Along with Open World games, another of my favourite genres is Sandbox games. Game such as this, Minecraft etc, where you have the freedom and time to play the game at your own pace.
The basic idea behind The Escapists is that you are locked up in a prison, and you have to find a way to escape. Pretty simple, well, it may seem like that at first however, after every prison you break out of, you end up going into another prison, with higher security than the last. This basically means that you have to get new tactics and strategies for every prison.
Because the security is higher after each prison you break out of, you cant use the same tactics as previous. More thought has to go into each breakout or else you will find yourself in Solitary with your items taken from you, and you basically have to start again..... Which isn't cool!
The different prisons in which you have to break out of are
Center Perks
Stalag Flucht
Shankton State Pen
Jungle Compound
San Pancho
HMP Iron Gate
Here you can see my escape from Center Perks...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiU5VLXCGbc
The latter of the prisons is described as such “The Most fierce prison you'll ever come across, this all singing all dancing maximum security prison push even the most skilful escapee to the absolute limits”.... Sounds fun.....
While you are inside, there is a set routine to each day, which involves all the different Roll Calls, Free time, Dinner, Exercise and there is also a point in each day where you have a job to do.
There are 10 jobs in total to do, and these are
Laundry
Kitchen
Metal Shop
Janitor
Mailman
Woodshop
Gardening
Tailor
Unloading
Library
I have only tried out the Laundry and the Kitchen at the moment, but the one grief I will say I have with the game, is that when it comes to doing the jobs, you're thrown in at the deep end and I found it hard to understand what I was doing, and lost my job so many times because I just didn't know what to do.... lol!
You maybe reading this and thinking... “This game sounds easy...”... Believe me, that's what the devs want you to think. I have to admit that I don't find this game easy in the slightest, although when you are playing and you are looking for items to craft or trying to figure a way out of the prison, breaking the routine of the day does have its buzzes.
There is a crafting system in the game which allows you to get some of the items that you have bought/stolen from others and make tools etc with them. But don't let the guards catch you with weapons or anything you have crafted. If they catch you, its game over. Not... Literally... Well kind of... The guards will confiscate any contraband and you will have to find the stuff again to create another one... Best thing to do is to try and keep anything you need in your desk, however, watch out for random cell searches... If you have started to try and get out by hacking the wall away and covered with a poster, or you have stuff in your desk, the guards will find it and you will be sent to solitary were you spend 3 lovely days and all your hard work has gone...
The one thing that bugs me with the game though, is that there is no guidance. It doesn't help when it comes to crafting items, the game gives you a 'You're on your own' type vibe, which in some situations is good, as in prison, that's kind of what it would be, but I think it would be nice for there was to be a tutorial other than the first prison tutorial, or the option to have one there to help if you get stuck, but the first prison tutorial kind of flies by and gives a false sense of security when it comes to getting out the first prison when your on your own. You kind of go in and think, this is going to be easy... Nope...
My opinion on the game? Its a simplistic yet in depth game, which depending on how long it takes you to break out of the prisons, could have you there for hours and hours, and for the price the game costs... Its a bargain.
I guess it will depend on the type of player you are, there are some who will probably grab the bull by the balls and go straight for getting out, there will be others who will play the long game and wait it out. Picking the opportune moment for that moment of elation on the other side of the fence...
I will say as well though, if your one of those players who is playing the long game, you will get a better look at what the game has to offer, as there is so much to learn and do, its amazing!
This gets a solid 8 from Joon!
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