The Escapists Reviews

The Escapists is ranked in the 56th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
IGN
Top Critic
7.6 / 10.0
Feb 13, 2015

The Escapists makes breaking out of prison as hard as nails, yet soft as taffy.

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Recommended
Feb 11, 2015

It may have its minor frustrations but there's nothing here that really spoils what is an otherwise delightful and endlessly surprising game. It won't be for everyone, especially those who are unwilling to meet the game halfway and learn through trial and error, but those who welcome its open-ended challenge will find that a long stretch inside proves surprisingly enjoyable.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
May 31, 2015

A wonderful throwback to '80s style British gaming, that has much to teach modern titles in terms of player freedom and open world design.

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6 / 10.0
Feb 13, 2015

Escaping prison should be more exciting than this. Strategizing is fun, but the amount of repetition gets tiresome

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8 / 10
Feb 9, 2015

The Escapists is a thrilling game that challenges you to break out of prison in a number of different ways.

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USgamer
Top Critic
Feb 8, 2015

An enjoyable puzzle game that features a surprising amount of depth. However, its gameplay can sometimes be as frustrating as it is rewarding.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 9, 2015

The Escapists is a game for a certain kind of player. If you love the idea of getting thrown on a desert island and figuring out how to survive for days on end, you'll probably enjoy it. If you find that prospect trivial, knowing that a lot of that time will be spent doing menial tasks, you may not enjoy it. As for me, I think I'm going to go back to Escapists for quite a while whenever I need to brush up on my puzzle skills simply because of how open-ended it is.

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Feb 11, 2015

On one hand, I ended up feeling gratified and at peace doing menial mini-game-like tasks, including exercising and laundry duties. On the other, it seems like Team 17 and Mouldy Toof Studios don't want you playing the role of a prisoner at all.

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8 / 10
Feb 10, 2015

The Escapists isn't for everyone. The visual style may put some people off, and the general repetitiveness of each day could grate with others. However, The Escapists is a smart title that encourages a player to experiment with different options. There's no single right answer to escaping, though some tactics will bring freedom faster than others. I personally found myself thinking of various plans even when not playing, and working out how viable they would be. If you enjoy crafting and planning, while potentially starting a riot, then The Escapists could be the game you're looking for.

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7.9 / 10.0
Sep 25, 2018

The Escapists: Complete edition live up to its name and become the most complete edition of all appeared to date. In addition, it is a game that adapts perfectly to the style of Nintendo Switch, which together with its low price -14.99 € in the Spanish market- makes it a very affordable investment. If you like different adventures that make us use our brains to succeed, this game becomes a safe bet.

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May 30, 2015

The Escapists can be hours of fun for those who enjoy a good challenge in a unique setting, but abundant troubleshooting can make this a hard sell for a mainstream audience.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 9, 2015

A lovely little game that looks far simpler than it is.

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90 / 100
Feb 8, 2015

The Escapists presents a dynamic, fun, and challenging experience in a unique setting. The simple presentation belies the complexity and variety of gameplay. Gamers looking for a cerebral puzzler with a high replay value would be well-advised to check it out. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable prison experience.

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75 / 100
Jun 3, 2015

The Escapists is an entertaining open-ended puzzler that delivers plenty of challenge for those possessing the patience to overcome it.

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Feb 16, 2015

Prison life isn't easy, that much I have learned from my time playing The Escapists. This game can be frustrating, make you angry, and want to quit altogether. That is, until that one thing you've been missing finally hits you and you make your escape out of a prison. It's a satisfying feeling that I haven't had from playing recent games. That feeling of accomplishment is one that a lot of mainstream games have lacked for some time. The Escapists, if you have the patience to figure it out without using walkthroughs, will leave you feeling a bit frustrated, but incredibly gratified. In a sea of ID@Xbox titles, The Escapists is one not to be missed.

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6 / 10
May 30, 2015

The Escapists is excellent at what it does, there's no doubt about that, and it's cornered a market that nobody else dares to touch. It's generous with content, it's deep, and, at times, it's extremely satisfying. Still, it can be very tedious, and as such, unless you're actually in prison and have time to kill, there are probably better ways to spend your limited gaming hours. If the premise intrigues you then by all means give it a go – otherwise, you may want to refrain from spending your time behind bars.

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7.5 / 10.0
Jun 2, 2015

The Escapists is a neat throwback to U.K. gaming's formative years in terms of the gameplay structure and silly humour. It may well be a daunting and often frustrating prospect for those less familiar with that era, but there is scope for many hours of joy for anyone who is.

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7.4 / 10.0
Jun 29, 2015

Sometimes you're a rat in a cage. Sometimes you're a lion. But when all your planning, patience, and possibly plain old good luck finally pays off, The Escapists rewards in a rare way. Because in The Escapists, whether you catch a break or catch a beatdown, you'll know you've earned it.

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Feb 8, 2015

A mite obtuse at first and sometimes unfair in its logic, sure, but a recommended game and one sure to have people poring over pulling off their perfect Shawshank Redemption-esque escape for years to come.

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80 / 100
Feb 9, 2015

The Escapists is a great game that doesn't bust the bank and will give your hours of enjoyment as you plot, craft and deploy your plans for your great prison break. I could find little wrong with this game even with the old school graphics, which may not be everyone's cup of tea, as they don't distract from how fun this gem of a title it is. Keep in mind though if you don't have a whole lot of patience this game may not be for you as there are times that you have to do mundane things, which is a gameplay style that isn't for all gamers.

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