Clone Drone in the Danger Zone
Clone Drone in the Danger Zone is a beat 'em up video game developed and published by Doborog Games. It was initially made available as an early access game on Steam in 2017, and was released on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Steam on July 27, 2021. In the game, the player's mind has been transferred into a robot gladiator. Playing as a robot, the player must fight against "floors" of enemies by using weapons or the environment around them. The playable area is built like a Colosseum, with similar  robot NPCs in the stands of the arena. After each level, the player can upgrade themselves or gain new abilities such as clones, new weapons, or lower cooldowns. The game has 4 modes: story mode, endless mode, challenges, and Twitch mode. History. The game started as an early access game released on Steam on March 16, 2017. Doborog Games was founded by the game's creator, Erik Rydeman at the same time. In May 29, 2020, it was announced via the game's blog that it would be released worldwide in 2021. On May 5, 2017, a level editor was  released, and custom levels could be uploaded to the Steam Workshop. On November 15, 2019, achievements, emotes, skins, and multiplayer were added. On June 1, 2021, Doborog announced on Steam that the game would be released on all platforms on July 27, 2021. Plot. Robots have conquered Earth and have enslaved humanity. Instead of forcing labor and work, the minds of people are transferred into robotic skeletons. Using these robots, the ruling robots pit them against other fighting machines for their own entertainment, similar to a Colosseum fight. Gameplay. The player assumes the role of a gladiator robot. The main  goal is to kill all of the enemies on each floor before progressing. In between levels, the player can upgrade their abilities via an upgrade station in the form of a robotic welder. Throughout gameplay, two robot commentators randomly discuss various moves and events in monotonous tones. Some levels include hazards like lava or spike traps. Endless mode. In endless mode, the goal is to aim for a highscore of how many floors have been completed. The floors are initially pre-made, but later become procedurally generated as the game continues. Each floor has the same surrounding layout, with the  center floor changing each level. The game's arena is built similar to a Colosseum, with fans in the stands to the side and a throne on the back wall. Each "set" of floors is ranked by a name indicating it's difficulty. This rating ranges from "bronze" to "insanium". Challenge mode. The player must defeat an enemy or group of enemies under a specific criteria. These challenges range from requiring the use of a specific weapon, or tricking the enemy into walking into traps and killing their self Twitch mode. Using Twitch integrations, viewers can join and compete against  the player, vote to spawn in enemies, or bet on which floor the player will die. Those who won the bet are able to summon more difficult enemies. Reception. Beta versions of "Clone Drone in the Danger Zone" received favorable reviews. Critics praised it's voxel style and simple gameplay, and often commented on the game's difficulty in the endless mode. "Kotaku" reviewer Heather Alexandra said that "Each victory feels satisfying. Each failure feels brutal.", also commenting that "Clone Drone In The Danger Zone is the video game version of Skittles. Bright and refreshing junk food that serious hits  the spot when you need it." Robert Purchese of "Eurogamer" praised the game's comedy and simple gameplay, saying "It's all very Monty Python and it's absolutely supposed to be. Clone Drone in the Danger Zone is a comedy.", and "The combat here isn't as complex. It's been reduced to a few moves: left and right swipes, and an overhead strike."