Scott Watson reviews The Escapists…
The start of 2016 hasn’t been particularly pleasant for me. Banged up for a crime I’m sure I didn’t commit, I’ve been stuck in a persistent routine of waking up for daily roll call, sharing my meals with some Grade A troublemakers, wandering around the grounds of the prison without much purpose… oh, and doing the laundry for both the officers and the inmates. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to life in prison according to The Escapists.
The game has been available for a while, original surfacing on Steam Early Access back in 2014, but it’s only in the past few weeks has it finally gotten its release on the 360 thanks to Team17.
Everyone needs a secret stashAt its heart, the game is essentially one giant puzzle. The goal, as the name suggests, is to rise above the daily repetition of prison life and find a way out… by any means. That being said, while the goal and aim of the game may be a very clear target, getting there is anything but!
The game may have a cute pixel graphic style, but it has an unforgiving heart that will break you big style if you don’t have the patience to observe, plan and act with a level head. I have to admit that without all the information readily available for the game online I would still be feeling broken too. While the game has been available across multiple platforms for a while, this is the first I’ve actually had my mitts on it (aside from its Walking Dead cousin at EGX I had the pleasure of playing for a short time) and at first I decided to go in blind.
Observe, Plan, Escape. Simple right?Sadly and very quickly, from the persistent beatings by not just inmates but the prison officers as well, I found myself having to take stock, re-evaluate and restart the game (several times I may add) trying to keep a level and, more importantly, patient head. When you do that and take your time to realise you have all of your prison sentence ahead of you to plan your escape, THAT is when it clicks and becomes a much more rewarding and satisfying experience.
The steep learning curve though, is certain to alienate some and put them off the game. Break beyond that and you actually start to feel a sense of accomplishment in even the smallest things you manage to achieve – making a risky steal from another inmates cell for that one final component to craft what you need, hiding your all important contraband ahead of a shakedown by the guards, or even something as simple as avoiding the guards to get back to your cell before they notice you’re missing. The rewards may start off small, but they all lead to a hugely satisfying end when you finally and successfully make your escape… and the great thing about doing that is that it HAS been your escape. It’s been planned by you, controlled by you and its resolution has all been through your actions.
Admittedly, the game may be a little too punishing at times for my liking, but those of you who love a challenge and haven’t yet had a chance to play this will no doubt lap that up in fine style.
Rating: 8/10
Scott Watson
Originally published January 8, 2016. Updated April 14, 2018.
