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The Day Before is finally out, and according to its Steam reviews, it absolutely honks
08.12.2023 - 13:51 / rockpapershotgun.com / Tom Clancy
Zombie survival "MMO" The Day Before has brought us one of the weirdest game development sagas of 2023. Developed by Fntastic, the game has been delayed numerous times, briefly disappeared from Steam after a trademark dispute, and was repeatedly accused of being a vapourware scam, accusations Fntastic attempted to rebuff with a gameplay reveal back in February.
The good news is, The Day Before is not vapourware, demonstrated by the fact that it launched on Steam last night and is available to purchase and play. The bad news, at least going by the game's Steam reviews, is that it is utterly, categorically terrible.
At the time of writing, The Day Before had just under 11,000 user reviews on Steam, which, wow, a lot of people are gagging to play a game that reeks like a zombie's boxer shorts, huh? And we are talking dreadful here. Of the reviews, just 15% are positive, giving the Day Before an overall rating of "overwhelmingly negative". The situation is succinctly described by reviewer Dr.Compton. "Turns out it is a real game. Kind of wish it wasn't."
As for what exactly the problems are, well the main issue, quelle surprise, is that the game is not what it was originally marketed as, namely an open world survival MMO. "The game isn't what was promised," writes Steam user EaZee. "This is basically a Tom Clancy's The Division rip off. You leave the city to loot, you come back and [p]ut furniture in your tent." Another reviewer, Biffa, echoes this sentiment. "No open-world survival elements, it's just an extraction shooter, and a bad one at that."
It might be difficult to understand why so many people were excited about The Day Before. Zombie survival experiences aren't exactly thin on the ground in video game land. But Steam reviewer Kai Eagle gives a more detailed breakdown of the gap between pitch and delivery. "The trailers painted a vivid picture of a post-apocalyptic world teeming with dynamic encounters, intense survival scenarios, and engaging combat," they write. "But The Day Before misses the mark entirely. The supposedly expansive and dynamic world feels empty, lifeless, and riddled with uninspired design. The gameplay lacks the depth and complexity suggested by the trailers, leaving players with a shallow and repetitive experience."
Beneath this headline failure to deliver on the overall premise, the reviews cite countless more specific problems. User Joux lists a ton of missing features like "no vaulting", "no directional audio" and "no melee". WeZon, meanwhile, says "This game does not even have functioning settings, try changing resolution, I dare you." Other issues include that the loot is apparently poor for a looter-shooter (which just to remind you, isn't what this game was
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wccftech.com
23.12.2023 / 01:35
The Day Before Servers to Shut Down in January, Steam Issuing Automatic “Proactive” Refunds
Earlier this month, the once-highly-anticipated The Day Before launched and quickly crashed and burned in dramatic fashion. As many had begun to suspect, the project was essentially a fake – rather than the open-world zombie MMO promised, developer Fntastic delivered a limited extraction shooter filled with cheap purchased assets and not a lot of fun. Fntastic promptly announced they were shutting their doors, and Steam delisted the game and begun offering refunds to those that asked.
rockpapershotgun.com
22.12.2023 / 15:49
The Day Before ends its strange, sad tale by shutting down its servers next month, refunding all Steam players
The Day Before, once Steam’s most wishlisted game before experiencing a bizarre journey through multiple delays, accusations of being a scam, apparent legal disputes and a catastrophic Early Access launch, will shut down its servers in one month. The effective end to the game will accompany refunds for anyone who brought it on Steam.
techradar.com
22.12.2023 / 13:30
The Day Before servers will shut down next month - Steam to ‘proactively refund all remaining players’
It’s been confirmed that The Day Before’s servers will be shut down on January 22, 2024, as developer Fntastic has now “officially ceased operations.”
comingsoon.net
21.12.2023 / 22:18
Steam Winter Sale Goes Live Today
Steam’s 2023 Winter Sale went live today, December 21. Running until 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific on January 4, the Steam sale offers deals on a wide range of PC games. This includes up to 95% off on some titles.
venturebeat.com
18.12.2023 / 14:19
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pushsquare.com
16.12.2023 / 15:20
The Day Before Dev Drops Digital Smoke Bomb, Disappears Days After Early Access Launch | Push Square
Update — Publisher Mytona has posted an update on The Day Before situation, pledging to work with Steam to open up refunds to any players who choose to do so.
gameranx.com
16.12.2023 / 15:07
Steam Winter Sale Kicks Off December 21
Video games can be expensive. We don’t have to tell you that! I’m sure you’re fully aware of what new AAA games go for now with the latest-generation platforms. That means we’re being extra cautious about what video games we’re throwing money at when they launch. Knowing what games to pick up as they release and which to hold off on is rather crucial to ensure our bank accounts are taking a beating. So, we like to share the details whenever we come across a notable sale or promo. While not active right now, Valve revealed a Steam sale is coming next week.
gamingbolt.com
16.12.2023 / 14:28
Steam Winter Sale 2023 Gets Trailer, Kicks Off on December 21
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polygon.com
14.12.2023 / 14:55
How The Day Before went from Steam darling to disaster
The Day Before went from one of the most anticipated games on Steam to an unqualified disaster. After spending months at the top of the platform’s most wishlisted list, the game’s release on Dec. 7 quickly led to a wave of immense blowback, tens of thousands of players seeking refunds, and the closure of the studio behind it.
gadgets.ndtv.com
12.12.2023 / 14:21
The Day Before Delisted From Steam Days After Troubled Launch, Studio Fntastic Announces Shutdown
The Day Before, once Steam's most wish-listed open-world survival MMO, has been delisted from Valve's platform. The game launched in early access to an almost immediate flood of negative reviews last week, with most players claiming that it wasn't really an MMO but an extraction shooter reminiscent of Escape from Tarkov, combined with the post-apocalyptic threats of The Last of Us. The misleading gameplay claims were made worse by several game-breaking glitches that caused characters to clip off from the map, an incomplete and sparse world devoid of action, and inconsistent online features. Merely five days after release, the game is no longer available to buy on Steam and Fntastic, the studio behind the game, has announced it is shutting down and working on refunds for customers who bought the game.
pcgamer.com
12.12.2023 / 14:01
'This was our first big experience, sh*t happens': The Day Before's CEO is MIA, its Discord server has disintegrated, and its YouTube Channel has gone dark
Trainwrecks aren't exactly rare in the gaming industry, but it's rare that they're this spectacular. After a suspiciously-polished trailer, The Day Before quickly became one of Steam's most wishlisted games.