The Day Before has generated controversy right from the time of its initial announcement in 2021. Once again, the oft-delayed game recently made the headlines as Fntastic gave conflicting statements regarding the most recent delay of the post-apocalyptic survival MMO.
Many gamers were suspicious of Fntastic when the developer announced that the game would be delayed by eight months due to a trademark issue. The announcement was made just a week before promising to unveil extended gameplay footage for The Day Before.
Well, Fntastic made good on its promise to share gameplay footage from The Day Before. The ten-minute video highlights the environment and some of the gameplay elements of the upcoming zombie shooter.
Based on the footage, the game looks to be a cross between The Division and The Last of Us. However, the graphics in the extended gameplay has seemingly been downgraded from the vertical slice of the game that was previously shown by the studio. The textures on the character model and the environment leave much to be desired.
Many gamers also pointed out on social media that the game world is sparsely populated. The encounters with zombies in the ten-minute gameplay were limited to firing from a significant distance. Players were expecting more action-packed gameplay footage showing extended combat and stealth.
Fntastic missed a huge opportunity to impress fans as the ten-minute gameplay footage was closer to a tech demo than a showcase for a game that is coming out in eight months’ time. Much of the time gameplay was spent with the player just exploring an empty suburban and metropolitan environment which has now been dubbed as a "walking simulator" on social media.
The video did show the game’s crafting and weapons customization mechanics. However, the UI looks like something taken out of similar survival shooters such as Day Z and Escape from Tarkov. Not much really stands out in the looting mechanics either.
Fntastic has faced a lot of criticism from gamers online with many questioning the existence of the game. Players have been calling the studio a scam and The Day Before has been labeled as "vaporware." After multiple delays, some fans believe that the title may never become a finished product.
This extended gameplay, albeit underwhelming, is a good start for Fntastic to worries about the true state of the game. Hopefully, the studio continues to release more content for the game in the coming months.
"We only believe in the final product," Fntastic said. "No matter what anyone says, you’ll see for yourself on November 10 this year. We hope that after the game's success, we’ll give people faith that in this life, if you persevere toward a dream, it will come true, despite all the obstacles and doubts."
The Day Before is currently slated to launch on November 10.
