APlayStation-exclusive game seriesis getting a feature-length adaptation. On the surface, it’s about a post-pandemic United States, now swarming with infected humans that consume the flesh of others. At its core, however, it’s a story about personal and emotional growth for a rugged man with a gray morality, bouncing back and forth between doing what is essential for survival and what is best for others. It’s also notThe Last of Us.
Regardless of how you feel about Sony’s other big zombie game,Days Goneis heading to the big screen amid the monumental success of HBO’sThe Last of Us. Despite technical issues and general criticisms aimed towards its gameplay,Days Goneremains aunique take on the zombie genrethat certainly resonated with its most devoted fans. But, the feature-length film faces a conundrum. Similar to the comparisons it faced in its original medium,Days Gonewill face off againstThe Last of Usonce more as an adaptation of its source material. Despite some similarities between the two franchises,Days Goneis entirely different in multiple significant areas. For the film to succeed on its own merits, it must highlight a few key strengths that made the original game stand out.
Days Gone is Completely Different
WhereasThe Last of Usexamined the character of Joel Miller, an imperfect man in a broken worldfacing a chance to return to what he knew,Days Gonetrends in a different direction.
Days Gone’s main protagonist is Deacon St. John, a solder-turned-outlaw who finds himself scrounging to get by after the Freaker virus killed off his friends and family. On top of being a mercenary-for-hire, Deacon is also a member of the Mongrels Motorcycle Club, complete with all the benefits it grants him: a motorcycle that serves as his trusted road companion, a cut-off leather jacket adorned with the club’s insignia and a familiarity with the tools of the zombie-killing trade. Yet, despite his shady dealings, Deacon has a heart of gold, opting to put himself at risk to save others if given the opportunity.
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Days Gonefollows Deacon on a journey to reunite with his wife, Sarah, following their separation at the onset of the pandemic. He and his friend Boozer travel across the ruins of the Pacific Northwest, facing off against both infected hordes and opportunistic humans along the way. What the two don’t realize, however, is that their journey will uncover humanity’s true depths of depravity. But, conversely, their efforts will also shine a faint glimmer of hope, possibly ending the madness once and for all.
Freakers VS Clickers
The “zombies” inDays Gone, the Freakers, present a unique threat different from that of the Clickers inThe Last of Us. Whereas the latter are incredibly dangerous by themselves, emphasizing the scarcity of resources and stealthy approaches, Freakers embody a terrifying ferocity only matched by their immense numbers.
Instead of shambling around by themselves, Freakers flock together in horrifying hordes, ranging in size from 50 to 500. Because of this, they share more visible similarities tothe rage-zombies from28 Days Later, immediately bursting into a spontaneous fury upon contacting an uninfected creature. Hordes of Freakers serve as mobile roadblocks, sealing away entire regions while only growing stronger with each failed attempt to pass them. Deacon can’t just mow them down with reckless abandon. These hordes require extensive planning, numerous traps, and plenty of running just to shear them away bit by bit.
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Arguably the most terrifying aspect of the Freakers, however, is that the virus doesn’t discriminate. Wolves, ravens, and even bears aren’t spared from the virus' infectious spread, creating a set of mutated animals that hunt alongside infected humans. It’s a terrifying proposition, one that you don’t necessarily see all that often in various zombie media.
What Can a Movie Do Differently?
A feature film faces different restrictions compared to a television show. While HBO’sThe Last of Ustook an opportunity to expand uponthe game’s cast and charactersin a meaningful way, a film adaptation ofDays Goneoffers a chance to mend some issues that the original game had regarding its story.
For starters, narrowing down the game’s exhausting length into a condensed package may be to its benefit. What took sixty or so hours to establish has to be whittled down to around two hours max, forcing concessions to be made regarding what needs to be kept and cut. The grandiose scale of Deacon’s adventure could be condensed into something more intimate, focusing more on Deacon, his bike, and the relationship between the two. After all, it was a vital part of the game – you’d be spending hours upon hours riding, refueling, and upgrading the bike as Deacon’s sole form of transportation. With somecriticism aimed at Deacon for being too talkative, it’d be a perfect opportunity to make him quieter and more contemplative. Alternatively, a similar restructuring could be applied to the other two significant characters of the game, Boozer and Sarah. The former receives considerably less focus than Deacon, and the latter is only really fleshed out through extensive flashbacks outside the player’s control.
Days Gonehas a legitimate opportunity to succeed in a different medium. It’ll ultimately boil down to recognizing what made the original game unique and utilizing those elements to tell a stronger, more focused story. The groundwork is already there for something truly magical to hit the big screen. All we can hope for is that the execution of it doesn’t fall flat.
