The Escapists Reviews
Methodical and oddly compelling incarceration
The Escapists is an interesting premise for a simulation-style game that offers numerous ways to tackle situations and lots of routines to keep track of. However, the cumbersome interface may impact the enjoyment of anyone playing with an Xbox controller, and with the promise of further updates and additions on the PC side, interested players may want to consider grabbing the game off of Steam instead, if possible.
The Escapists is a game that welcomes and rewards creativity, however the patience required may limit its audience
The Escapists set out to create a fun and realistic prison escape game, and it has done that with flying colours. The player will immediately sympathize for their inmate as they begrudgingly follow the prison's schedule, but then bask in the excitement as they start to plan their prison desertion. The three-step system of increasing your stats, getting better jobs and then crafting the items you need works wonderfully and creates a smooth and logical experience that anyone could enjoy and appreciate. However there are areas for improvement, one being a story that could tie all six prisons together which could help the player build up a connection with their inmate. Also, the game would benefit from a more in-depth tutorial than the one we see at the beginning of the game. Otherwise, like us, players may be lost at the start of their stint in prison and not entirely sure of how to go about forming some sort of escape. The Escapists doesn't quite reach the heights of The Shawshank Redemption's emotion, relationships between characters or interesting story to tie everything together, but it does create an engaging and noteworthy experience that should be played by all.
I'm pretty sure this won't appeal to a lot of people. It can be bone-crushingly hard at times and difficult to get into. But by giving you the tools to craft your own escape and leaving you alone to sort it out, The Escapists is one of those classic hands-off games that encourages you to create your own story and incredible moments.
The Escapists: Complete Edition looks crisp and beautiful on the Nintendo Switch.
The prison theme is under-represented in games, and a welcome change from the more oversaturated motifs we're often subject to (war, I'm looking at you). 'The Escapists' does have a lot of good ideas. It can't quite deliver on many of them due to a slow interface, weird AI and other design choices. It's a charming indie game that is welcome on the Xbox One but falls short overall.
If you are looking for an intricate clinic in the art of escape, The Escapists will have you covered but if you are a casual gamer seeking a fun time than this is probably not the title for you.
The Escapists fills a niche that few developers dare to tread: a strategy title that demands planning and focus, leaving no room for failure and very limited handholding. Such restrictions limit the overall appeal, but those brave enough to venture into Mouldy Toof Studios' and Team17's latest release on PlayStation 4 will find buckets of charm and invention to reward their patience, as well as plenty of value for money.
Despite these irritants, The Escapist remains light-hearted fun. It's not an especially meaningful or rich gaming experience (and of course, it doesn't try to be either), and it won't be remembered a decade from now as a classic, but it's honest entertainment that does on some level tap into one of the more enduring subsets of the crime fiction genre.
[A failed attempt] will either steel you for the next attempt, or cause you to put the controller down in anger. If you're in the former group, the sheer wealth of options available to you, combined with the art style and the occasional laugh-out-loud moment, mean that The Escapists is definitely recommended.
The Escapists has us bang to rights! Lock us up and throw away the key!
The Escapists doesn't take itself too seriously but definitely asks you to be serious about your approach. Observation, methodical planning, and timely execution lie at the core of the experience, and if you're particularly detail-oriented – and diligent – this game will deliver. You have to like the fun twist on a normally gritty, hopeless situation, and the basic controls are just fine.
The Escapists is a "deeper than appears" puzzler that will take some getting into, but the pay-off is worth it.
I really enjoyed playing The Escapists. I must admit that at first though I felt a bit lost and unsure of what to do when the tutorial abruptly ended, but I soon had the game figured out and started to really enjoy it.- I would definitely recommend picking it up since I had an absolute blast writing this The Escapists review!
An enjoyable puzzle game that features a surprising amount of depth. However, its gameplay can sometimes be as frustrating as it is rewarding.
The Escapists is a fun retro bit throwback and a challenging prison puzzle game. It takes place over 9 different prisons in a sandboxed environment. Each prison has its own unique ways of mastering an escape. You can choose to make nice with your other inmates or beat them up for mini quests to gain some money. Each day starts with a roll call, then onto daily lifestyle activities such as breakfast, workout, showers, free periods, lunch, and dinner.
The Escapists: Complete Edition is unpolished in many regards, but under that rough lies a diamond that will shine brightly and hook you for hours. Its flaws end up working in its favour as you start feeling the desperation of a prisoner who’s just tired of being stuck, and eventually you need to use your wits and a little bit of hustle to get the job done.