The Escapists: Complete Edition

Overall, this is a classic puzzle and strategy game with a wealth of content to keep the prison escapes interesting. While it does need some improvements to make it truly great, I’d still recommend fans of the genre to give it a spin and see if they have what it takes to be an escapist.

If you missed The Escapists, then I would highly recommend getting it on the Nintendo Switch. It’s an enjoyable game with a very interesting premise. For added prison break fun, The Escapists 2 is also available and would be great given the versatile nature of the Switch and multiplayer.

While it is great to see the most complete edition of the original game hit the Switch, there are some areas this port could’ve been worked on to make it the best version of the game. Even if touch support isn’t added, the performance issues need addressing.

The Escapists: Complete Edition is not a game that everyone will enjoy and I doubt it will be on anyone’s must-buy list. It suffers, to begin with, and you may think it’s a very one-dimensional sandbox game. But, give it time and it will show you just how much fun you can have planning a prison escape in an 8-bit world. The crafting system can be very much guesswork though as nothing’s explained, meaning that there is little to no indication on exactly what you can do. Having said that, once you start to work it all out, you then see just how much depth there is and coming up with a winning escape plan can be tons of fun.

While it may seem like a strange decision releasing the original Escapists game after the sequel, there is still plenty of fun to be had here. Some elements such as the crafting made being in virtual prison pretty punishing, but piecing together how you’re going to break out and what you need to do can be enjoyable as you make your way to freedom.

The Escapists: Complete Edition is a mix of RPG, simulation and really fun strategy, which includes the DLC of the original game and offers 15 levels with different settings that will make us squeeze our heads to plot the perfect flight plan.

Overall, The Escapists is not a game that I particularly enjoyed, but at the same time I didn’t dislike it either. It was a decent time, but that fun was rather short-lived. The game suffers from a lack of explanation and there's no real indication on what you can actually do. The depth is there, but only if you're willing to do and try every combination of actions and items over and over. The crafting system is mostly guesswork and random chance. But the freedom you have in planning your escapes, the strategy aspects, surveying the area and pulling off your breakout, are thrilling in their moments.

The Escapists is a cute, challenging, and potentially rewarding sandbox game that refuses to hold your hand. Releasing it after the much more refined sequel doesn't prove flattering, however. If you've played The Escapists 2, the original will feel like a notable step back. If you haven't played The Escapists 2, that's the game you should go for.