![]() ![]() We also experienced quite a few glitches in the game, such as certain items refusing to be picked up, or unconscious inmates appearing to run frantically on the spot. Indeed, the original's controls, in general, feel somewhat fiddly and inconsistent, and we constantly had to stop and think about the correct button to pick up an object. Combat, meanwhile, is a comical case of buzzing back and forth past your opponent, trying to time your punches right to bring their health bar down - something that was again improved for the sequel. It's a much sparser, more simplistic-looking game, and the UI is much less refined. It's also noticeable how much less polished The Escapists is compared to the follow-up. But the game is in no hurry to present it to you. Don't get us wrong, there's loads to discover here in The Escapists. It also seemed to increase the number of entertaining options at your disposal, so it always felt like you had several alternatives should things start to drag. The sequel went some way to mitigating this by offering up a map with waypoints and a handy arrow system, so you always knew where you were going. Even running simple errands here feels like a bit of a grind, as you scrabble around the whole prison looking for a single convict to work over. Life in prison can become as much of a chore as the real thing, as you fall into an endless cycle of repetitive tasks, irritatingly regular scraps and meddlesome guards. ![]() Unfortunately, this also proves to be one of the game's worst points. One of the best things about The Escapists is the way it just leaves all of these overlapping systems up to you to discover, with minimal guidance or hand-holding. You'll also need to plan to cover for your breakout attempt, as the guards will be on the lookout for anything out of place. That might involve a series of objects that can be combined to form a digging implement or a weapon. You'll need those funds to purchase items for your escape attempt. ![]() You might find yourself earning money by running errands for some of them, which could involve pinching a bar of chocolate or kicking off in the dining hall so as to provide a useful distraction. Key to getting by in (and getting out of) prison is your interaction with your fellow inmates. In-between you'll take some exercise, do a job, eat three square meals, and maybe even make progress in your plan to escape. Each day you must guide your criminal through his regular routine, from morning roll call to lights out. You play the role of a tiny pixel-art convict doing time in a zoomed-out, top-down prison. It's a delightfully tough little sandbox experience that mixes a tightrope-walking core challenge (escape the prison) with the clockwork repetition of daily busywork, all accompanied by with a whimsical tone. All of which makes The Escapists sound like a bit of a dud. But approaching The Escapists from the opposite direction here on Switch reveals a less pretty, less varied, less slick and more frustrating game with no multiplayer component. When played in their natural sequence, that wouldn't have been so obvious or problematic. The Escapists 2 is simply a better game than The Escapists in every conceivable way. It's a piece of reasoning straight out of the 'best foot forward' school of thought, but it hasn't done the original game too many favours. Team17 made the curious decision to launch The Escapists 2 prior to The Escapists on Nintendo's hybrid platform. And while it remains a fine game in and of itself, Switch owners might find themselves expressing a similar sentiment about The Escapists. "I can't go back" is the common refrain of the ex-con in crime fiction. ![]()
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