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The Escapists Review for Xbox One

The Escapists Review for Xbox One

Salvation Lies Within

“Welcome to Shawshank.” Well not really, but it’s hard not to be reminded of the classic film when you boot up The Escapists . A visual throwback to the RPGs of the 8 and 16-bit eras, you play a freshly incarcerated prisoner on a mission to escape. The game provides a handful of different prison complexes with varying degrees of difficulty, from pillow fluffed spas to maximum security penitentiaries. Each fresh prison offers a variety of ways to escape, but unfortunately the accelerated pace of the game and a frustrating crafting system make achieving that goal more of a chore than is necessary.

The Escapists Screenshot

“You eat when we say you eat.” Your days in prison run on a tight schedule of roll calls, meal times, work periods, exercise and shower time, and lights out to finish. You are expected to follow the rules or suffer the consequences. Roaming around during meals and exercise will build “heat” from the guards, which could land you in the infirmary (a place you’ll visit often). Missing your work quota means no pay and possibly unemployment. Missing a roll call puts the prison in lockdown mode and nets you a trip to solitary confinement if caught. There are a few open free times where you can read a book, exercise some more, snoop through other inmate’s desks, or size up the layout of the prison and plan your escape.

“Prison life consists of routine, and then more routine.” The daily grind gives you opportunities to improve your stature and pocket money. Read books and browse the internet to raise your Intellect score, which is required for crafting items. Pump iron to raise your Strength in order to pummel inmates and guards into submission. Hit the treadmill to beef up your running speed, although this one I found a little inconsistent, since you can outrun most other characters even with a low score. It doesn’t help that the game speed borders on Shinobi fast. With only a brief tutorial to start, you’re thrown into the tornado with nothing but an arrow pointing you where you need to be during each phase of the day. The only way to counteract this brevity is to accept the fact that until you have mastered every nuance of the game, you’re not going to find your escape until many days and weeks have passed. In this regard, the first several days are best spent training your skills, building a sizable wad of cash, and studying the layout of the prison and the movement patterns of the guards, all while keeping your nose clean.

The Escapists Screenshot

“We all need friends in here. I could be a friend to you.” Building relationships with other inmates is a simple as spamming them with the cursor to chat and offering them gifts. Some have simple requests, such as retrieving a comb shiv, or causing a distraction during shower time. Low opinions can lead to brawls, while high opinions allow you to recruit henchmen to help with scuffles. Despite this element, there really is no story in The Escapists . Speech bubbles pop up often, but it’s all meaningless humor, many lines pulled from The Shawshank Redemption and other prison films. Besides, with the constant rush to be productive during each brief period, you’ll likely ignore all the chatter anyways. In the end, the inmates are just another tool to help you escape.

The Escapists Screenshot

“Yes sir, I’m a regular Sears & Roebuck.” The Escapists provides a personal crafting system that can be accessed at any time to fashion all manner of items. Placing up to three items in the slots provided (similar to Minecraft ), tools such as shovels and cutters can be fashioned. However, the game provides little guidance in the crafting system. Base items and crafted tools have no descriptions and no indications of their compatibility with other items, nor what level of Intellect is required to craft them. In order to build a crafting database you must find or purchase Crafting Notes, and even then you’re not given clues as to their function. A pickaxe is self-explanatory, but what about a wad of putty or a cup of molten chocolate? Like with Minecraft , you’ll find it necessary to keep a wiki of the game close at hand for reference, although with a little added information in the game itself, this need for memorization of each item’s function could have been avoided.

“I tell you those voices soared, higher and farther than anybody in a gray place dares to dream.” Well you won’t find “The Marriage of Figaro” or even any Mozart in The Escapists , but the original chiptunes are sure to rekindle that nostalgic love. The synthesized melodies vary depending on the current activity. Peaceful xylophones lull you to sleep, marching snare drums signal you to fall in line during roll calls, and the rest are equally clever in their composition. It’s a small selection overall, but makes each activity of the day distinguishable without having to look at the clock. The sound effects are equally discernible. You’ll always be able to tell when there’s a brawl occurring offscreen, a signal to head that way and relieve the unconscious victims of their possessions.

The Escapists Screenshot

“Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” The Escapists has enjoyed several months of early access on Steam, where it has seen new content and gameplay improvements filter in from a dedicated group of developers. I appreciate the care they are taking in this unique approach, complete with old-school flair. I feel the pace should be simmered down slightly to pair better with the controls, and having a more informed crafting system would allow players to remain in the game rather than shifting back and forth from a wiki page. Otherwise it is an experience full of variety due to the complexity of each prison, and a challenge to escape that demands your time and instills pressure.

“That’s all it takes, really, pressure, and time. That and a big goddamn poster.”

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.8 Graphics
The rigid GIF animations pair well with the limited but vibrant color palette. Having the Steam version share the same sleek interface as the Xbox One version would have been nice. 3.5 Control
With the fast pacing of the game, the mouse and keyboard input is far inferior to using a controller. Overall, the speed could have been toned down a tad. 3.8 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The music selection isn’t extensive, but it’s a witty mix of tracks that easily distinguishes the activities of the day. The sounds effects follow suit. 4.0 Play Value
It’s the same goal for each mission, but achieving that objective requires different tactics for each location. Other than improvements to the crafting system, the game is quite addictive. 3.8 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • 6 unique prisons to escape – from the minimal security of Center Perks to the harsh confines of the Stalag Flucht POW camp
  • 6 different methods to bust your way out including digging out and prison takeovers!
  • 10 prison jobs to earn you some vital escape funds. Choose from Laundry, Janitor, Mail Man, Metal Shop, Kitchen, Wood Work, Tailor, Deliveries, Gardener and Library work
  • Crafting system. Gather the necessary items you’ll need to craft items for your escape plan. Craft tools such as Cutters, Shovels, Sheet Ropes and weapons such as the Sock Mace, Comb Blade or Cup of Molten Chocolate!
  • Around 200 items to find including 50+ craftable items

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