Remakes of classic or memorable titles are all the rage these days. And some of them, like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered or Commandos: Origins (which is technically a whole new game) are extremely well-done and fun to play. It’s amazingly cool to be able to take an older game and redo it so that fans can experience everything again with new hardware and graphics while also introducing it to a whole new generation who might be playing for the first time.
At first glance, it might be easy to lump Days Gone Remastered into that same pile. However, the difference is that in the case of Days Gone, we are talking about a PlayStation 4 title that released in 2019, and which was already optimized to later run on the newer PlayStation 5, even without specific graphical improvements. The original looked really good and was entertaining to play, offering a unique take on the zombie apocalypse where motorcycle gang members were the ultimate survivors. It had a nice balance of on-foot missions and those which were achieved from the back of your precious hog, which was fully customizable both in terms of mechanical features and paint jobs. It earned a very respectable 4 GiN Gems out of 5 in our Days Gone review. It was not perfect by any means but quickly became a personal favorite of mine nonetheless, and a title that I have gone through three different times, including as part of a new game plus campaign (which is awesome).
But anyway, doing a remake of a barely six-year-old title seems like kind of an odd choice. But on the plus side, if you already own it, then the remastered upgrade is only $10 on the PlayStation Network, which is not a bad way to spend a few dollars. On the backend, one wonders if this is also yet another trial balloon from Sony (who owns developer Bend Studio) to see if there is enough interest in producing a Days Gone 2. A sequel for such a unique zombie-focused game seems like a no-brainer, but for whatever reason Sony has never allowed Bend Studio to even consider that. Maybe now with the remake, if enough people get it, they will. But that could also just be wishful thinking.
The first thing that most people will notice with the remaster is the improved graphics. Specifically, there is a new atmospheric and sky engine that makes weather patterns look more realistic. This is coupled with new illumination effects and better, more realistic shadows. Functionally, this tends to make the game a bit darker, even during the day, since its always raining in the Pacific Northwest. If you have a TV or monitor that supports HDR then the darker skies should not be a problem. However, if not, you may want to tick the gamma up just a bit.
There is also support for accessibility features too now, so you can make all enemies bright purple or red if you need them to stand out. That makes the world look kind of goofy but opens it up for those who are visually impaired, so it’s a really good thing, and, of course, totally optional. It also runs fully at 60 frames per second now in performance mode, or 30 frames per second when set to quality mode. Both look really good.
Better graphics are nice, but performance is where the real gameplay improvements are found. Everything is much more responsive now. When you pull the trigger or whip around to see what is running up behind you, Deacon reacts almost immediately with no input delay. This tends to provide a boost to combat. I was able to succeed in some of those missions in the challenge mode part which I never quite could before. I credit the increased response rates to my newfound combat and driving prowess. The remaster puts that new functionality to the test, adding more freakers to some hordes, which can now top 800 in size!
In general, in terms of performance, everything is better now. Going back and playing the PS4 version of Days Gone after experiencing the remaster makes it easy to really feel the differences in input lag and response times, even if you never noticed them before. Load times, which were pretty long on the PS4, have also been at least halved on the PS5 owing to the solid state drive. Also, the haptic feedback of the PS5 controller is fully supported now, so you will feel it when you rev your bike’s overpowered engine or squeeze the trigger on a powerful machine gun.
There are also a few new modes to round out the remaster, which is a nice consolation prize since we are not getting any new story-based DLC with this upgrade. The most interesting new mode is Horde Assault which is kind of like an arcade style shooter where you try and survive against endless hordes for as long as you can. You can set up the mission with special traits too, like making all freakers explode when they die (which is really fun) or giving your character endless stamina so they can keep going forever without getting tired.
There is also a permadeath mode for those who are a glutton for punishment and a speedrun mode that tracks how long you play and eliminates cut scenes. And believe me, not having to watch those longwinded, slow walks and talks between Deacon and his annoying wife Sarah is a very good thing. There is also an enhanced photo mode, so emerging video game artists can conjure up some pretty good pics for sharing.
If I had my preference, players would get some new story DLC for this very unique game or even a Days Gone 2 announcement. Sadly, that may or may not ever happen. But the remake is more than worth the $10 for those who already own Days Gone. It just takes everything that was great about the original and makes it even better. And yes, you can load your old PS4 saves into the remake. I did that mid-mission from the PS4 version and when I started up on the PS5, the better response rates and improved visuals made me feel like I suddenly got superpowers.
While Days Gone Remastered doesn’t reinvent the wheel, or the motorcycle, it smooths out the ride considerably. The improved visuals, enhanced performance and thoughtful accessibility options all help this underrated gem shine brighter on the PlayStation 5. For fans who loved the original and newcomers curious about what they missed, the remaster is a solid, worthwhile return to Deacon’s stormy world. And who knows? If enough of us hop back on the bike, maybe Sony will finally greenlight the sequel this series deserves.