How long to beat Days Gone? Story, extras and 100%

Days Gone takes about 36 hours to beat, according to players on IGDB, 42 hours with side activities and around 57.5 hours for 100%. Bend Studio's 2019 game puts you on Deacon St. John's motorcycle in an open world overrun by Freakers. It is long, but the pace holds up, and the story keeps pulling you forward between hordes.

Main story: about 36 hours

Going straight through, expect 36 hours. That is longer than many story-driven action games, because Deacon's tale runs across several overlapping arcs: his past, the survivor camps and the mysteries around the Freakers. The opening hours take their time, then the game really kicks up a gear once the hordes show up.

With extras: about 42 hours

Add some of the side content and you reach 42 hours. Enemy camps to clear, infestation nests to burn, checkpoints to bring back online and bounty contracts fill the map. They are worth it: they unlock fast travel, money and better parts for the bike.

100%: around 57.5 hours

Doing everything takes around 57.5 hours. That includes the hordes, waves of hundreds of Freakers that are the game's most impressive moments, every area cleared and every collectible. Hordes need planning, traps and a lot of ammo, so save them for when you are well equipped.

How many evenings that is

With 2-hour evenings, the story is about 18 sessions, a little over a month at four evenings a week. 100% nearly doubles that. Days Gone works well in short sessions: one or two missions, a camp to clear, and you can put the controller down.

Tips to go faster or enjoy it more

Upgrade the bike first, especially the fuel tank: running out of gas far from a station wastes a lot of time. Unlock fast travel by clearing infestation nests. If you are short on time, skip some of the contracts, but do not skip the hordes. That is where Days Gone is unlike anything else.

Verdict

Days Gone is a mid-sized open world, longer than it looks but never empty. The story takes a while to find its rhythm, but once the hordes arrive it becomes one of the most tense rides of its generation, and the bike quickly feels like a character of its own. If post-apocalyptic worlds are your thing, follow it with games like The Last of Us or check how long Dying Light 2 takes.

FAQ

How many hours is Days Gone?

According to players on IGDB, the main story takes about 36 hours, 42 with some side activities and around 57.5 for 100%. Playing two hours a night, you will need about 18 evenings to reach the ending.

Is Days Gone an open world game?

Yes, Days Gone is an open world you mostly cross on a motorcycle. You will find enemy camps, Freaker nests, hordes and survivor camps along the way. Fuel and the state of your bike are part of the survival side.

Do I need to fight the hordes in Days Gone?

Some are part of the story, the rest are optional. They are still the best part of the game: hundreds of Freakers to take on with traps, explosives and constant movement. Wait until you are well equipped before you go after them.