One Escape Review

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Fast Facts

Introduction to this Great Escape

What do a duck, gorilla and hog all have in common? Well, it turns out they are all capable of bank robbery. But not so capable of escaping the cops, as you discover while putting your best jailbreak moves to the test in One Escape. I had my chance at this prison break and we dive into more information below.

Meeting the Fab Three

As the game begins, you are presented with a short clip as to how these troublesome three ended up in jail – standard, a bank robbery went wrong. Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to escape the various levels of this prison; avoiding security guards, cameras, and lasers while trying to resolve puzzles. The game is broken down into three sets of twenty levels, with each new character posing a new difficulty. This means you get to try out different tactics and what works for who.

A nice touch is that you don’t need to complete one character in order to do the next. You can pick who you start with and which levels you want to attempt. With every character having their set of twenty, the start of the game can be where you choose it to be. The first prisoner I chose was Duck. The game teaches you the basics of the controls at the very beginning, offering helpful hints. As you play, the process required to get to the end is highlighted. It quickly becomes apparent that there is a series of doors and lasers you need to turn off in the right order to be able to reach the end door. The developers did an excellent job of not overcomplicating the puzzles, but also ensured they were not easy-peasy.

After Duck, I went for Gorilla. Each new character brings their own personality traits, and with that different types of levels. When playing as a Duck, there are a series of vents to make your way around, but when playing as Gorilla, it is about climbing on walls and using this ability in order to reach different platforms. Each character and their unique personality ensures the game continues to keep you on your toes as you figure out the puzzles or how to turn off cameras while avoiding the guards.

Exploring the Puzzles

I thoroughly enjoyed playing all the levels that the game presented, as they were achievable without being too easy. In some instances, it was about your timing rather than skill. For example, you could often see the guards walking up and down the corridor. So you had to ensure you moved at the right moment to avoid being caught. Otherwise, you could be arrested and you would have to start the level again.

One thing I liked about One Escape is that getting caught by a camera didn’t always mean game over, as the game offered opportunities to hide until the chaos of alarms had died down. In these sections of levels, collecting key cards, and turning off lasers becomes addictive. For a game aimed at those who enjoy puzzles, it is great to see that the developers incorporated a variety of skills in order to complete each level. Timing, jumping and pressing lots of buttons to release boxes all come together in the correct order for you to reach the last door.

Pixel Perfect

Over the last few years in gaming we have seen an increase in popularity in pixel style graphic games. Titles including Stardew Valley, Terraria and now One Escape all boast the pixel graphics we are known to love. I think the use of this type of graphics for this game has been an excellent touch. Alongside the serene music, it makes this a perfect cosy game to pick up and put down as you please.

Worth the Buck?

This game is quirky, quick to play and a nice addition to my gaming library. Throughout the last few weeks of playing, I have picked it up many a time and enjoyed every single level I complete. At only £4.99 you can’t go wrong with a new challenge that has a simple storyline. I would definitely recommend One Escape as your next go-to game.

You can purchase One Escape from the Nintendo Store here.