The Escapists facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Escapists |
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| Developer(s) | Mouldy Toof Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Team17 |
| Designer(s) | Chris Davis |
| Engine | Unity Clickteam Fusion |
| Platform(s) | Windows, OS X, Linux, Switch, PlayStation 4, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox 360, Xbox One, iOS, Android |
| Release date(s) | Windows, Xbox One
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| Genre(s) | Strategy, role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
The Escapists is a strategy game played from a top-down perspective. The game was 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.
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 ranging from very easy to very hard. 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.
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 crafts 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 levels up their characters statics 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, and if caught with contraband, it is removed from their inventory and the player is sent into solitary confinement and any damage such as chipped walls, broken vents and tunnels are repaired and the weapon is removed.
There are a number of escape methods including inciting riots, via vents, tunnels, roofs, among others. Each prison has layers of security 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 such as a guard's baton or plastic fork.
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. Team17 contributed the tutorial and ported the game to Unity for Xbox One support.
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. For inspiration, Davis watched prison films and researched prison escapes.
The game was released for Steam Early Access in August 2014. 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.
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.
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.
"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.
"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.
The fifth DLC package, "Santa's Sweatshop", was released for free on 8 December 2015 for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
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.
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 is planned for a 2020 release on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
A sequel, titled The Escapists 2, which introduces multiplayer, was released for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 22 August 2017. A version for the Nintendo Switch was released on 11 January 2018, and iOS and Android ports on 31 January 2019.
