The Escapists Critic Reviews

Whilst I was aware of The Escapists, it was never a game on my most wanted list, but having now played for a good number of hours and still only scratching the surface, I can wholeheartedly recommend picking this up and get involved with one of the first great indie titles of 2015.

A little gem that puts our planning and strategic skills (and patience) to the test to architect the perfect prison break.

The Escapists is easily one of the most original games in a long time that successfully recreates a prison environment.

The Escapists is a wonderfully deep and complex puzzle game that reels you in further and further as you make progress from one prison to the next.

The Escapists is a game that demands quite a lot of the player, but when you have learned the basic mechanics it feels really awarding. Easily one of the deepest most interesting games you will play this year.

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.

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.

The SNES-era visuals and bouncy soundtrack hide a universe of complexity, decision making and intrigue. It has a charm that will ring true with gamers of a certain age, and for anyone who is up for the challenge. Yes, The Escapists is challenging, but it is also very rewarding, and something about those little sprites kept dragging me back for more.

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.

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.

While The Escapists on the Xbox One may not be the most definitive version of the title, it’s still a soundly optimized and immensely original gaming experience that stands out from the crowd in the One’s digital library.

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

You might not want to live in one of The Escapists' prisons, but you will definitely enjoy the visit.

The Escapists is not a game for those who get frustrated easily.

Despite the fact that the tedious repetitive mechanisms are part of the game, The Escapists goes beyond that and introduces players to a new level of strategic approach that’s being followed by the proportionate rewards that similar games simply don’t have.

The Escapists may look almost like a casual game, but it's exactly the opposite, a deep sandbox experience that needs an 'investment' from the player to become really enjoyable.

It is not without flaw. And it can be quite frustrating. But it also is very rewarding once you get the hang of it.

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

The Escapists oozes charm, but due to the inherent nature of the game, it has a tendency to be boring. It takes a lot of patience to make your escape, and you'll spend a lot of your time waiting. This may be a turn off for some, but for others it may make that final escape all the more satisfying.

While the visuals and combat are quite simple and not blow you away, The Escapists provides a surprisingly deep game that offers plenty of room for creativity despite the illusion of a rigid framework around your inmate's daily activities.