A sequel to Days Gone, the Sony Bend survival horror open world, was pitched but never given the go-ahead. That’s according to a Bloomberg report, and it’s certainly corroborated by the departure of long-time leads like John Garvin and Jeff Ross – the latter of whom was a veteran at the studio spanning all the way back to the Syphon Filter days in the mid-1990s. It’s resulted in an outpouring of love for the biker-themed sandbox, although it’s perhaps important to remember that enthusiasts weren’t always this nice to Deacon St John and his ragtag band of post-apocalypse pals.
This game was, at the time of its release in 2019, very much considered the unloved stepchild in PlayStation’s first-party portfolio. Many pondered why Sony had poured resources into another zombie game – especially with The Last of Us being one of its flagship franchises. The similarities between Naughty Dog’s series and Days Gone were always few, but the game – with its familiar collapsed society aesthetic – unquestionably felt like an awkward fit in the PS4’s first-party line-up.
Of course, it’s the game that Sony Bend wanted to make and was passionate about, and we have to give PlayStation credit for supporting the team’s vision. The critical reception at the time – we described the release as “open world comfort food” – was pretty good, but some strange pacing issues and bugs at launch meant it never achieved the highs of, say, Ghost of Tsushima – and while it ranked among the 20 best-selling games in the United States in 2019, it wasn’t quite a breakaway hit.
But time has been extremely kind to Days Gone, and in the years since it debuted, much of the cynicism has eroded. Even around launch, the game attracted a fervent fan base; it was a rare example of a disconnect between critics and players, where those who liked it really liked it, and they made sure to tell you so. The seeming confirmation that there will be no sequel has resulted in an unprecedented outpouring of adoration for the series: how dare Sony not further the franchise?
To be fair, the story sets up a sequel, and it’s frustrating that we’ll probably never know what was planned. To us, the original always felt like a rough-cut diamond: we reckon iteration, much like we saw with Assassin’s Creed to Assassin’s Creed II, could have resulted in something special. The horde mechanic, which was the release’s flagship feature, surely could have been expanded on – utilising the environment to clear out waves of Freakers was undeniably fun.
And in a climate where survival games are some of the biggest around – the audience for releases like Ark: Survival Evolved and Valheim are enormous – it’s unfortunate we’ll never see what Sony Bend had in store. We really enjoyed the original’s threatening environment, and how your motorcycle became both your means of traversal and your sanctuary in a world that was out to get you at all times. Base building and camp management are mechanics that we’d like to have seen added.
For all the criticism it attracted as well, we enjoyed the story. Its cast were caricatures at times, from military nutcases to religious zealots, but there was something homely about the relationships in this game. Deacon and Boozer’s brotherly love was relatable, despite the extraordinary circumstances they found themselves in; some of the scenes involving St John and his wife Sarah were cute, too. It was low-budget, TV drama stuff – but it never pretended to be anything else.
The fact that the title is currently free on PS Plus and is being ported to PC later this year makes the absence of a sequel even stranger in our eyes. Sony Bend updated the release to run flawlessly at 60 frames-per-second in 4K resolution on PS5, and there’s never been a bigger audience for the title than there is right now. As time goes on, we’re convinced that its status as a cult classic will be enforced; the fact that there’s no sequel on the cards means that it’ll only be remembered more fondly.
Expect to see this series on many listicles moving forwards, as one of the forgotten franchises that deserves a sequel, alongside the likes of Twisted Metal and Jak & Daxter. Days Gone was arguably misunderstood from the outset, and it must be frustrating for Sony Bend’s veterans that only now is it getting the respect it always deserved. This apocalyptic open world was once the awkward, ugly duckling in PlayStation’s first-party line-up – but there’s no question that time will be kind to Deacon St John.
Comments 138
Unlike Films, Video Games are a rare medium in which sequels very often tend to be better and improve upon the original.
I wasn't the biggest fan of Days Gone but it was certainly very fun and a game where a sequel is almost necessary in order to further the ideas and gameplay it provided.
A real shame. Hopefully it's not too late for someone within Sony to convince the big-wigs that a sequel really should get the green light.
One of the most underrated games of the last generation, whilst it wasn't perfect, what this game does right it does SO right.
It was the first open world game where achieving the platinum never felt like a chore, and although the narrative wasn't always up to the standard of the likes of God Of War and The Last Of Us Part II, the characters of Days Gone shone through and I'm sure a sequel would've provided one of the best AAA titles in Playstation's history.
No game for the a long time will make me feel as excited yet terrified when a horde of around 250+ strong came charging at me during my first playthrough of the game.
I feel for Bend not getting the chance they rightly deserved to get a sequel greenlit, but I'm sure they'll take the lessons learnt from Days Gone and be ten times better for it when developing their new title.
To me this game was way better than The Last of Us, and I'd love to see a sequel. But Sony would rather milk another sequel out of Uncharted than to invest in the great foundation that Bend built.
Unfortunate. Days Gone was a great experience and I thought for sure we would see more. Now I just hope they make up for this missed opportunity with something worthwhile..
Sony, make the freaking sequel, please!
"Day's Gone was PS4'S Black Sheep..."
No it wasn't. That (dis) honour goes to The Order:1886.
Gotta love sensational headlines.
This game is better received than tlou 2, days gone reviews aren't good but the fans word of mouth is good.
@naruball The order isn't a black sheep, the game is not a good game, especially at $60.
It's far from my favourite game last gen and some of its elements were mediocre but it was fun and had an amazing weather system that tied into gameplay, plus the horde mechanic was great. It certainly had great potential for a sequel to build upon those elements it got right
@wiiware isn't that the definition of black sheep?
I didn't like Days Gone and it doesn't really bother me that a sequel isn't being made. However, I still think it's a shame Sony rejected a sequel because I know Bend would have improved it now that they got the groundwork laid out.
Excited to see if their new IP makes it to light though, because that Bloomberg kind of has me worried about their future as a main team. Bend deserves better than being relegated to a Naughty Dog support studio.
@naruball agree order1886 was a good game problem was it was too short and cost too much but i really enjoyed it.
As for days gone if sony can make a knack 2 surly they can make a days gone 2.
@naruball There were a lot of people questioning why Sony was making another zombie game when Days Gone was announced. It got a lot of unfair criticism before even releasing.
That's what the article is about really... How it's gone from being a "black sheep" to beloved.
also Sony dont go by critics opinions theres a large and ever growing disconnect between what critics like and what gamers enjoy
@God_of_Nowt very well said. Anything will be twisted for clicks. Most people simply love bandwagons. Especially hate bandwagons and pushsquare is no better, unfortunately.
@get2sammyb It still by no means was a black sheep. It's hyperbole for clicks.
@trev666 The order: 1886 flopped both commercially and critically. Days Gone got mediocre reviews and was undoubtedly successful. Every game has its fans, but the difference between the two is huge. Days Gone was never PS4's black sheep.
I haven't played either, so I can't comment on which one I, personally, found better.
Edit: as for Knack 2, it was only possible because of Mark Cerny.
@wiiware My apologies. I'm not sure what you're saying.
I love Days Gone. I’m not destroyed by there being no sequel but I would have absolutely been there day one. I still remember in one of the first reviews I read, the author was whining about Deacon’s name and how he referred to his wife as “old lady”...the game has some issues (they all do) but this was the ridiculous climate the game released in. Glad it turned out great. RIP
From the point of its release up to now, it’s my favorite Sony released game. I bought it day one and rarely experienced the glitches that many did. I guess I’m lucky.
I would pay 100 dollars right now for a sequel to be placed in my hands.
I have no doubt in my mind if they announced a sequel there would be an abundance of people not caring saying they don't want another Zombie game and that Sony Bend should be working on something else.
Now i'm seeing people who trashed or where never favourable of Days Gone at its release saying it was never given a chance and wishing for a sequel, even though theyve never mentioned the game again since its launch.
That was some extraordinary writing sammy.yes when i heard john garvin and jeff ross.2 guys that i respect a lot especially on my favorite ps1 game syphon filter.hopefully theyre next game is syphon filter.days gone is a great game.hopefully one day a sequel is announced.word up son
@Oh_fiddlesticks It's not out yet on PC! I think it's coming within the next few weeks — yes, just checked, 26th April.
I think it'll do pretty well!
From what I’ve read Sony turned down the Days Gone sequel back in 2019 after everyone announced their disappointment in the first game
Now suddenly the internet outage mob is in love with Days Gone and wants to see it continue... just making sure I’m keeping up with all this
@carlos82 I thought black sheep is when good games didn't recognized by gamers or it's publisher.
@2cents Who's everyone? Reviewers didn't like the game but the fans loved it, I remember it's on number 1 npd chart for a couple of weeks.
@trev666 I completely agree with you. From personal experience, I almost always disagree with critics on movies and games.
Just remove all characters from the game and it would be decent. All of them.
I don't understand this obsession with sequels. I loved Days Gone, but would rather Bend take what they learnt and create something new. The story was far from the best thing about it, so Bend is best served trying again with a fresh plot, rather than trying to force a sequel. The secret ending is hardly mind-blowing, and I struggle to see how you could really flesh it out to make a 40 hour plot line.
Following are some reasons why I think it has a cult following:
The game has 5 acts, and the first is undoubtedly the weakest. I think a lot of critics literally didn't finish the game and didn't realize this.
Deacon - who starts out as kind of a douche bag stereotype - actually grows in a realistic way. So do other primary characters. He's not your best friend by the end of the game, but he grows to be very likable.
I liked how there was a different world philosophy in each of the 5 main factions, and I thought the game effectively explored the pros and cons of these philosophies. Most post apocalyptic games portray only psychopath murders surviving for long, but I appreciated that this game explored other possibilities. It's message that democracy and empathy can survive an apocalypse is, I think, I good message.
The game actually has surprises. If you check the map at the start of the game, you think you can see the whole map, but you can't. It's surprising when the next area opens up. And this happens again later in the game with another huge and interesting area.
Similarly, you think you've seen the enemies the game has in store, but after a dozen hours you've only seen maybe 20%. It's a pleasant surprise when you stumble across new enemies.
The horde mechanic is genuinely great. I remember randomly, literally, running into one while going from point A to B. When just 5 freakers can easily kill you in act 1, it's overwhelming to suddenly run into 100 of them.
Though you can feel pretty powerful in the game, there are a lot of scary "horror" moments like when you are quietly exploring a cave with 50 freakers - any mistake will lead to your death.
Unless you improvise, which the game allows and encourages. You can get factions to fight each other, creatively use distractions - all sorts of possibilities.
In the big scheme of things, a few (fixed) bugs and animation issues seem trivial.
It was ok. Evil Within 2 was way better though.
hopefully it gets a good launch on PC and Sony reverse the bone head move of passing on a sequel
@nessisonett Mr. Positivity strikes again!
Yes, the original was rough around the edges and Deacon could be a tad too gruff at times BUT overall I really enjoyed navigating through the world (once I stopped playing it as Walking Dead sim and the obvious video game it is) and Deacon definitely grew on me. I think the story takes a bit too long to truly get going for some taste but once I reached Lost Lake camp it really clicked into gear. The gameplay was good and whilst it wasn't a scary game it offered plenty of tense thrills in particular those damn hordes. Man, I tackled so many I ended up dreaming about them!
Who knows? Maybe it will sell well enough on PC for the sequels cancellation to be revisited. Maybe in a few years Sony will change their minds. Probably not but I'll hope they do.
A game that was a cross between Red Dead and The Last of Us but not as good as either. A sequel had the potential to be a classic and it's a real shame that Sony thought otherwise.
Hopefully Sony Bend will learn from the experience, both the good and bad, and push on to do even better with their next offering.
The original Uncharted was a good (not great) game. I think Days Gone could be the same. The tension you feel while navigating Freaker hordes and disabling outpost sirens is pretty intense. Dealing with the humans is TLoU 2 level. The game is stressful, but a lot of fun.
Certainly deserving of a sequel.
Also, by the time it was released it seemed the press had had enough of Sony's success and had their knives out before they'd even played it. Almost seemed as if they were hoping it would fail.
I rate Days Gone as being as good (albeit not as polished) as both Ghost of Tsushima and Spider-Man when it comes to their PS4 'exclusives'. It's not on the same tier as Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War or The Last of Us Part II but then few games are.
I think it's a really bad decision on Sony's part, one of many judging by recent weeks, but if Sony Bend's next game ends up being brilliant then that would considerably soften the blow. No pressure then!
The same sites that gave it average scores are now compliany about this. They are the main reason this is happening lol.
It just looks bad that Sony rejected Days Gone 2 and instead greenlit TLOU Remake, a game that had been released on PS3 and was remastered for the PS4.
@nessisonett haha yes! I hated everybody. The dialogue was also atrocious and I felt the game was tedious beyond belief.
If they could get some decent writers on board and get rid of most of the characters and if they could promise that I wouldn’t have to hear anymore of Deacon spouting “Sonofabitch”, “Sonsofbitches”, “God damn Son of a bitch” and any other variation of that every 5 minutes, then I may play a sequel. When it’s discounted.
A very fair article.
I hated the characters in that game when I first jumped in. By the time I was half way through I loved every one of them. I still go back from time to time.
As you put it, it's comfort food, on a lot of levels.
I'd have loved a sequel, but somehow you just got the feeling that it wouldn't come.
Maybe in a few years when Sony feel the need to drop a crowd pleaser they'll come back to it.
@Col_McCafferty "...by the time it was released it seemed the press had had enough of Sony's success and had their knives out..." Definitely a bit of that going around.
You hear people complain about how Sony's first party games are all the same now, but then you also hear people complain when Sony decide to put this one to rest and put Bend to work on a new IP.
They can't win.
@Shepherd_Tallon I think this news combined with TLoU remake just makes Sony look bad. Days Gone sold enough to warrant a sequel and people generally liked it, critics perhaps not but do they make games for them or actual gamers?
At least let them maybe work on some DLC or something or a spin-off. I really feel the world they created has some interesting stories left to tell and potentially intriguing and challenging monsters.
@Ward_ting The dialouge on Deacon and Sarah's wedding was a cringefest 😆
@Col_McCafferty A nice big expansion to round the story off would have been good actually.
But the IP is still there. They might come back to it some day. I hope they do, at least. Riding that bike around was too much fun.
It's OK to be OK.
Not everything needs to be a masterpiece.
I really enjoyed it and even completed it 100% which is rare for me so i enjoyed it that much!
To be honest i would not to have a sequel to this game as i think it will be to samey.
I'm glad Bend Studio is working on a fresh IP instead.
I didn't get really far when it was released and I stopped playing it, now that it runs at 60fps maybe I might try see it through
@Bliquid "corridor movie with the feels" made me chuckle quite a lot ahahahah
Its just not Last of Us good
@Total_Weirdo You can say the same thing with Uncharted. I think we're all glad that Bend Studio is working on a new IP, but I think Sony set their bar too high that I can see them cancelling future sequels of new IP that they deemed a failure in their own standard.
@1_W1NG3D_4NG3L "but then greenlit the TLou remake"
It's official?
Im all up for new IP the thing that baffles me is does sony now expect every game to review 10/10 and sell 10 million+ copies because there in for a rude awakening of that's the case
Although somewhat buggy and critically underwhelming, I personally think Days Gone was perhaps my favorite PS4 first party game. I have not had a chance yet to play Ghost and that might be a contender, but let's face it: Ghost of Tsushima ain't have no guns nor zombies.
The fact that the sequel was not greenlit is more than upsetting to me. Between Studio Japan and this, It's like Jim is killing all the things I liked about PS4.
@naruball 1886 can't be the black sheep when no one even remembers its existence.
This game was one of my favorites to get the plat for, I do hope a sequel comes out in the future.
I did not like this game at all when I bought it day one. I've been thinking of going back into it, and giving it another shot, but the beginning of the game is really rough and boring. I just can't bring myself to do it.
Plus I'm playing TLOU2 at the moment, and I don't really feel like playing another story driven zombie game one after the other.
@munstre
Have you played the game? I have. It's a lot of fun.
I bought Days Gone when it came out, I really did enjoy the open world, the hordes and upgrading the bike. The weather systems looked great too, with rain, wind and snow. Weirdly I've still not completed the game, but do intend to at some point.
I do own Ghost of Tsushima, but I just couldn't seem to get interested in the game for some reason, I played the intro and put it down. Again, do plan to get back to the game at some point.
"it was a rare example of a disconnect between critics and players", Are we forgetting IGN? Definitely the standard there. Lol
@Col_McCafferty I think you really hit the nail on the head. There was something in the air at the time of Days Gone’s release. Both critics and “fans” seemed to be looking forward to lambasting it as a first party failure after a string of excellent releases. It felt like backlash against sustained excellence.
For me, the game is above average. It does some things very well and some of it seems a bit clunky. Certainly not deserving of the lambasting it received in some outlets.
Also, I see a lot of comments about critical opinions diverging from public opinion. To me, this is just a sign of the growth of video games as an art form. Critical acclaim and popular success tend to be strange bedfellows when it comes to art. That’s why there are 13 Fast and Furious movies and one Citizen Kane.
Never played it. But it did sound promising in some respects, and it would have been interesting to see how the developer would have grown the franchise. Imagine if Uncharted has been killed after the first game!
Never played this game before but with it being on PS Plus now is the perfect opportunity. I know people had mixed opinions about it but I generally prefer to play a game for myself and decide that way.
@Medic_Alert I like your point about some games not resonating with critics because instead of pushing the medium forward they refine an established formula. And yet, most first party Nintendo games are critical darlings regardless of how derivative they are. It always make me chuckle when a reviewer praises the umpteenth version of Pokemon and then bashes an Assassin’s Creed game for being too similar to its immediate predecessor.
@Ralizah
I think that's the point. I played the original Uncharted's demo and hated it. I didn't go back to it until I finished 2 & 3. It's obviously a step down from those two titles, but if Sony shut the franchise down based on the first game, look at how much money they wouldn't have made.
As soon as I started playing the game I though it was much better than the reviews implied.
That said I never finished the game and stopped playing quite soon after. Would still have loved a sequel, especially now I plan on returning to the game thanks to ps plus.
Gone , but not forgotten 💔
As always I feel that there are not enough answer options given. I would buy it, but on sale.
I remember a negative review that focused on the dislike for the main character, who was played by the excellent Sam Witwer. But most of the videos I saw about the game praised it. I'm sure I would enjoy Days Gone but I am not into zombies so I passed.
@jorel262
It's a Plus offering this month, so give it a try. It's worth the time. Most of the zombies "freakers" are spaced out so they can easily be discharged, but when you encounter a horde...watch out. You have limited stamina and they are fast!
It looks decent and I’m going to finally play it now it has the PS5 enhancements, but based on the original coverage, sales performance and the dialogue since I can understand why there’s no sequel on the way. Excited to see what Bend do next, as we all should be.
@OmegaStriver his name being Deacon and calling his wife “old lady” are odd things to complain about in a game. I’ve known bikers that call their wife “old lady” so it seemed very authentic to me. He had his “colors” on at all times, he walked the part, talked the part.
Personally I dug Days Gone and enjoy zombie games but am ok with it not having a sequel. Not a big fan of TLoU’s gameplay, maybe I’ll like the remake but I’ve yet to play a Naughty Dog game to completion b/c their gameplay is always so bad imo.
I was downright happy to read Sony wasn't putting any money into a sequel so they could focus on just about anything else. It's probably the worst first-party title since The Order. I played through the entire game during a dry spell last year and I'm astounded that the writing, characters, dialogue, and voice acting were deemed acceptable. A guy named Deacon Saint John? Boozer? And he's written as though the writing room was a group of angry 12 year old boys who think being angry and exasperated all the time is "cool" or something. There was an OK game behind all that, but man I'm glad Sony will instead put that time and money into something more deserving.
Why not a Days Gone/TLOU crossover, Sony?
I don’t really get that they want to focus on blockbusters and franchises by abandoning a game that has the ground work for both and the potential for a great sequel. Anyway, I enjoyed my time with the game and sometimes a sequel is a bad idea
Yeah its kind of weird that days gone is not getting a sequel since it built up a bit of a following over the years. I mean uncharted 1 was not that great of a game but uncharted 2 was pretty awesome.
I'm sure it will get a sequel eventually, but Sony has so many 3rd person shooters already and it's way too close to TLOU setting and gameplay wise. They should have Bend work on an open world RPG and then make a sequel later down the line.
Of all the Sony criticism lately This is the only one I agree with. However it's weight seems to be diminished in shuffle of bad PR lately. As a motorcycle rider myself, the upgraded bike felt great. The horde was a great mechanic its seemed serious and made me feel the threat they posed. The game immersed me into the Days Gone world. It's a shame and what i personally feel is a mistake from Sony to never do a sequel to Days Gone.
I loved this game so much, it got me trhough a really rough patch during the first UK lockdown last year. Was kinda gutted to get the platinum in the end and have nothing else to do. Will be replaying on my new PS5 though for sure.
Not sure if a story sequel is needed, but a separate game in the same world would be awesome for sure.
I was late to the game as I had to do a year without my PS4 when the game came out (we had to move and build a new home so my stuff went into storage) but it was the first game I bought and played after the drought and I freaking loved it. I really like to see the story continued as it finished on a cliff hanger.
My initial oppinion of days gone is that i think its a bit overated and boring but my friend tells me that around the 4-5 hour mark it gets loads better...i just dont know if i can be bothered to put in 5 hours just to see if they are right..anyone here confirm this for me?
One of my all time favorite in last generation. Also Days Gone was my first platinum on PS4 I really like it.
The game was fine, but I just disliked the protagonist from start till very end. So I was happy to never see him again.
they had their shot with days gone. they failed (generally speaking) in attracting a large enough audience and critical reception. that's ok, though. i am actually relieved their talents won't be wasted on another generic sequel. how about they go finally go back to the syphon filter franchise and give it the reboot that it deserves? the stealth, espionage genre is ripe for a new game and there is no better time to see gabe logan rear his head from the shadows.
@Tf20 I played it through lockown too, was a great distraction and felt the same about the plat. I would recommend playing on PS5 - I switched from PS4 to PS5 mid game and found it a better experience
Mr ryan you need to go. your leadership is going to cost sony millions.
I don’t recall anyone pondering why Sony was pouring resources into Days Gone. I do recall critics being overly harsh in their reviews but it being generally quite highly regarded by actual players.
@munstre "The game is okay in some parts, and pretty weak in others. Nothing about it screams that it absolutely deserves a sequel"
I thought the same about the first Uncharted, it was good I guess but does it really need another?...then Uncharted 2 happened. Days Gone 2 could have been the second Uncharted of the series where the developers take everything they've learned and fix all the mistakes to make something incredible.
It looks like a good game but it's more like TLOU got the zombies on lock so Bend better find something new, that's all this means to me. HZD is unique. Pretty sure Bend will find something unique too.
I don't know how many of you saw the Secret ending? But they set it up for a sequel and that got me pumped.
Don't let me down sony
Haven't played it yet but it's been sitting on my PS5 for a few weeks now... I'll definitely want to play it some time this month
99.9% there will be a sequel at some point in the future. It might be 20 years from now, but there will definitely be a sequel.
Of course yes. The sequel is coming. Don't anyone pretend they know when though.
Drama queen is not my thing. I prefer facts.
Watch the hypocrite journo or keyboard warriors who pretend they care now though.
Edit
Jason and the Golden books has valid sources. Usually reliable. However those are always little nuggets of truth around which he spins his articles for his own agenda. He did it for R*, for ND and many other studios. More like hit pieces trying to tear everything apart as long as it's good for his personal agenda. He does it on twitter too.
So it's like looking at bits of truth through a microscope and giving really bad takes about it whereas he can't actually see the full picture.
And about the 'Naughty Dogs North" reference. Idk but it sounds to me he took what was meant as a compliment and turned it into a derogatory meaning.
It's the definition of just okay. As the Pushsquare review said, it was comfort food. Very badly paced in my opinion, with vastly unlikeable characters (Sarah). But the NG +, tooled up from the beginning and ignoring the tedious camp stuff its.... still just okay. Also not everything has to be a franchise
@TheArt TLoU and Days Gone are totally different though. They both have Infected (not really zombies), yes, but that’s where the similarities end.
If we are comparing (which I don’t think we should) then I enjoyed Days Gone far more than I enjoyed TLoU2.
But there’s a place for both IMO.
Its one of my favourite PS4 exclusives, i really loved the game and plan to do a NG+ run one day. Yeah i'm really gutted its not getting a sequel as it could have been so much better. To say i'm bitter about this is an understatement.
@get2sammyb Have you guys seen the Jeff Ross interview, director of Days Gone, by David Jaffe today? Basically debunks alot of Schreier’s points and shows him for the hit piece writer he typically is.
A couple of the significant quotes:
About Days Gone 2: "Never say never to anything, it's just ...maybe not right now."
Jeff also said the whole Bend/Naughty Dog thing was a positive option to give some teams something to do in the early days of development when there is less to do.
Jeff was asked if they feared Bend was becoming a support studio of Naughty Dog.
He said: "that's completely false".
Jeff: "Sony is quite hands off and still takes risks. they still trust developers tremendously. that's something i miss while working with sony"
Herman Hulst is "a great leader, a master at what he does." according to Jeff.
All credit goes to Elios83 on Neogaf for this summary.
I really wish they could bring back Siphon filter in a big way. A reboot maybe.
Not many espionage/stealth games left. With the death of MGS there is definitly a void in the market that only Hitman is aiming at.
I loved it The only thing I didn't like was the horde bit really. I found that annoying and tried to avoid it in the game(but unfortunately you have to do some for the Story mode) Saying all that I don't mind a different sort of game from BEND. Then maybe they could do another one after that.
Personally I enjoyed Days Gone just as much as GoW, Horizon, GoT ( although I'm yet to play the multiplayer) etc apart from TLoU, which is Sony's stand-out title in my eyes.
From the article
'the fact that there’s no sequel on the cards means that it’ll only be remembered more fondly.'
Oh come on!
Check your facts with the Ministry of Truth.
@Northern_munkey
It's always subjective. I think the game is awesome but others won't like it. Same for ANY game. I'd say try take out a horde 😈 and if you still find it boring then move on to something else. Doesn't matter, does it?
🤷♂️
When the game was released, it was received pretty badly by most major publications (and gamers). Most even wondered why it was green-light in the first place. Now, that a sequel might no be in the works, people are suddenly mad. The sad part is that I bet a great majority of those whining about it right now aren't even huge fans of the game in the first place.
Anyhow, I thought the game was average at best. I'm glad to hear they are working on a new IP though. Also, just because the sequel isn't in the works right now, doesn't mean it won't happen in the future. They just need a better pitch next time.
@DeepSpace5D
I like when Jason says triumphantly 'DG 2 was rejected in 2019 and its not in development. Gamers gmlnln console warriors gnnlmm'
Haha
Absolutely NOBODY ever said DG2 was ALREADY in development for sure TO START WITH. It was always a 50/50 chance.
It's a non story for fake outrage. I'm sure the sequel will come in time. Deacon is a PlayStation icon now.
@fR_eeBritney Yep I know it's different but tbh before Days Gone was released, I felt "openworld with zombies/infected" wasn't an interesting idea. I'm for Bend using the same engine for a different theme, something new and unique.
I believe many critics didn’t even finish the game - only playing a few hours before writing it off as ‘mediocre’. This alone should render their opinion moot. Should not be allowed IMO. Or at least post a disclaimer which states their opinion is based on ‘x’ number of hours play. If you can’t be bothered to finish a game, give it to someone else to review (unless it’s an unplayable mess).
@JJ2 I’m not saying Jason isn’t getting information from actual members at Bend. But he certainly adds his own spices and embellishments that are his own opinions and conclusions to make a story sound much more dramatic than it should.
He lives for these moments where people think he broke some big story of a scandal.
He gets the opinions of a few members of a studio that has hundreds of individuals and acts like it’s how the majority of the studio feels.
I enjoyed the game for sure, especially taking out the hordes. The story, however....Deacon was a character that I had to "get past" in order to enjoy the game. His constant yelling stuff out and talking to himself was annoying...like a mix between Batman and Randy "Macho Man" Savage; yelling"ohhhh yeaaaah how you like that" and other stuff while "sneaking". I really didn't care enough about the characters to feel a thing for them, their development was flat.
Gameplay was amazing but writing definitely needs work if there is a sequel, as well as more "intelligence" in when soundbytes are played. Not yelling while sneaking being a major one lol.
I would much prefer a new Syphon Filter game than a sequel to Days Gone.
@TheArt they used unreal engine 4, which doesn't even have bike physics. They had to use car physics and get it to handle like a bike. Unreal engine 5 should be available any day, so they're probably better off using that.
Days Gone was a great game, absolutely. I mean, it's overly long, gets repetitive, and it was one of the buggiest AAA titles (maybe the buggiest) I've ever played even a year after launch. All that said, I'd still buy the sequel day 1. The biker aesthetic was super fun, especially in that big open world PNW environment. The gameplay was super satisfying (the first time you take down a horde is a moment you will never forget!) The story is fantastic too. At the end of the day, I felt like I had been grinding forever and started to question whether I even wanted to continue (and you almost certainly will hit that point) the desire to finish the story was great enough to keep my shotgun pumping and the bullets flying. There was easily enough good things about the game that I'd be super interested to see what improvements they made. I have to wonder if Sony hasn't lost confidence in Bend studios to a degree.
Days Gone, to me, was like The Last of Us, but actually fun to play. TLoU was a pretty good story, but I never felt like playing it again and haven't bothered with the sequel. It was like a great movie, but only an ok videogame. Gameplay is important when, you know, it's a game... DG may not have won any writing awards, but it was fun as hell. I also give it huge props for being one of the rare zombie stories that actually delved into the origins of what happened instead of just lazily glossing over it. I'd play DG2 over a TLoU remake/sequel in a heartbeat. It's a perfect example of different people liking different things. I think not greenlighting a sequel is a missed opportunity for sure.
what were the actual sales numbers for days gone?
@Medic_Alert
I don't want to open another can of worms here about that game you mentioned but I agree. The reason and I believe the main fault with game critics is its all about their feelings nowadays. It has nothing to do with the qualities of the game among which being entertaining and fun both in gameplay and story, the scope of the game, the diversity of gameplay style it allows etc etc. There are so many aspects to look into and taking into account THE PUBLIC it is aimed at but you notice where they are somehow questioned even a little it all comes down to 'It's an opinion" as justification.
IMHO a good review should objectively mention qualities and flaws (Also giving advice to enjoy the game like trophies and side quest, whatever could help) but above all try to get in the gamers skin as in 'if you like that sort of thing or that other aspect, etc. It should not be all about the writers feelings. Who cares?
In a word reviews should be neutral and open to interpretation. No game can be said it's objectively good or bad. It's always the gamers who will find out for themselves and their own expectation. Very different from movies the critics would like to compare. Critics should get into that inclusivity trend and consider all gamers are different. A review should never be about their own personal feelings.
A good example recently was how Outriders was perceived. Not judging how the reviews ended to land but how the game was perceived by critics in such a superficial way from the reveal and evolving up and down with every tidbit of trailers. It was all about feeling with not depth and necessary restrain.
Would love to see what they could do with the Syphon Filter franchise now.
I wouldn’t trust Ubisoft to bring out a quality Splinter Cell title that’s close to its Tom Clancy roots these days so think this team could fill in that void
I was interested in playing it, but the 40 GB day one patch put me off ever buying it.
map with lots of chore mini-quests, missions like go there and kill zombies, follow him and kill the baddies...yeah, the most mediocre Sony exclusive there is.
comparing this to TLoU 2 is a f joke.
Played it but stopped halfway through. The gameplay was glitchy and the shooting wasn't very fun or felt very good. The story was mediocre and very few truly interesting turns and events. Lots of mediocre side quests and even the main quests weren't good. It was all just a bit meh and I can understand the decision to can it. It's not a terrible game, but when you're being compared to other first party titles like God of War, Last of us and Ghost of thushima the bar is set very high and this didn't reach it.
It was the beginning of the end for PlayStation when they moved their HQ to california.
I bought this day 1, played it for about 20 hours, and just didn't see the point in continuing. I love the concept of an open world zombie game. I liked the idea of being a biker and having the bike matter. But this is the game that showed me if the writing was bad enough, it could turn me off to the whole game. That, and the bugs. Damn near unplayable on release. The first camp you went to, it'd crash anytime you tried to interact with the guy selling bike parts.
That said, I claimed it off plus, and might give it a try to see how much they've smoothed it out. Hard to smooth out fourth grade creative writing, though.
Put me in the camp that doesn't need a sequel. Too many zombies and not enough Science Fiction, imo, and gaming has stagnated in general with everything being a sequel and no one taking risks on new ip's. Sony trusts Bend enough to let them make something new, and half of you are complaining about it.
@1_W1NG3D_4NG3L Then it seems like a lot of people are treating it as fact here.
@starbuck2212 Yeah, Playstation has been doing horribly since then. Oh wait.
Apart from great gameplay, and awesome graphics, the voice acting was great AND this game managed inclusiveness without it being on the nose. Shame.
@LordSteev it's a different game now, in terms of technical issues and the story develops after one third. Great voice acting and great characters AND a phenomenal post credit plot twist. Gameplay also opens up after you have had a chance to get new equipment and weapons. Play it, you won't regret it.
@TheDudeElDuderino
Thanks man, I'll probably give it another shot. The Price is Right.
@Voltan you will be playing the best version of it. Stick with it, the gameplay mechanics really takes off after a first third of the game and do take on hordes, but treat them as puzzles (you need to be ready, utilise the terrain and environment, plant some traps and then execute).
You can't call Days Gone a "forgotten franchise" when it only had a single game. And you can't compare it to Jak & Daxter or Twitsted Metal, both of which had at least 4 games and appeared on multiple platforms, spawning side games, etc.
@munstre Have you at least made it through the first tunnel to the second part of the map? That's where my love for the game really began to blossom. Then there's the third and fourth part. It's massive. I loved the fourth part of the world as well.
@The_Real_JMK I enjoyed Days Gone so much more than RDR2. I found it extremely painful to actually finish RDR2, I can’t grasp why that game is rated so highly.
Days Gone initial impression made it look generic, with a bland cast with a story done to death.
I'm surprised it sold as well as it with the competition.
Reality is in these times, the cast of Day's Gone was too white, too straight. If you read all the reviews and 1st impressions before the game was released. All said similar things, that Deacon was a white, straight biker. That wasn't okay at all. They should of released this biker game back when SOA was was the talk of the town.
Really enjoyed Days Gone. Had issues with it at the start but later on in the game it just got better and better. Would love to have a sequel. But I also want a sequel to The Order 1886 too
@djdizzy I'm glad you made that point about Naughty Dog games. The gameplay always feels really simplistic and skeletal, as if it's the bare minimum they can do and make the player do in order to advance to the next set of story cutscenes. It's part of why I never finished TLoU and never tried even when it came out on PS4 - the story was compelling but the gameplay was a total snooze. Uncharted games are a little more involving, but not by much. People often pass it off as "they're action-adventure games, not open-world games" but even so, they don't have to be so painfully linear.
I liked it. It was fine. There were irritations, and I thought it probably could have done with some of the fat trimming off, and it's absolutely ludicrous that they saved the hordes until the end rather than having you periodically go up against them throughout the game. But also it was pretty fun most of the time.
Best game of the PS4 generation for me. There are technically better games, but as a whole package, this ticked every box for me.
I'd be there day one for a sequel. I'd pre-order ASAP without knowing anything about it other than it existed.
Great game but damn it was in a rough shape when released. I think it was one if not the worst in Firstparty stable. If they release a new physical version in the future please give us the one complete fixed.
@zekepliskin the Last of Us has the storymode the first time i had to see it was my little brother playing he loved every second of it. And he was totally living with the characters i have never seen him do that. I myself loved every second of the game the story was a masterclass of how to have character that you are invested in. It was my Shawshank on a gaming platform.
@Flaming_Kaiser Agreed, the storytelling is great. I've watched those YouTube videos where people just edit together the story (and in rare cases when needed to make sense of the story, short sections of gameplay) and the first The Last of Us title is an epic. Sadly having tried to play the game myself several times, it's gameplay is not similarly engaging and engrossing to me at all, it's about as basic as it gets. I feel Naughty Dog were doing that to pull in a bigger audience, which is understandable, but it made it very cookie-cutter.
Like I said though, doesn't diminish the story, and maybe if the Uncharted movie with Tom "Spider-Man" Holland in it is a success they'll consider making The Last of Us into a cinematic epic too, which I'd watch.
First off, it was NOT the black sheep. There were plenty of awful games that take that title. Days Gone is not one of them. I loved this game. I think Days Gone and Horizon Zero Dawn were my two favorite games in the last decade. I prefer Days Gone over TLOU2. It was fun. Story Driven. Engaging. I would rather have a Days Gone sequel than a remake of TLOU. Sony really needs to give other games and developers a chance. I do not want TLOU again. We had it for the PS3. A remaster for PS4. We do NOT need it for the PS5 as a remake. It's one of my favorite games, but we honestly do not need that. Please make Days Gone 2. Without all the Co Op stuff. Day one buy for me. My friend who hates video games- even enjoyed Days Gone. Someone who hates games liked Days Gone. That says a lot. Sony, listen to the fan base please. Make the sequel
@nessisonett Dude. Please. If you hate the game- stay off the thread. No characters means no game. Come on
@zekepliskin Maybe the updated version will add that for you who knows. If they just update the graphics and tweak the gameplay im good. I would love too see a game with the actress who played Joels daughter though.
@Flaming_Kaiser Well yeah I wouldn't expect in-depth crafting mechanics like a full RPG, but I think what I'm asking for is too much for that type of game. It's odd though - if the combat etc is varied enough then I often like it even if it is linear, like the original God of War which had a variety of different combos and things to link together. Not the games which have the "one button does most of the work" type design philosophy.
Yep Ellie's voice actress is super-talented. I like the part where she snidely says something like "is that all girls had to worry about back then, makeup and boys" with total disgust. Who knows, maybe that's why her sexual orientation was what it was in the much less narratively stellar Part II.
@zekepliskin I mean his real daughter from the start wont post spoilers but you know what happend it ripped my heart out that intro. 😢
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