The reveal of “Days Gone Remastered” at the February 12, 2025 State of Play was unexpected. Following Jason Schreier’s investigation into Bend Studio losing one of its new projects and Sony’s decision not to greenlight “Days Gone 2” despite support from Bend Studio’s leadership, it appears somewhat opportunistic for a remaster to be released on PS5 when the original game came out in 2019. While internet users are vocal about this practice on social media, Sony has chosen to highlight the anticipated new features of this restoration.
First to note, it was not Bend Studio but Climax Studios, known for their work on Silent Hill Origins and Silent Hill Shattered Memories, among other titles, that handled this remaster. Their objective was to honor the original game while utilizing the PS5 and PS5 Pro capabilities to enhance graphics, including an increased foliage rendering distance, improved shadow and lighting quality, and a selection between multiple display modes. Players have the option to choose between Fidelity mode with native 4K at 30fps or Performance mode with dynamic 4K at 60fps; the PS5 Pro supports native 4K at 60fps under optimal conditions. Additionally, this remastered version will include accessibility features such as High Contrast mode, game speed settings, interface narration, audio cues for rare items, reconfigurable controls, a cursor that alters field of vision, and more.
Content-wise, the ‘Horde Rush’ mode is announced, which involves killing as many zombies as possible while surviving for as long as you can, with the difficulty increasing over time. Additionally, the game will include a Permadeath mode, challenging players to complete the game without dying even once. If successful, players must restart from the beginning of the adventure or return to the start of Act 2, depending on their chosen settings before attempting again. Upon victory, players can obtain a completion graph with statistics and the number of mutants killed during the game, along with a new PlayStation trophy. Furthermore, Days Gone Remastered will feature new trophies for unlocking in the new game modes, including Speedrun mode and an enhanced Photo mode, as well as preorder bonuses. Those who already own the PS4 version will need to pay €10 to upgrade to the remastered edition.
