Somebody Call Kenny Loggins…
Danger Zone is developed by Three Fields Entertainment and is a spiritual spin-off to game series Burnout’s Crash Mode.
It’s a simple concept. Drive your vehicle into traffic and cause as much damage as possible, to achieve a score. That’s the concept anyway, which is stretched across 4 training levels and 20 game levels.
The game is set in a virtual crash testing simulator. Each level loads up and consists of a number of intersections, various vehicle types and various pick-ups that help you on your way to a high score.
Gameplay
You start each test chamber with a target number of destroyed vehicles to engage your ‘Smashbreaker’, a helpful bonus. The first few levels are fairly standard, garnering great destructive fun, but grow increasingly more difficult as the number of lanes increase, floors added and timing becomes crucial to succeed in getting a medal position. The later levels make it less about fun and more about causing a specific crash, while performing a car balletic performance, hitting all the money pick-ups in order and hoping cars pile up in such a way, you can use your ‘Smashbreaker’ to apply maximum damage.
The Art Of Crashing
So does Danger Zone capture the fun and essence of it’s predecessor? Well yes and no.
Although it’s easy to pick up and play, it lacks the bells and whistles of a fully priced AAA title. One glaring omission is an soundtrack. Not that it is lacking big name songs, it’s the fact that it doesn’t have any at all. No fast paced indie rock or pop punk, to drive your world of carnage. Sound design is also at a minimum, with revving engines, some explosions, squealing tires and crunching metal sound effects. They do their jobs, but it feels hollow at points. Physics are a bit hit and miss, as some of the crashes feel floaty and although it looks slick in Unreal Engine, the damage isn’t as realistic as some other driving games.
You also play the entire game with only one type of vehicle. This doesn’t allow some creativity and replayability. If you added in some more vehicle options, a possible track builder, brighten up the drab environments and mix in some music, this could be an addictive game.
But as it stands, it’s fun and Danger Zone is the closest game to Burnout’s Crash Mode you’ll get. For €12.99, Three Fields Entertainment have put a game together that gives you a destructive fix. Hopefully it sells and allows a denser game, that allows the company to build on what they started. Give it a try on PlayStation 4 and PC. Throw on some music in the background and away you go. Let them know what you think on their Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
(For anyone wondering. Yes, Kenny Loggins‘ ‘Danger Zone’ was the first track I lined up when the game started up.)
