Days Gone is a third-person action-adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic open world. The player controls Deacon St. John, an outlaw-turned-drifter-bounty-hunter who prefers life on the road to wilderness encampments. The game takes place two years after a pandemic killed almost all of humanity and transformed millions of others into "Freakers", mindless, zombie-like creatures that evolve quickly. Swarmers, a nocturnal type of Freaker, hide in their nests during daytime but often congregate, wander around, and search for food and water at night. Players can lure Swarmers toward other enemies, causing the two groups to fight one another. Other enemies include Newts, who are infected adolescents and opportunistic hunters who only attack Deacon when he enters their territory or has poor health. The game includes infected wildlife (called Runners and Ragers) and hostile human enemies. Players can be overwhelmed by hordes and must keep their distance. Deacon can use firearms, melee weapons, traps, explosives and choke points to kill Freakers.
