In the fast-paced world of gaming, anticipation often turns into skepticism, especially when a highly awaited title fails to live up to its promises. “The Day Before,” a zombie survival MMO developed by Fntastic, has been at the center of controversy since its announcement in 2021. Now that the game has finally hit Steam Early Access, the verdict is in – and it’s not looking good. Many players and critics are questioning – Is ‘The Day Before’ a Legitimate Open-World Survival Game or a Scam?
The Hype and Doubts Surrounding ‘The Day Before’
The concept of a post-apocalyptic world teeming with dynamic encounters, intense survival scenarios, and engaging combat was not new, but the video trailers for “The Day Before” showed this idea in such a clear and exciting way that a lot of players got really interested. People were eager and excited, but at the same time, they had some worries and doubts. Fntastic, a relatively unknown development team at the time, claimed to have been working on the game for five years. Yet, as more information emerged, concerns began to surface about the legitimacy of the project.
However, the gaming community noticed discrepancies early on, with the game looking “a little too good to be true.” Skepticism grew as details about the development team’s history, the use of volunteers, and the removal of early trailers raised eyebrows. The game’s launch, after numerous delays, didn’t dispel these doubts but intensified them. The promised open-world survival MMO seemed to be a distant echo of what players were experiencing.
The Disappointment of ‘The Day Before’
The Day Before was initially introduced as a groundbreaking open-world survival MMO, akin to popular titles like The Division or The Last of Us. The concept of navigating a post-apocalyptic world filled with dynamic encounters, intense survival scenarios, and engaging combat captured the attention of gamers worldwide. However, as the game’s release approached, red flags began to emerge.
The current game reviews and critics show the disparity between marketing and reality, with only 15% of user reviews on Steam being positive. The game, once hailed as a potential MMO, was now being labeled as a “small area extraction shooter” by disappointed players.
Lackluster Storyline and Characters
The storyline and characters, elements crucial to any successful game, have been criticized for falling short of expectations. The game’s narrative and character development reportedly lack depth, leaving players with a less-than-immersive experience.
“The Day Before is making a great first impression” – ExfilCamper
Disappointing Gameplay Experience
Additionally, concerns have been raised about the overall gameplay, with reviews citing an empty world, minimal zombie presence, and lackluster combat mechanics. The absence of advertised features and a deviation from the promised open-world survival experience have left many questioning the legitimacy of “The Day Before.”
Questioning the Legitimacy
The mounting evidence against “The Day Before” raises questions about its legitimacy. Accusations of a scam for any newly released game are not new, with players and critics alike suggesting that the game may be a deceptive ploy to capitalize on the hype. However, the discrepancies between the advertised game and the delivered product have led to a loss of trust among the gaming community.
“Not FNTASTIC completely scrubbing their channel to hide any evidence of the fake ‘The Day Before’ game they marketed. Left is today. Right is from earlier this year. Have zero problem describing this as a full-blown scam now.” – Nick Calandra
Players have raised various concerns, such as the absence of essential features like vaulting, directional audio, and melee combat. Reports of poor loot in a game that was not marketed as a looter-shooter further fuel suspicions. Many players have encountered game-breaking glitches, crashes, and difficulties connecting to servers, further diminishing the gaming experience.
The Negative Reception on Steam
The game’s Steam page bore the weight of over 9,800 overwhelmingly negative reviews, highlighting server issues, visual bugs, game crashes, and a perceived genre switch from MMO to extraction shooter. And this is not the tip of the iceberg as the game’s official Discord even had to implement a 30-minute posting rule to manage the flood of complaints. All of such backlash and shady behavior from the game’s official does point that the game failed to deliver its advertised potential.
The Verdict
While the game is technically not a scam in the sense of being nonexistent, the gap between promises and delivery has left players feeling deceived. The negative reviews, overwhelming criticism, and the removal of marketing content by the developers paint a grim picture for the future of “The Day Before.” As of now, the legitimacy of “The Day Before” as a genuine open-world survival game is in serious doubt, and players are rightfully questioning whether they’ve fallen victim to a gaming scam.
This brings us to the end of this guide for Is ‘The Day Before’ a Legitimate Open-World Survival Game or a Scam? As you can see, “The Day Before” has not lived up to the expectations set by its ambitious announcements. The game’s deviation from the promised open-world survival experience, coupled with numerous technical issues and missing features, has sparked widespread disappointment. Players are left questioning the legitimacy of the game and whether it was a deceptive ploy to capitalize on the hype. The future of “The Day Before” remains uncertain, and only time will tell if it can regain the trust of the gaming community.
