Challenging, deep strategy
Mentioned in ~1 in 8 positive reviews
“Compared to The Escapists 2 this game doesn't hold your hand at all, it's a real strategy game”
Steam review · 57.1 h played ↗
The Escapists
Worth buying? What 300 Steam reviews say.Worth buying? Here’s what 300 Steam reviews actually say.
Very Positive · 90%Very Positive · 90%Mouldy Toof Studios2015Strategy · Simulation · Action
$17.99
Open on Steam ↗US Steam price, checked 5 h ago · Lowest we’ve seen since Oct 20, 2026: $2.59
The verdict
A challenging, creative prison-break sandbox with many escape routes, but opaque crafting, RNG item grind and harsh punishment make it tedious for many. Skip it if you dislike wikis and repetition.
Great for
Patient players who enjoy trial-and-error planning, crafting and retro pixel-art puzzle sandboxes
Main risk
Cryptic crafting, repetitive routine and RNG grind with harsh punishments can feel like a chore
What players love
Many creative ways to escape
Mentioned in ~1 in 8 positive reviews
“There are multiple ways to escape every prison, from digging tunnels to crafting disguises or causing chaos, and figuring out your own method is where the fun really comes from”
Steam review · 1.2 h played ↗
Nostalgic classic with lasting replay value
Mentioned in ~1 in 10 positive reviews
“i come back every year to play this peak game”
Steam review · 94.2 h played ↗
Funny sandbox chaos and DLC content
Mentioned in ~1 in 11 positive reviews
“A great Sandbox/Simulation game for Escaping Prisons, or just being a Prisoner and causing chaos.”
Steam review · 2.3 h played ↗
Rewarding planning and satisfying escapes
Mentioned in ~1 in 12 positive reviews
“Once the mechanics click, every little win feels earned.”
Steam review · 142.4 h played ↗
Charming retro pixel art and music
Mentioned in ~1 in 13 positive reviews
“There's also a brilliant soundtrack and great pixel art.”
Steam review · 154.8 h played ↗
What players complain about
Repetitive, tedious grind and RNG items
Mentioned in ~1 in 3 negative reviews
“A game built on waiting. All progress is locked behind RNG items showing up in prisoners' cells.”
Steam review · 8.3 h played ↗
Cryptic crafting and weak tutorial
Mentioned in ~1 in 4 negative reviews
“this game is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to play without just looking up on the internet how to escape due to the horribly broken crafting system.”
Steam review · 5.8 h played ↗
Unfair guards and instant solitary teleport
Mentioned in ~1 in 7 negative reviews
“If you leave any trace of something that can be slightly constrewed as an escape attempt, you are teleported to solitary confinement.”
Steam review · 21.3 h played ↗
Bugs, save problems and lost items
Mentioned in ~1 in 8 negative reviews
“Whenever I reload from a previous state - whether in game, or when I come back to my computer and load the game up fresh - everything except the day I have saved on resets.”
Steam review · 7.7 h played ↗
PC port inferior: no controller, poor UI
Mentioned in ~1 in 8 negative reviews
“the steam version has no controller support. On top of that console version has a much better user interface”
Steam review · 0.7 h played ↗
Poor save system and harsh progress loss
Mentioned in ~1 in 13 negative reviews
“You can only save by sleeping, and you can only sleep after 10-15 minutes of play.”
Steam review · translated · 3.5 h played ↗
System requirements
From the Steam store page
Steam Deck: Playable2 GB
Minimum
OSWindows XP
ProcessorDual Core CPU 2.4 gHz
Memory2 GB RAM
GraphicsIntel HD Graphics 4000, Nvidia GeForce 8000, ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
Storage2 GB available space
OSWindows XP
ProcessorDual Core CPU 2.4 gHz
Memory2 GB RAM
GraphicsIntel HD Graphics 4000, Nvidia GeForce 8000, ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
Storage2 GB available space
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