The Escapists

Last updated

The Escapists
The Escapists logo.jpg
Developer(s) Mouldy Toof Studios
Publisher(s) Team17
Designer(s) Chris Davis
Engine Unity
Clickteam Fusion [a]
Platform(s) Windows, OS X, Linux, Switch, PlayStation 4, Amazon Fire TV, [1] Xbox 360, Xbox One, iOS, Android
ReleaseWindows, Xbox One
  • WW: 13 February 2015
PlayStation 4
OS X, Linux
  • WW: 21 October 2015
Xbox 360
  • WW: 18 December 2015 [3]
iOS, Android
  • WW: 2 March 2017
Switch
  • WW: 25 September 2018
Genre(s) Strategy, role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

The Escapists is a strategy game developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and following a Steam Early Access release in 2014, was released in 2015 for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It was released on iOS and Android in 2017. A Nintendo Switch version of the game containing all downloadable content was released in 2018. The game was launched on the Epic Games Store on 23 September 2021, with the weekly free game campaign of Epic Games. Players assume the role of an inmate and must escape from prisons of increasing difficulty.

Contents

Reviewers praised the freedom of approach the game offered players, yet some were frustrated by the trial-and-error approach required to learn its systems. A sequel, The Escapists 2 , was released in 2017.

Gameplay

In The Escapists, the player, who assumes the role of a prisoner, must escape from six primary prisons that progresses in difficulty. Each time a prison is escaped the next prison is unlocked. There are additional prisons released as downloadable content (DLC) which can be played in any order regardless of the player's progress. Outside of the main game, there is also the "Prison Editor" mode, which allows players to create their own prisons out of in-game assets that they can choose to publish online for other players to download.

In the beginning, the player selects their name and can choose the names of prisoners and guards if desired. Once the names are selected the game starts from day 1 waking up in the player character's cell. Players can acquire various items to aid in their escape by buying or stealing them from other inmates, or by crafting them by combining two or three items, such as toothpaste and talcum powder which makes putty that a key can be imprinted then moulded with. Players can do favours for fellow inmates, once the favour is completed the player is rewarded a certain amount of money based on the inmate's opinion of the player. Inmate favours can range from getting them a roll of duct tape to distracting the guards at roll call.

Engaging in exercise and using the library allows players to level up their character's attributes such as strength, speed, and intelligence which improves their abilities and their chance of escape. Each prison has their own daily routines, such as meals, work, exercise and showers. An inmate can skip a meal, showers and exercise without much penalty, however, all roll calls are mandatory and lockdowns will occur if the player character does not attend. Inmates must be careful to hide all contraband as guards will periodically search the inmates' desks. If the player is caught with contraband, it and any weapons equipped are confiscated and the player is sent into solitary confinement. Any damage such as chipped walls, broken vents and tunnels are also repaired.

There are a number of escape methods including inciting riots, via vents, tunnels, roofs, among others. Each prison has layers of security that increase in difficulty from the first playable prison to the last, ranging from electric fences to chip resistant high walls. The prisoner will generally need various weapons to win a fight with inmates or guards. There are many types of weapons that can be acquired (such as a guard's baton or plastic fork) or crafted (such as nunchucks or a whip).

Development and release

The Escapists is the second game by Chris Davis' one man studio. Davis raised £7,131 for the game through Kickstarter in November 2013, this allowed him to commit full-time to game development for the first time in his career. Unlike his first title, Spud's Quest, Davis signed a publishing deal with Team17 to better market the game. [4] [5] Team17 contributed the tutorial and ported the game to Unity for Xbox One support. [6]

The game was inspired by the 1984 video game Skool Daze , one of Davis's favourite titles. Davis limited the hint system and the tutorial to encourage experimentation by the players. He hoped that by allowing players to discover the solution themselves, they would feel a greater sense of achievement. [6] For inspiration, Davis watched prison films and researched prison escapes.

The game was released for Steam Early Access in August 2014. [7] Feedback from the early access release allowed Davis to improve the game, such as by adjusting the difficulty. It allowed him to experiment with ideas and solicit suggestions from the player community. Davis stated that, "the community is what made the game into what it is", and that "Early Access has been a really good experience for the game." The full game was released in February 2015. [8]

Downloadable content

There are five downloadable content (DLC) packages available for the game.

The first DLC, "Fhurst Peak Correctional Facility" was originally added as a bonus prison for Early Access players, but was added as DLC due to popular demand as an extra prison. [9]

The second DLC, titled "Alcatraz", is based on the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. It was released for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox One on 2 April 2015. [10]

"Escape Team", the third DLC package was released on 30 June 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It allows to play as four different prisoners, as opposed to one. The four characters are based on the A-Team. [11]

"Duct Tapes are Forever", the fourth DLC, was released on 3 November 2015 for PC and PlayStation 4, and 4 November for the Xbox One. It is James Bond themed, with the player assuming the role of a super-spy, trying to escape from an evil villain's lair. [12]

The fifth DLC package, "Santa's Sweatshop", was released for free on 8 December 2015 for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. [13]

Reception

The Escapists received generally positive reviews, with Windows and Xbox versions holding scores of 71 out of 100 and 74 out of 100 respectively on review aggregator website Metacritic. [14] [15]

Reviews highlighted the freedom in approach that the game allowed, and reviewers told stories of their break outs. GameSpot writer Cameron Woolsey described tunnelling his way out, Official Xbox Magazine (OXM) writer Andy Kelly, described hiding his ventilation system escape by crafting a fake papier-mâché vent cover, while X-One 's Dom Peppiatt straightforwardly shivved a guard and stole his keys. [20] [22] [23]

Reviewers were mixed on the learning curve presented by the game, even positive reviews such as OXM's acknowledged that the game "won't be for everyone", requiring "patience and a creative mind" in the player. [22] Without an in depth tutorial, X-One believed the game "perhaps relies a little too heavily on trial-and-error". [23] Kimberley Wallace, writing at Game Informer found this trial-and-error approach frustrating, finding herself "constantly punished for mistakes and losing progress" due to outcomes which were impossible to predict. On the other hand, she felt this level of challenge contributed to "a grand sense of accomplishment when you win". [19]

Game Informer criticized the interaction with other inmates as shallow and artificial, requiring the player to perform "boring favours" to "just [raise] a meter". [19] Richard Cobbett, writing for IGN, noted that how despite the "adorable 16-bit style graphics", he would quickly perceive fellow prison inmates without empathy as "pure puzzle game piece[s]" rather than characters. He also stated "As a mix of sandbox, puzzle and open-world action, The Escapists offers something fresh and entertaining." [21] OXM felt the game had character, citing the non-player characters' "amusing non sequiturs and pop culture references". [22] Dan Whitehead at Eurogamer agreed, praising the game's "thriving social element" which make it easy to get "sucked into the petty vendettas and mini dramas of day to day prison life." [24]

Eurogamer recommended the game, concluding that while it had minor frustrations, "there's nothing here that really spoils what is an otherwise delightful and endlessly surprising game". [24] GameSpot finished by saying the game would provide hours of gratifying entertainment, and with the developer working on tools for user-generated content, it could provide even more in the future. [20]

Legacy

The Escapists: The Walking Dead , also known as The Escapists: The Walking Dead Edition, is a standalone spin-off developed by Team17 released 2015–2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It merges the core gameplay of The Escapists with the characters, locations and theme of The Walking Dead comic books. [25]

Another spin-off, The Survivalists, where the player has to survive on an abandoned island, was announced on 10 December 2019, as part of a Nintendo Indie World showcase and was released on October 9, 2020, for PC, Mac, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and iOS through Apple Arcade. [26]

A sequel, titled The Escapists 2 , which introduces multiplayer, [27] was released for Microsoft Windows, [28] macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 22 August 2017. [29] A version for the Nintendo Switch was released on 11 January 2018, [30] and iOS and Android ports on 31 January 2019. [31]

Notes

  1. ↑ Microsoft Windows, Linux and OS X versions only.

Related Research Articles

<i>Worms 3D</i> 2003 video game

Worms 3D is a 2003 3D artillery turn-based tactical video game developed by Team17 and published by Sega, Acclaim Entertainment, and Feral Interactive. It is the sixth installment in the Worms series, and was released for GameCube, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Notably, the game was the first in the series to be fully 3D. Additionally, it featured several new weapons, with some weapon operations being substantially different from previous Worms titles.

<i>Uno</i> (video game) Video game adaptation of the card game

Uno is a video game based on the card game of the same name. It has been released for a number of platforms. The Xbox 360 version by Carbonated Games and Microsoft Game Studios was released on May 9, 2006, as a digital download via Xbox Live Arcade. A version for iPhone OS and iPod devices was released in 2008 by Gameloft. Gameloft released the PlayStation 3 version on October 1, 2009, and also released a version for WiiWare, Nintendo DSi via DSiWare, and PlayStation Portable. An updated version developed by Ubisoft Chengdu and published by Ubisoft was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2016, Microsoft Windows in December 2016 and for the Nintendo Switch in November 2017.

<i>Prison Architect</i> 2015 video game

Prison Architect is a private prison construction and management simulation video game developed and published by Introversion Software. It was made available as a crowdfunded paid alpha pre-order on September 25, 2012 with updates that were scheduled every three to four weeks until 2023. With over 2,000,000 copies sold, Prison Architect made over US$10.7 million in pre-order sales for the alpha version. Prison Architect was an entrant in the 2012 Independent Games Festival. The game was available on Steam's Early Access program, and was officially released on October 6, 2015.

<i>The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth</i> 2014 indie video game

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a 2014 roguelike action-adventure game designed by Edmund McMillen and developed and published by Nicalis. Rebirth was released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in November 2014, for Xbox One, New Nintendo 3DS and Wii U in July 2015, for iOS in January 2017 and for Nintendo Switch in March 2017. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions were released in November 2021.

<i>The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Hearthfire</i> 2012 Skyrim Expansion

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Hearthfire is the second downloadable content add-on for the action role-playing open world video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The game was developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The Xbox 360 version of Hearthfire launched on September 4, 2012. It was released on Microsoft Windows via Steam on October 5, 2012. It was released for the PlayStation 3 on February 19, 2013, in North America and February 20, 2013, in Europe.

<i>A Hat in Time</i> 2017 video game

A Hat in Time is a 2017 platform game developed by Danish game studio Gears for Breakfast and published by Humble Bundle. The game was developed using Unreal Engine 3 and funded through a Kickstarter campaign, which nearly doubled its fundraising goals within its first two days. The game was self-published for macOS and Windows in October 2017, and by Humble Bundle for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles two months later. A version for the Nintendo Switch was released in October 2019.

<i>Outlast</i> 2013 horror video game

Outlast is a 2013 first-person psychological survival horror video game developed and published by Red Barrels. It revolves around freelance investigative journalist Miles Upshur, who decides to investigate Mount Massive Asylum, a remote psychiatric hospital, located deep in the mountains of Lake County, Colorado.

<i>Tales from the Borderlands</i> Episodic video game

Tales from the Borderlands is an episodic interactive comedy graphic adventure sci-fi video game based on the Borderlands series. It was developed by Telltale Games under license from Gearbox Software, the developer of the Borderlands series, and 2K, its publisher. The game was released in November 2014 for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and in 2021 for Nintendo Switch.

<i>Not a Hero</i> 2015 video game

Not a Hero is a cover system 2D shooter video game developed by the British indie development studio Roll7 and published by Devolver Digital. The game released on 14 May 2015 for Microsoft Windows. A later update, which was built using the Chowdren runtime for Clickteam Fusion 2.5, introduced builds for OS X and Linux, on 1 October 2015. The PlayStation 4 version of the game released on 2 February 2016, with the PlayStation Vita version being cancelled. A Super Snazzy Edition, including a new extra campaign, was released on Xbox One by Team17 in May 2016, and on Nintendo Switch by Devolver Digital in August 2018.

<i>Minecraft: Story Mode</i> 2015 video game

Minecraft: Story Mode is an episodic point-and-click video game developed and published by Telltale Games, based on Mojang Studios' sandbox video game Minecraft. The first five episodes were released between October 2015 through March 2016 and an additional three episodes were released as downloadable content (DLC) in mid-2016. A second season consisting of five episodes was released in 2017.

<i>Ark: Survival Evolved</i> 2017 video game

Ark: Survival Evolved is a 2017 action-adventure survival video game developed by Studio Wildcard. In the game, players must survive being stranded on one of several maps filled with roaming dinosaurs, fictional fantasy monsters, and other prehistoric animals, natural hazards, and potentially hostile human players.

<i>Blackguards 2</i> 2015 video game

Blackguards 2 is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Daedalic Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and OS X in January 2015. It was ported to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2017 and Nintendo Switch in June 2022. It is a sequel to 2014's The Dark Eye: Blackguards.

<i>Worms W.M.D</i> 2016 video game

Worms W.M.D is a 2D artillery turn-based tactics video game developed and published by Team17. It is the nineteenth installment in the Worms series, and was released on 23 August 2016 for Linux, OS X, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox One. It was later released on 23 November 2017 for Switch, on 1 July 2022 for Stadia and on 11 April 2023 for iOS and Android.

<i>Overcooked</i> 2016 video game

Overcooked is a 2016 cooking simulation game developed by Ghost Town Games and published by Team17. In a local cooperative experience, players control a number of chefs in kitchens filled with various obstacles and hazards to rapidly prepare meals to specific orders under a time limit. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in August 2016. A Nintendo Switch version was released in July 2017.

<i>The Escapists 2</i> 2017 strategy role-playing video game

The Escapists 2 is a strategy role-playing video game developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and published by Team17. It is the sequel to The Escapists (2015) and it was released worldwide for Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in August 2017. Nintendo Switch and mobile phones versions were released in 2018 and 2019, both iOS and Android respectively.

<i>Assault Android Cactus</i> 2015 video game

Assault Android Cactus is a twin-stick shooter developed and published by Witch Beam. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux in 2015, PlayStation 4 in 2016, Xbox One in 2017 and Nintendo Switch in 2019. An enhanced version for the Switch was released in 2019 as Assault Android Cactus+.

<i>Worms Rumble</i> 2020 video game

Worms Rumble is a 2020 action game developed and published by Team17. As a spin-off of the Worms series, the game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in December 2020 and for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in June 2021.

<i>Golf with Your Friends</i> 2020 casual video game

Golf with Your Friends is a golf video game by Australian developer Blacklight Interactive and published by Team17. The game started in early access on Steam on 30 January 2016 and fully released on 19 May 2020 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and on Google Stadia on 14 April 2022.

<i>Art of Rally</i> 2020 video game

Art of Rally is a racing video game developed and published by Funselektor Labs. The game was released on September 23, 2020 for Windows, macOS, and Linux; on August 12, 2021 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch; on October 6, 2021 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5; and on January 18, 2024 ports for iOS and Android published by Noodlecake were released. Art of Rally is set during the golden era of rally, in an alternate timeline where Group B was never discontinued. Players compete in rallies, unlocking classes and cars as they progress through the game.

<i>Hokko Life</i> 2022 video game

Hokko Life is a 2022 video game developed by Wonderscope Games and published by Team17.

References

  1. ↑ Aston, Bethany (15 April 2015). "Acclaimed strategy game The Escapists is coming soon to PS4". PlayStation Blog. Team17. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  2. 1 2 Dunning, Jason (30 April 2015). "The Escapists PS4 Release Dates in North America & Europe Confirmed, Alcatraz DLC Out Day one". PlayStation LifeStyle . Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Phillips, Tom (18 December 2015). "The Escapists tunnels to Xbox 360 today". Eurogamer . Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  4. ↑ ChrisD (24 October 2013). "The Escapists". Kickstarter . Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Leon Hurley (9 July 2014). "From Roofer to Developer: How Anyone Can Make a Game". Kotaku UK . Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  6. 1 2 GameCentral (10 February 2015). "The Escapists interview – 'it's a good time to be an indie developer'". Metro . Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Jeffrey Matulef (20 August 2014). "Prison break game The Escapists arrives on Steam Early Access". Eurogamer . Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Craig Chapple (16 February 2015). "The Escapists dev: 'I'm not afraid to ask the community for ideas'". Develop . Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "The Escapists - Fhurst Peak Correctional Facility".
  10. ↑ "Can you escape from Alcatraz? – New DLC for The Escapists". 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "The Escapists 'Escape Team' DLC introduces a new military prison next week". 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "New DLC for The Escapists Announced". 30 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "New Free The Escapists DLC! Santa's Sweatshop!". 8 December 2015.
  14. 1 2 "The Escapists for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  15. 1 2 "The Escapists for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  16. ↑ "The Escapists for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "The Escapists for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  18. ↑ "The Escapists: Complete Edition for Switch Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  19. 1 2 3 Kimberley Wallace (13 February 2015). "The Escapists". Game Informer . Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 Cameron Woolsey (10 February 2015). "The Escapists Review". GameSpot . Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  21. 1 2 Richard Cobbett (13 February 2015). "The Escapists Review". IGN . Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Andy Kelly (March 2015). "The Escapists". Official Xbox Magazine (UK) . No. 122. pp. 80–81. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015.
  23. 1 2 3 Dom Peppiatt (February 2015). "The Escapists". X-One (121): 82–83.
  24. 1 2 Dan Whitehead (12 February 2015). "The Escapists review". Eurogamer . Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  25. ↑ Kato, Matthew (8 July 2015). "The Walking Dead Spreads To Two More Games". Game Informer . Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  26. ↑ Nintendo (10 December 2019). "Nintendo Switch - Indie World Showcase - 12.10.19". YouTube. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  27. ↑ Phillips, Tom (3 October 2016). "The Escapists 2 announced, introduces multiplayer". Eurogamer . Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  28. ↑ "Yooka-Laylee, Overcooked: Special Edition, the Escapists 2 are confirmed for Switch". 28 February 2017.
  29. ↑ Phillips, Tom (11 July 2017). "The Escapists 2 carves out a release date". Eurogamer . Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  30. ↑ Craddock, Ryan (19 December 2017). "The Escapists 2 Will Break Out on Switch Next Month". Nintendo Life . Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  31. ↑ Cowley, Ric (17 January 2019). "The Escapists 2 is breaking out of Android and iOS from January 31st". Pocket Gamer . Retrieved 15 January 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.