Danger Zone Review for Xbox One

            Ever sit in traffic, daydreaming that you could wreck the cars in front of you? Or maybe you’ve wondered how much damage you could cause on the freeway? No, you’re not a psychopath, but I think you might enjoy spending some time in the Danger Zone by developer Three Fields Entertainment. This title is an action, driving, puzzle solver, in which maximum destruction is always the objective.

            There are 20 scenarios to advance through, becoming more challenging and devastating to the motorized community. The players are encouraged to maximize their scores by collecting bonus coins, and their scores for their attempts are put up against thousands of other players on the leaderboard. It may come off as disheartening at first, but as you start to understand how to cause chain reactions with the smashbreaker ability and with a few carefully placed collisions, then you start seeing how make the most out of your leap into traffic. The game really encourages the player to adapt and to learn, because you need at least a bronze medal to move on to the next level.

            Danger Zone allows the player to take off from the starting line immediately, going headfirst into traffic. Just as the challenges change, so do the cars you test drive into said traffic. Unfortunately, you do not have the liberty of choosing which car you’d like to use in each scenario. I think that is a fair decision on the developers’ part; that way the scoreboard competition can remain fair. I would suggest making a new freeplay mode that allows you to choose your vehicle for each scenario, and it wouldn’t affect the leaderboard. I think it would also be cool to think about making another set of scenarios that include not only traffic, but also city/town destruction too, like the Saints Row minigame when you are monetizing how much damage you’ve incurred onto the city.

            The aesthetic of the game certainly compliments the unreal engine that gives it life. It all feels like a self-driving car simulator in Google’s basement. The level designs are clever, leaving gold coins in remote areas and sometimes calling for a leap of faith onto another road of ongoing traffic. The highways and ramps just beg you to slam your foot on the gas pedal (or eagerly squeeze the right trigger), and it is borderline addicting. The effects are great, from the collisions to the explosions. All the while, the sound of horns honking and flames burning sit with you as the round ends. It feels hard to not want to give that round another retry.

            I think my major criticism for this title would be that falling off the edge shouldn’t immediately disqualify you from at least seeing how well you did in that round. I would say that it isn’t my fault that an eighteen-wheeler knocked me off the map, but that would be a lie. I also cannot help but feel there should be more content. I am encouraged mostly by beating scores on the leaderboard and my own personal scores. Other times I am guided by my urge to destroy school busses. I think unlockables for a freeplay mode could be possible, like a new car (the one you used for that scenario), the scenario itself, or maybe even an achievement.

I do think that Danger Zone is very fun for what it is and all the work put into it. It is a type of game that you would have a lot more fun playing than watching, that’s for sure. It is also a challenge, especially when you really want to improve your leaderboard score. I think this title has a lot of potential to grow, especially when moving on to a sequel or an expansion. I also hardly experienced any bugs that took me out of the game or caused me to rage quit. A fair score for this game should be an 8 out of 10 because of what it sets out to do: challenge and entertain. I often think of a game’s replayability when I conclude a review, and, while that aspect is certainly here in Danger Zone, additional content would go a long way for its development.

Check Out the Danger Zone Trailer:

Danger Zone is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam.

John Pruitt

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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.

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