Days Gone Summary
Bend Studio’s Days Gone is a 2019 post-apocalyptic action game developed for PlayStation 4. Not only is Days Gone the first open-world game from Bend Studio, but it was also the developer’s first new IP since Syphon Filter. As one of Sony’s AAA first-party studios, the title was developed as a PlayStation exclusive but a PC version was released in 2021.
The title stars actor Sam Witwer as protagonist Deacon St. John and follows him through post-apocalyptic Oregon. With influences ranging from The Walking Dead to Sons of Anarchy, Deacon’s motorcycle is a major component of the gameplay. Additionally, extra care was placed into making the Pacific Northwest setting as realistic as possible. The result is an in-game environment that is stunning to look at and traverse.
Upon release, Days Gone received mixed reviews from critics but was much more well-received by fans. Several technical issues persisted at launch before Bend Studio patched the game. Many of the game’s critics took issue with the performance and mission design but praised its visuals and story. It was reported in 2021 that Bend Studio had a sequel planned but Sony didn’t greenlight the project.
Days Gone Premise
Days Gone puts players in the shoes of Deacon St. John, a former outlaw surviving in the post-apocalypse. Two years after a pandemic turns the majority of humanity into undead zombie-like creatures, Deacon discovers that his wife may still be alive. This discovery sets Deacon off on a mission to find her.
Action in Days Gone takes place from a third-person perspective, and players will use melee and firearm combat to eliminate the undead. As an open-world title, the map is populated with various locations and markers for Deacon to visit. Additionally, the various settlements across the landscape will feature allies that provide Deacon with quests.
As a former member of a motorcycle club, Deacon’s motorcycle represents a significant portion of the survival aspect of gameplay. Players will use the motorcycle as their primary means of transport and can even upgrade it as they do Deacon. Repairing the motorcycle and scavenging for gasoline are gameplay elements that players must balance with fighting off the undead.
Days Gone Main Characters
As a narrative-driven action game, Days Gone features a compelling cast of main and side characters. In addition to protagonist Deacon, players will encounter a large cast of allies and enemies in their journey across the Pacific Northwest. The main characters in the game include:
Heroes
- Deacon St. John: Deacon St. John is a veteran of the U.S. Military and an enforcer for the Mongrels motorcycle club. In the wake of the pandemic that turned the vast majority of the population into zombies, he lives as a drifter with his fellow Mongrel “Boozer.” He believes his wife did not survive the outbreak but learns she may be alive, setting him off on the game’s main quest. He is a resourceful scavenger and a formidable combatant with both melee weapons and firearms.
- Sarah Whitaker: Sarah Whitaker is Deacon St. John’s wife and a renowned researcher and botanist. An incident at the outset of the zombie outbreak leaves her presumed dead, but in actuality, she survives and has been assisting the Deschutes Militia with research on the game’s undead (referred to as “Freakers”).
- William “Boozer” Gray: William Gray, more commonly known as “Boozer,” is also a former member of the Mongrels MC and Deacon’s best friend. Following the pandemic that destroys much of humanity, he and Deacon travel together as drifters and mercenaries. Thanks to his upbringing in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, Boozer is a gifted tracker and hunter.
- James O’Brian: O’Brian is a NERO operative who helps evacuate Sarah during the onset of the pandemic. He is tracked down by Deacon and reveals that Sarah is still alive. In exchange for Deacon’s assistance investigating NERO sites, he provides help to track Sarah.
- “Iron” Mike Wilcox: Mike Wilcox, or “Iron Mike,” is the leader of the Lost Lake Camp. Lost Lake is one of the main settlements still existing in the post-apocalypse. Mike has negotiated a tenuous truce with the “Rippers” – human savages who use the apocalypse as an opportunity to cause mayhem while others attempt to rebuild society. He is a level-headed but stern leader and well-liked by the denizens of Lost Lake Camp.
- Rikki Patil: Rikki Patil is the resident physician of Lost Lake and a former medical doctor in the pre-apocalypse. She helps Deacon and Boozer gain residence in Lost Lake and even assists Deacon on several missions.
Villains
- Raymond “Skizzo” Sarkozi: Skizzo is one of Days Gone‘s primary antagonists. As the head of security at Lost Lake, he rejects Deacon and Boozer’s admittance. He betrays Iron Mike and the rest of Lost Lake by selling out the camp to the Rippers.
- Jessie Williamson (“Carlos”): Jessie Williamson is a former member of the Mongrels MC and an enemy of Deacon. Deacon discovers he is “Carlos,” the leader of the Rippers. He still carries a horrendous scar on his back from the forced removal of his Mongrels tattoo.
- Colonel Matthew Garret: Colonel Matthew Garret is the de facto head of the Deschutes Militia. Despite being initially welcoming to Deacon, he is the primary antagonist of Days Gone and a dangerous religious zealot.
Games in the Days Gone Series
Despite strong sales and positive reception from fans, a sequel to Days Gone didn’t receive Sony’s approval. As a result, there is only one game in the series. To date, games in the series include:
- Days Gone (2019)
- Days Gone – PC (2021)
Days Gone Cheats and Secrets
Similar to other titles with both console and PC versions, Days Gone on console does not feature cheats but the PC version does. Players can use the third-party cheat engine WeMod to download and install a Days Gone trainer that contains several cheats. Still, there are plenty of secrets and unlockables in the console version of Days Gone. The title features a sprawling open-world map rife with exploration and discovery and plenty of collectibles to uncover.
Days Gone Secrets for PS4
“True” Final Mission and Bonus Weapon
Despite credits rolling, players aren’t done with Days Gone after completing the main story. Completing the final mission puts players back in the open world to finish any remaining quests or discover missing collectibles. Tying up any loose ends left before the final mission will eventually result in O’Brian contacting the player. This will trigger the true final mission along with a major plot reveal. After completing the final mission players get a special NERO weapon.
“The Broken Roadshow” Trophy
The Lost Lake camp is home to six different camp guitarists, each playing a different song. Having Deacon sit and listen to the song will count toward unlocking the “Broken Roadshow” trophy. However, it’s not always clear where or when players will be able to find them. All of the guitarists will spawn between 7-10 p.m. (19:00-22:00) in the gazebo to the left of the camp’s main entrance. Players will know they are unlocking one of the six songs when the drummer stops and the lights around the gazebo come on.
Additionally, Colonel Garret’s speeches at the Wizard Island encampment also count toward the “Broken Roadshow” trophy. These six speeches are all part of story missions and will unlock automatically. The first speech unlocks during the “I Know The Look” story mission and the rest becomes available in subsequent missions.
Days Gone Cheats for PC
In order to use cheats on the PC version of Days Gone, players will need to download and install WeMod. WeMod is a third-party cheat engine software that scans file directories for games and provides downloadable “trainers.” These trainers are cheat files you download and install into the game’s parent directory. After downloading and installing WeMod, the Days Gone trainer are found here. The following cheats are available:
Player Cheats
- God Mode/Ignore Hits
- Unlimited Health
- Unlimited Stamina
- Unlimited Focus
- Unlimited Ammo
- No Reload
- Super Accuracy
- No Recoil
- Rapid Fire
- Stealth Mode
Weapon Cheats
- Unlimited Weapon Durability
- Unlimited Weapon Mods Durability
Enemy Cheats
- One-Hit Kills
- Damage Multiplier
Gameplay Cheats
- Freeze Daytime
- Daytime +1 Hour
- Challenge Mode: Freeze Timer
- Challenge Mode: Max Score
- Challenge Mode: Unlimited Credits
- Challenge Mode: Max Rep Level
- Set Game Speed
Inventory Cheats
- Unlimited Credits
- Credits Multiplier
- Items Don’t Decrease
- Unlimited Scrap
- Unlock All Crafting Recipes
- Ignore Crafting Requirements
Stat Cheats
- Max Trust
- Trust Multiplier
- Unlimited EXP
- EXP Multiplier
- Unlimited Skill Points
Motorcycle Cheats
- Bike: Unlimited Health
- Bike: Unlimited Fuel
- Bike: Unlimited Nitrous
Days Gone Cheat FAQs
Are there cheat codes for Days Gone?
No, there are no cheat codes or phrases and no in-game cheat menu.
How do you get infinite ammo in Days Gone?
The only way to get infinite ammo is to mod or use a cheat trainer in the PC version of Days Gone. There are no cheats available for the PS4 version.