With review season in full force, it’s very easy to see many indie titles slip by you almost completely unnoticed. I’m doing my best to keep up, but sometimes I just want to slow down and see what else is out there and not in the mainstream. When this little game “Long Gone Days” fell into my lap, I briefly hesitated to put it in my review calendar, but there was something about it that seemed very unique, and for the most part it was. It has a rather gripping narrative where you are thrust into the clandestine world of The Core, a private military group shaping individuals from birth for specific roles. Assuming the role of Rourke, a mysterious subterranean sniper, I found myself unexpectedly embroiled in a mission to aid Polish forces in Kaliningrad. However, the hasty completion of the task unveils a sinister twist—innocent civilians were the targets in a twisted false flag operation.
Appalled by my squad’s callous approach to war crimes, Roarke makes the daring decision to vanish. With the aid of your friend and combat medic Adair, who orchestrated my transfer under the guise of a fabricated illness, we embarked on a journey away from the Kaliningrad bases. Unfortunately, that escape was short-lived, as drones and fellow soldiers from an unexpected nearby base exposed the vast scale of a hidden operation. The initial pace of the story may seem gradual, revolving around interactions with my brothers and sisters in The Core. I’ll admit, it is a little slow, but this deliberate unfolding unveils the fascinating intricacies of The Core, which does a great job of creating a huge sense of unease. The gradual buildup sets the stage for Rourke’s eventual desertion, where he redirects his expertise towards aiding civilians rather than causing harm.
“Long Gone Days” seamlessly blends role-playing and visual novel elements with its top-down perspective and traditional turn-based RPG combat. An interesting aspect lies in the game’s departure from fantasy or supernatural elements, opting instead for the pivotal metric of morale. Choices made during dialogues, both in and outside battles, impact party members’ morale, influencing their performance in combat. A character’s will to fight diminishes if their morale reaches zero, which I thought was a mechanic I was not going to enjoy, but for what this game is seems to work just fine. Exploration plays a significant role in the game, offering ample opportunities to engage with NPCs and delve into side quests. The narrative and character growth unfold organically during these exploratory phases, this is where the heart of the game really lies, and I really appreciate when small games like these take the extra time to really flesh out the world and add more layers to it, even if it’s not all extremely necessary. Aside from exploring maps and doing combat with your party the game also offers sniper missions where you need to shoot the indicated enemies you can see down your sniper scope in the short amount of time given, along with the specific amount of ammo given.
Combat, while infrequent, proves engaging, with first-person entanglements employing a turn-based format. The visual transition from pixelated exploration to more detailed, anime-inspired characters during combat adds a dynamic touch. Unlike traditional leveling up, skills earned are tied to story progression, emphasizing the narrative’s importance. “Long Gone Days” goes beyond typical RPG boundaries, ambitiously portraying the horrors of war and their profound impact on both civilians and soldiers. While not everything in the gameplay department felt super organic nor is the game all that long, but its sincerity sets it apart in the current crowded RPG landscape. It’s a journey through darkness, a narrative that resonates with authenticity is very commendable.
7.5/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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