The Artful Escape Reviews

The Artful Escape is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
7.5 / 10.0
Dec 11, 2019

The Artful Escape is a visual and audio masterpiece that creates a sincere narrative that gives hope to any struggling would-be artist that they will find their own voice at the end of a tough journey. As good as that message might be, the gameplay mechanics don't nearly live up to the hype the rest of the game creates.

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8.4 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021

‎The Artful Escape is a narratively daring game, original and unique in its artistic section, and with a sound treatment both in the soundtrack and in the casting of stellar voices. Although it has flaws that may detract from its attractiveness for many users, it is a highly recommended title and that, in one way or another, will be recorded on your retina.‎

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Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape is a kaleidoscopic coming-of-age story that is a joy to move through, even if the actual gameplay is sometimes hardly there.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021

It won't challenge your platforming skills, and the action boils down to galactic Simon Says, but The Artful Escape is a gorgeous experience that makes you feel utterly cool

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3.5 / 5.0
Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape is a visual and auditory feast for the senses, but the final result almost makes you wonder if this would have worked better as a short film than a game.

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IGN
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021

There hasn't been a guitar-based adventure as excellent as The Artful Escape since Bill met Ted.

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Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape is a tender look at creativity and finding your voice coated in outlandish visuals, an electrifying soundtrack, and a ton of lasers.

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70 / 100
Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being transported away by a David Bowie track to a far-out world filled with colorful characters and wildlife and great music, but its gameplay falls flat, offering little depth past its first tutorial. While the game is short enough for its systems to never feel too egregious, it never reaches its full potential through its story or its mechanics. Fans of zen games, nice visuals, and quippy dialogue may want to pick this up, but do not expect a deep experience in playing The Artful Escape.

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Wccftech
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape is a rockin' Space Opera but it doesn't have much going for it besides its pretty visuals and incredible music. The platforming is basic and the plot is serviceable, but it's nothing that audiences haven't seen before. I'd recommend this game only if you're a fan of rock music from the '70s and '80s.

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6 / 10
Sep 8, 2021

While The Artful Escape does a strong job with its presentation and sense of style, it still suffers the same drawbacks as most adventure games, particularly with the boring-at-best game mechanics.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape has a stellar narrative with actual good humour enhanced by the voice acting talent and beautiful landscapes, but the gameplay is stale and those who dislike electric guitar are in for a long haul.

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Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape provides a strong narrative adventure focused on self-discovery, identity, and expression that musicians, artists, and just about anyone can find something to relate to. While the experience stumbles a bit due to some dull platforming areas, the groovy universe Beethoven & Dinosaur have crafted is one that players should take the time to fully explore.

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Sep 8, 2021

For such a visually boisterous experience, The Artful Escape feels more like a chilly museum after closing hours.

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VideoGamer
Top Critic
5 / 10
Sep 8, 2021

At the end of The Artful Escape, all I could think of were the words he fired back at a heckler, angered by the electricity in the air: I don’t believe you.

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Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape is a short but oh-so-sweet platformer that will have you bopping to its impossibly catch beats and transfixed by its beauty

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8 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021

A cosmic rock voyage of self-discovery that doesn't folk about, The Artful Escape is a truly unique experience and a feast for the senses.

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Unscored
Sep 8, 2021

One man’s musical mission is an audio visual delight, but there’s not enough room for expression or mastery.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021
The Artful Escape Review - Is It Worth It? (Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass) video thumbnail
9.5 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2021

The Artful Escape is a bold and beautiful trip through the cosmos, featuring a killer soundtrack and a thrilling space adventure.

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8 / 10
Sep 8, 2021

It's also worth mentioning there are some substantial performance issues. The frame rate dropped considerably fairly often, pulling us out of its gorgeous world. There were also a few occasions where dialogue on the screen was not voiced, which felt very odd. However, these issues aside, The Artful Escape is absolutely an adventure worth taking. It contains some magical moments, an engaging narrative and the best soundtrack in a game all year. It doesn't always hit the mark, but when it does, it smashes it out of the park.

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