiast gamers would root for a new AAA title, even if its critical reception is lukewarm. After all we want devs and games to succeed, not fail. Let's get behind the developers on all platforms.
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But that's not fun. ResetEra prefers attacking people instead of celebrating games.
 
nDesh

nDesh

The Three Eyed Raven
Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,072
Uhm, I always thought that it looked mediocre as hell but was expecting an 80 cause AAA.
 
EVA UNIT 01

EVA UNIT 01

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,735
CA
This is an instant mid may 30$ buy.
Seems solid but not a $60 buy.
Also 70s are great games.
This under 80=instant trash rhetoric is absurd.
 
Reven Wolf

Reven Wolf

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
4,563
Not too surprised with the scores, but reading the reviews it still seems like something down my alley.

Honestly the scores aren't as important as the content, because if only scores mattered I would have loved Horizon.

Still seems like a solid opening for this developer, and I hope they get a chance to do even better in the future!
 
Hey Please

Hey Please

Avenger
Oct 31, 2017
22,824
Not America
FWIW, sans the technical issues (including, and this was NOT mentioned in DF vid, object pop-ins) , DG is truly a visually stunning game.

It is kind of an odd coincidence that both RAD and Bend, previously handheld exclusive devs, ended up developing two of most visually (albeit imperfect at the time of launch) appealing games within Sony's portfolio.

I do hope the technical issues get patched and the game sells enough for there to be a sequel (if the story even allows for it).

And for the LOVE OF GOD, they NEED to hire better writers.... MUCH better ones who know how to write dialogues that are logical, consistently good and above all not unintentionally cringe worthy.

Mona said:
9f179c7c7637cd82e7d2a2580dd8b37b.gif
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Aha, this is the Joker origin story confirmed.
 
Linde

Linde

Banned
Sep 2, 2018
3,983
User Warned: Thread derailment
At least this thread is getting people to realize horizon was way overrated :p
 
semiconscious

semiconscious

Banned
Nov 10, 2017
2,140
TheBeardedOne said:
I've played and finished hundreds of games. Mafia 3 was one of the roughest, technically, and the bugs really affected enjoyment.

And I loved Mafia II

When I went back a while after beating it and played the DLC, it had definitely improved from patching.
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see, to my way of thinking, anyway, for a game to be rated in the 60's (mafia 3 got a 68), you shouldn't be able to fix it by simply patching it. to be rated that low, it should be inherently bad. & mafia 3 was far from inherently bad. on the contrary, in many ways (story, characters, graphics, soundtrack), mafia 3 was inherently very good...

anyway, that's my take: any game truly worthy of that low a score should not be able to be fixed via patching. it should just be unfixable, period :) ...
 
Servbot24

Servbot24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
43,137
joe_zazen said:
I do wonder how hard it is to attract talent to Bend. Like if you have a job offer in Santa Monica and one in Bend, which one are you taking?
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Extremely easy. The industry is overflowing with incredible talent. If you got into a AAA studio then you are a dynamo at your position.

The problem isn't the talent The problem is the vision. Whoever led this project had a dull and uninspiring idea. Talent for leading a creative project is a lot different than talent for development, and a lot harder to identify and give control to.
 
Reven Wolf

Reven Wolf

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
4,563
semiconscious said:
see, to my way of thinking, anyway, for a game to be rated in the 60's (mafia 3 got a 68), you shouldn't be able to fix it by simply patching it. to be rated that low, it should be inherently bad. & mafia 3 was far from inherently bad. on the contrary, in many ways (story, characters, graphics, soundtrack), mafia 3 was inherently very good...

anyway, that's my take: any game truly worthy of that low a score should not be able to be fixed via patching. it should just be unfixable, period :) ...
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Personally for me a 5/10 is average, so a 6/10 for a great game with severe technical issues is pretty fair in my book.
 
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