![]() ![]() ![]() Create various weaponry and escape tools which help aid the player in their ultimate goal of escaping! Players will have to keep in line and juggle their time sensibly as they form their personal plan of escape work out potential routes to use, as well as being incredibly smart and clever in using what seem like harmless items to craft. The player is left out to dry after a far too brief tutorial and the surroundings and NPCs aren’t a huge help either.The Escapists provides players the opportunity of experiencing a light-hearted insight into everyday prison life with the main objective being that of escaping! Presentation: It looks fine, nothing too striking.Sound effects are basic 8-bit “beeps and boops.” Clunky at times and with a very thin tutorial to start things off. Gameplay: Unforgiving, but also unique.Graphics: The throwback 8-bit aesthetic is wearing a little thin, but it is done fairly well here.For myself, I found its somewhat clunky and unforgiving gameplay to be a bit too much. If you’re looking for a throw-back, non-hand-holding approach to a strategy game, The Escapists will fit that bill just fine. I just did not feel compelled to return to a new facility and try to break out, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue that grind. I only managed to escape from two of the many prisons in the game and as I mentioned earlier, that was rewarding. It has a hidden complexity to it that I didn’t expect and was honestly a welcomed surprise, it’s also very difficult. The slow and steady planning is a neat way to go about a prison break, but it just doesn’t carry the same sense of urgency or excitement. It isn’t a bad game, it’s just not as exciting as I feel it could have been. I was surprisingly underwhelmed while playing the game. After all the time, effort, and trial and error, it did feel quite rewarding to have little 8-bit Dave free of captivity. Instead, I managed to gather enough items over a number of days that eventually helped me to become an escapist. I won’t rag on the game too much for that because it did cause me to change my approach and escape plan, which is a good thing. Guards need hundreds of dollars to be bribed, and tips from a pay phone only give out crafting “recipes” at a cost. I found the money system to be much less impactful as well. While I liked the idea of this mechanic, the execution and risk didn’t really pay off in most cases. Each complete favor rewards you with a small amount of money and an increased “Opinion” of that particular prisoner. These tasks can vary from stealing an item from another inmate’s cell to causing a ruckus at lunchtime to distract the guards. ![]() All the while there will be favors you can choose to do for the others being held behind bars. On a typical day, your prisoner will attend morning roll call, meals, workout time, and a daily job task (like laundry or janitorial service). That feeling you get from accomplishing a certain task feels good, unfortunately, it took multiple tries and honestly a few New Game restarts to really get it right. I found this to be fairly fun at times, and when my small plan to get a file or screwdriver worked out, it was very rewarding. Yes, you’re in prison, so the nature of the environment forces the player to manage relationships and sneak around to steal and study your surroundings. While taking the time to survive and craft items are the name of each of the games, The Escapists makes it much more difficult to “gather” the necessary items. It briefly reminded me of Don’t Starve, where you also start off knowing very little, but I soon realized it’s a very different game. It’s partially the game’s approach to strategy and discovery, but also added a little confusion to the early-game tasks as the minimalistic tutorial shows you a quick and easy way to escape prison, but nothing more. The game gets you started fairly quickly, with a simple character customization screen and a tutorial that teaches you the basics. With a multitude of possibilities (and frustrations) to dig your way to freedom, The Escapists is a deep and difficult strategy game under its 8-bit surface. This can be good and bad depending in the prison your character is held up in, and the way the early game plays out for you. The Escapists gives you the chance to break out of prison, just like in the movies, but at a much slower and methodical pace. Where To Buy: Steam, PSN, XBOX Marketplace
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |