I played Days Gone back when it launched on PS4. The framerate drops and occasional glitches were hard to ignore, and some of the gameplay loop started to feel repetitive after a while. But I still enjoyed my time with it — the survival horror elements, the Oregon setting, and the relationship between Deacon and the supporting cast kept me going. Even with its flaws, I saw potential in what Bend Studio was trying to build. Days Gone Remastered brings that same game to PS5, this time with better performance, visual upgrades, and new modes.
The additions aren’t groundbreaking, but they smooth over many of the rough edges from the PS4 version. For those who missed it the first time, this is the version to play. And for returning fans, there’s just enough here to make a second ride worth it — especially if you’re into fighting off massive freaker hordes.
One Man and the End of the World
Days Gone follows Deacon St. John, a former biker trying to survive in a collapsed world while searching for his missing wife. It’s a familiar setup, and the game leans heavily on post-apocalyptic tropes seen in other PlayStation titles. The tone, world-building, and crafting systems draw clear comparisons to The Last of Us, though the execution here feels rougher around the edges.
Deacon isn’t the most compelling lead. His dialogue often falls flat, and his personality can feel out of sync with the emotional weight of the story. At times, he can be dull or unconvincing, and I remember thinking something similar back on PS4. That said, his journey becomes more interesting as it progresses. Supporting characters like Boozer help carry the narrative, and there are enough meaningful moments to keep things moving.
Pacing remains an issue, even in the remaster. The campaign is long, and the repetition of objectives makes it hard for certain story beats to land. Still, the setting pulls you in. Exploring ruined towns, abandoned camps, and quiet forests gives the story room to breathe. Even if it doesn’t always hit its emotional marks, there’s a consistent tone of loss, desperation, and hope that works in the game’s favour.
Freakers, Firefights, and Fuel Cans
Survival was always the main draw for me in Days Gone. I liked the feeling of barely scraping by — conserving ammo, fixing my bike, and staying alert when riding into freaker territory. That core loop is still intact in Days Gone Remastered, but now it runs more smoothly and has a few new ways to keep you busy.
Combat still revolves around taking on infected hordes using everything from rifles to Molotovs. Fighting off a swarm of freakers while running low on ammo is just as tense now as it was in 2019. Hordes are still the game’s standout feature, and the remaster builds on them with the new Horde Assault mode. It’s an arcade-style survival challenge with different characters, modifiers, and score-based objectives. One run had me frantically holding a gas station with nothing but a shotgun and a couple of traps. It’s fast, chaotic, and probably the best reason to jump back in if you’ve already finished the story.
The bike plays a bigger role than just getting around. You’ll still need to repair it, refuel it, and upgrade it as you progress. Managing your ride adds a level of strategy that makes exploration feel more grounded. The crafting and upgrade systems haven’t changed, but they still offer enough flexibility to support different playstyles.
Remastered also includes a permadeath mode and speedrun challenges, along with all the DLC and post-launch content. If you skipped those the first time, they’re now bundled in and ready to go.
Sharper Looks, Smoother Rides
Days Gone Remastered doesn’t completely overhaul the original, but it does clean up a lot of the mess. On PS5, the game now offers a 1440p resolution at 60fps or a 4K mode locked at 30fps. If you’re on a PS5 Pro, you get a performance-plus option that balances sharp visuals and smooth framerate using upscaling. In all modes, the improvements are noticeable — especially when it comes to shadows, lighting, and weather effects.
The sky and water now look more natural thanks to updated environmental effects. Shadows no longer appear muddy, and HDR lighting at night gives everything a darker, more atmospheric look. It’s still the same Oregon wilderness, but it feels more alive this time around. It won’t blow you away, and it’s not a remake by any stretch, but the upgrades are enough to make the PS4 version feel outdated.
There are still a few minor issues. Visual artifacts can pop up in high-motion scenes or during bright lighting. In my time with the original, I remember dealing with texture pop-in and framerate dips — those are now gone. What remains is a more stable, better-looking version that finally does justice to the game’s world design.
Haptic feedback on the DualSense controller adds a nice layer of detail. You’ll feel differences in terrain while riding, or the click of a shotgun pump when aiming. It doesn’t change the game, but it does help it feel better in your hands.
Days Gone Remastered Offers A Second Chance That Mostly Pays Off
Days Gone Remastered doesn’t rewrite the past, but it does clean it up. The core experience is still here — a long, sometimes uneven open-world zombie game that shines when you’re outnumbered and barely hanging on. With smoother performance, better visuals, and extra content like Horde Assault and permadeath mode, this version makes a strong case for itself.
As someone who mostly enjoyed the PS4 version despite its flaws, I appreciated how the remaster addressed some of those issues. The new modes give you reasons to come back, and DualSense support adds a bit more weight to every fight and ride. You won’t find a complete reimagining, and the story still struggles with pacing and character depth. But what you do get is a better, tighter version of what was already a solid survival horror game.
If you’ve never played Days Gone, this is the best version available. And if, like me, you already gave it a shot back in 2019, the remaster offers just enough to make a return visit worthwhile.
Days Gone Remastered
Summary
Days Gone Remastered brings improved visuals, better performance, and new content to PS5. Horde Assault and permadeath mode add replay value. DualSense features and visual tweaks help smooth over the original’s rough spots. It’s not a major overhaul, but it’s the definitive way to experience Bend Studio’s ambitious zombie survival game.
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