With Days Gone Remastered Sony is shining a new light on another PS4 classic - this time quite literally. Producer Kevin McAllister promises technical improvements, but his statements once again sound like a minimal effort with a bit of filtering on top - and a remix of the game modes to avoid questions.
More fog, fewer innovations - the big PS5 upgrade?
According to McAllister players benefit from improved lighting effects, deeper fog, more natural shadows and a blue sky that now looks - get this - more "natural". The moon has also been reworked. Wow. Anyone who previously thought that a gloomy post-apocalypse was incomplete without photorealistic moonlight can now breathe a sigh of relief.
The new photo mode also allows you to switch between day and night at lightning speed - a nice gimmick for screenshot fans. But honestly, is that it? Are these the features with which a PS5 remaster wants to score points?
What stands out is not what's new, but what's missing. Not a word about AI improvements - although the horde AI in Days Gone often fluctuated between impressive and frustrating. No mention of revised animations that could breathe a little more life into the often stiff facial expressions and movement logic of the original. The combat system or the somewhat sluggish pacing of the game were obviously not touched either. This is exactly where there would have been real potential for improvement.
Of course, it's a remaster, not a remake. But when you're already advertising the technical power of the PS5 - including 4K resolution and 60 FPS - you can expect more than cosmetic attention to detail and a little tweaking of the controls. Especially when we're talking about a game that was once met with a mixed reception from critics and has since built up a passionate fanbase that wants a real second chance to play the game. Days Gone wishes - not just an Instagram filter for the motorcycle.
Spiced up for quick success
Instead, you get a visually spruced-up game with seemingly old weaknesses. As a result, the remaster feels more like a safe PR move than a passionate project. For fans who want a second journey through the zombie-infested open world, this may be enough. However, those hoping for real further development are likely to be left disappointed once again.
The most irritating thing is that instead of giving the whole thing some emphasis with a meaningful before-and-after trailer, they simply recycle the already familiar debut teaser. This also speaks more for a quick fulfillment of duty than for a heartfelt project. Not to mention the trophies, that are thrown at you and nip the desire for a new challenge in the bud.
The question remains: Has Days Gone really get the remaster it deserves? Or only the one that was just about acceptable? The most convincing answer is probably: For a 10 as an upgrade, that's fine! But in this enjoyment not all of them come.
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