Every gamer now knows that release dates are more like fleeting suggestions at best. However, The Day Before has taken this concept up a notch, becoming the industry’s equivalent of a mirage – always on the horizon but never quite within reach – until next month. Maybe. Possibly?
The allegedly much-anticipated, much-delayed post-apocalyptic MMO has perplexingly been a fixture on the wishlists of many – becoming one of the most wishlisted games on Steam despite never being talked about – promising an immersive survival experience set in a society on the verge of total collapse and the ever-present threat of the undead.
Initially announced with a release date in early 2021, The Day Before was pushed to a later date to accommodate a transition to Unreal Engine 5, promising a more polished gaming experience. Now, following a trademark dispute that could rival a daytime TV drama, the game is set to arrive in Early Access on December 7, or so the prophecy claims.
The developers at Fntastic, a name that increasingly feels like a hopeful self-affirmation, have been juggling controversies like a circus act. From accusations of being nothing but smoke and mirrors to a volunteer workforce that’s raised eyebrows, The Day Before has become as famous for its behind-the-scenes drama as for its in-game zombies.
All that being said, let’s not be too harsh. After all, creating a game is no small feat, especially one that promises a smorgasbord of survival, zombies, and the ever-popular PvP action. Don’t you mind all the other PvP zombie survival titles flooding Steam.
Fntastic has assured its fans that this Early Access period is just the amuse-bouche before the main course, a chance to iron out the creases before the full, polished gameplay is unveiled. At $39 for the Early Access version, it’s priced like a gourmet appetizer too.
Minimum and recommended specs have been released, giving those with beefy rigs a nod of approval and those with humbler setups a gentle nudge towards the upgrade button, further reinforcing the increasingly prevalent trend of developers simply deciding not to optimize their stuff.
The new trailer, meanwhile, has given us a peek at what’s to come, including detailed character customization and gameplay that promises all the joy of looting in a world where the biggest threat – stop us if you heard this one before – is not zombies but other players.
There seems to be one area where The Day Before is positively bucking trends. Surprisingly, all these features will only occupy 55 GB of your disk space. Not too shabby for an open-world game, in a gaming scene where most titles push 100 GB.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB6_MRNebOM
In the end, the true measure of The Day Before will be its ability (or lack thereof) to live up to the expectations set by its own ambitious vision. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S owners will sadly have to wait until the full game launches. As for when this might be, your guess is as good as ours.
