Medieval zombie survival game God Save Birmingham burst onto the scene in April with an 8-minute “gameplay” trailer that stirred up as much doubt as it did buzz. Amid quips about its Birmingham backdrop, some argued it seemed too polished to be real, with animations hinting that the trailer footage was more pre-rendered spectacle than actual gameplay meant to mislead eager gamers.

Most critically, others drew parallels between God Save Birmingham and the notorious The Day Before, labeling it a “fake game” or outright “scam.” For those unfamiliar, The Day Before ranks among the most infamous and disastrous game releases in recent years, as what was promoted as the "next generation of post-apocalyptic MMO open-world survival games" launched as a skeletal, glitch-ridden extraction shooter. The Day Before earned an almost impossibly rare 1/10 in IGN's review, and its shutdown was announced just four days after it launched in Early Access.

Following the viral spread of God Save Birmingham's April video, Korean publisher Kakao Games and developer Ocean Drive showcased a demo at PAX East and unveiled a refreshed gameplay clip that provided a clearer picture of the project's current development stage. This new footage has helped counter the skepticism fueled by the initial explosive promo. Yet, those The Day Before "scam game" accusations linger.

Keeping this in perspective, I spoke with Ocean Drive CEO and founder Jae Kim, along with head of publishing Jungsoo Lee, to explore whether God Save Birmingham can escape the shadow of The Day Before. What struck me was their apparent ease with the association. Continue reading to discover their reasoning.