Dangerous Golf Review (PS4)

Introduction

Dangerous Golf, developed and published by Three Fields Entertainment, is an arcade sports game with a little something extra to it. Forget all the rules of golfing you have ever known, and instead prepare to destroy everything you possibly can. It offers a hundred holes and variations over 4 different locations, as well as both single-player and multiplayer options. You can buy the game on Steam or PlayStation Store or Xbox Marketplace for $19.99.

Game modes

There's a few ways to play the game, both in single-player fashion or with friends (or random opponents). You can take on the challenge of the World Tour which consists of 10 tours in total. If you're interested in co-op, you'll be excited to know the World Tour can be play with one of your friends. Outside of these two modes, you can play Party Golf in offline mode where up to 8 players take turns by passing the controller around as everyone competes for the top score, as well as Party Golf in online mode (also up to 8 players).

Gameplay

Everything will take place in one of the four locations: a castle in England, an American Diner, a French palace, and a gas station located in the outback of Australia. That may sound fairly limited but in actuality, there's 100 different holes to master (destroy). They'll be nearly all locked at first, meaning you'll need to unlock them slowly. Each hole will have it's own unique gameplay mechanics in regards to destructible items and layouts, but the goal remains the same; achieve a high enough score to unlock the next one. You'll be able to get one of 4 medals for each: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.

The actual gameplay is strongly reminiscent of the classic Burnout games where your score is based on pure destruction with an added ability to not only launch into the chaos, but to also control the movements after. Your first putt (tee-off) will be a standard one where you aim in a direction (adjusting left to right) and then launching your shot by pushing the left analog stick forward. What you're hoping for with your first swing is to acquire enough points via destruction points that will then reward you with a second shot known as a smashbreaker. It's more powerful than the first (plus is set on fire) and can be controlled after putting.

It'll be in slower motion which is for the purpose of increased accuracy, which is important come the end of it's timer. Following the smashbreaker shot, you'll need to putt the ball into a hole positioned somewhere in the environment. The mechanics of the third shot work exactly like the first; you'll aim and shoot but won't be able to control after the ball has been hit. It's a bit of risk versus reward deciding if you keep attacking the environment for points or if you get as close to the hole as possible before the smashbreaker timer ends. It's easy the first few courses but as you near the later stages, the game becomes more puzzle based.

The game is a genuinely a fun game to play, but it does have it's faults. While the gameplay mechanics are simple to use and remember, the camera is your worst enemy. Rotating it when the ball is in a bad position such as a corner or sink or under destroyed objects is near useless as you'll find your view gets blocked fairly easily. The hole is outlined to assist you during these situations, but you still will face difficulties with the other structures inbetween. You're not going to be taking several shots in any single environment so the stress of this occurrence is purely luck (or rather misfortune).

Sound and Graphics

As an arcade type sports game (and not a traditional professional sports game) there is more emphasis and attention on the graphics than audio. That's not to say the audio suffered in comparison. The crashing of expensive art and pottery in the palace, explosions at the gas station,  and more, they all carry the weight they should in order to make you feel invested. They compliment the visuals nicely, but sometimes will be all you hear as the music is somewhat inconsistent. Perhaps for the better; when you're focusing on precision and puzzle strategy, it helps to not be flooded with audio.

The graphics are incredible. The light and shadow effects, matched with realistic details and depictions of the environments you'll be blowing up or crashing through make for extensive immersion. The physics are a little goofy but thats what makes the game everything it is. The attention to detail goes further than just the items placed in the rooms; as you return to some holes, you'll find things have been moved around to cause diversity in gameplay (diversity truly thought out in strategy/puzzle fashion).

Conclusion

Dangerous Golf does have a few technical issues that hold it back from being something truly special, but for the gameplay it provides, especially when playing with friends, it's chaotic and fun. It is not one I could find myself playing for hours at a time by myself, but as a pick-up and play type of title, it works wonders. Its different from many of the other games on the market, yet brings back so many of the great memories that made Burnout so enjoyable. As mentioned, if you plan to play with friends, the game is worth the price, but if you are looking for a single-player experience (while you will still find value and enjoyments dependent on your preferences) waiting for a small sale would be worth the wait.