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Escape Plan (video game)

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Escape Plan
Game logo
Developer(s)Fun Bits Interactive[a]
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
EngineUnity3D
Platform(s)PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4
ReleasePlayStation Vita
  • NA: February 14, 2012
  • PAL: February 22, 2012
  • JP: March 1, 2012[1]
PlayStation 4
  • PAL: November 29, 2013
  • NA: December 3, 2013
  • JP: February 22, 2014[2]
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Escape Plan is a puzzle video game developed by Fun Bits Interactive and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Vita It was originally released as a launch title for the system. It is the debut game from new developer Fun Bits Interactive and is produced by Chris Millar, known for his previous work on Fat Princess.[4] In previews of the game it was noted for its sharp, black-and-white visuals, gruesome yet humorous tone[5] and its intuitive use of the PlayStation Vita's inputs including touch and gyroscopic control.[6] A PlayStation 4 version was released in 2013.

Gameplay

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Players control two characters, Lil and Laarg (centre). One of Bakuki's minions can also be seen in this image (top left).

In Escape Plan, the player controls two characters, Lil and Laarg, through a series of booby-trapped rooms using the PlayStation Vita's front and rear multitouch panels and motion controls. The gesture-based control system requires players to trace paths for the characters and tap obstacles to move them out of the way and clear a path for them.[7] Traps range from a single brick lying on the floor to enormous rotating fan blades. Failure to guide Lil and Laarg to safety usually results in a gruesome death.[6]

The characters can traverse the game world in numerous ways. In some levels they are inflated with helium, requiring the player to tilt the console to guide them as they float around the room.[8] Lil and Laarg usually move relatively slowly and in order to avoid fast-moving traps the player must grab the characters and pull them quickly to safety by pinching the Vita, touching both the front and rear panels at once.[4]

Bakuki's Lair

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Chris Millar, Fun Bits Interactive team lead, announced on PlayStation Blog that Escape Plan owners would receive Bakuki's Lair, a downloadable content (DLC) pack for Escape Plan, on April 10, 2012. It adds 19 prequel puzzle rooms to the adventures of Lil and Laarg. Together with the DLC, the update brings new tweaks and improvements based on player feedback, allowing for more pin-point accuracy on tap blocks, as well as an adjustment to the game's Star Rating system. The patch also lays the foundation for future updates.[9]

Reception

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At a preview event in October 2011, IGN editors ranked Escape Plan as their favourite PlayStation Vita game so far, commenting specifically on the game's "stunning", black and white chiaroscuro visuals, "great" classical soundtrack and gameplay which makes good use of many of the Vita's control features.[5] In a December 2011 preview of the game, Destructoid's Samit Sarkar described it as "perhaps the best showcase of the Vita's unique capabilities".[6]

Upon release, the game received "average" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[10][11]

Digital Spy gave the Vita version four stars out of five and called it "one of the most unique and charming looking games you'll ever play, and the pick-up-and-play value makes it perfect for a handheld. Minor control issues prevent it from achieving perfection, but it's still perhaps the most effective showcase of the Vita hardware to date."[29] The A.V. Club gave it a B and said that its "macabre humor and beautiful black-and-white chiaroscuro look make it a welcome respite from the noise and flash of the other Vita launch titles. Sony has a knack for finding and funding indie developers with a refined sense of style."[12] The Digital Fix gave it seven out of ten and said, "In all, we can't help but think that Escape Plan represents a missed opportunity. The wonderfully stunning visuals, the understated sound track [sic] and intuitive control system so very nearly elevate the game into a poster boy for the new hardware. However, the short, unchallenging nature of the game moves us away from this territory and instead positions Escape Plan as more of an experience than an outright game, with the nods to cinematic practices of the past aiding its artistic endeavors."[28] Edge gave it a score of seven out of ten, saying, "It's not perfect, and even skilled players will struggle with some of the more demanding multitasking required for certain scenarios (the level-skip is an acknowledgement of the inconsistent difficulty), but it's clever, cunning and entertaining."[30]

As of April 2012, Escape Plan was the number one selling PlayStation Network game on the PlayStation Vita.[9]

Notes

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  1. ^ Santa Monica Studio assisted on development.[3] Wholesale Algorithms developed the PlayStation 4 version.

References

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  1. ^ "Escape Plan（エスケープ プラン） （PS Store ダウンロード版） [Vita]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on December 13, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Escape Plan（エスケープ プラン） （PS Store ダウンロード版） [PS4]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "Santa Monica Studios (SMS) Escape Plan Game". Santa Monica Studio Website. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Cocker, Guy (August 16, 2011). "Escape Plan Hands-On Preview". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  5. ^ a b IGN PlayStation Team (October 21, 2011). "The Best Vita Games We Just Saw, Take Two". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Sarkar, Samit (December 13, 2011). "Preview: Escape Plan". Destructoid. Gamurs. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Venter, Jason (February 29, 2012). "Escape Plan Review (Vita)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  8. ^ Keast, Matthew (October 25, 2011). "Escape Plan hands-on preview". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Millar, Chris (April 2, 2012). "#1 PSN Vita Game, Escape Plan Adds Free Prequel DLC To Patch 1.01". PlayStation Blog Europe. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Escape Plan (2012) critic reviews (Vita)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Escape Plan (2012) critic reviews (PS4)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Teti, John (February 20, 2012). "PlayStation Vita Launch Games". The A.V. Club. G/O Media. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Sterling, James Stephanie (February 16, 2012). "Review: Escape Plan (Vita)". Destructoid. Gamurs. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  14. ^ Donlan, Christian (April 4, 2012). "Escape Plan Review (PlayStation Vita)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  15. ^ Hilliard, Kyle (February 22, 2012). "Escape Plan (Vita): Leather, Puzzles, Shy Guys, And Fart Sounds". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  16. ^ Bischoff, Daniel R. (February 24, 2012). "Escape Plan Review (Vita)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  17. ^ "Escape Plan (Vita)". GameTrailers. Viacom. February 22, 2012. Archived from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  18. ^ Huber, Michael (January 8, 2014). "Escape Plan - Review (PS4)". GameTrailers. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  19. ^ Navarro, Alex (February 17, 2012). "Escape Plan Review (PSNV)". Giant Bomb. Fandom. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  20. ^ Moriarty, Colin (February 17, 2012). "Escape Plan Review (Vita)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  21. ^ Moriarty, Colin (December 4, 2013). "Escape Plan PS4 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  22. ^ Fletcher, JC (February 22, 2012). "Escape Plan review: Shades of grey (Vita)". Engadget (Joystiq). Yahoo. Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Willington, Peter (February 20, 2012). "Escape Plan". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media Ltd. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  24. ^ "Review: Escape Plan (Vita)". PlayStation: The Official Magazine. No. 58. Future plc. May 2012. p. 85.
  25. ^ Mason, Mike (March 5, 2012). "Escape Plan Review (PS Vita)". Push Square. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  26. ^ Stinton, Alex (December 2, 2013). "Escape Plan Review (PS4)". Push Square. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  27. ^ Cowen, Nick (February 17, 2012). "PS Vita launch titles – reviews (Escape Plan)". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Brown, Lewis (March 28, 2012). "Escape Plan Review (PS Vita)". The Digital Fix. Poisonous Monkey. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  29. ^ a b Langshaw, Mark (February 27, 2012). "'Escape Plan' review (Vita)". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  30. ^ Edge staff (March 5, 2012). "Escape Plan review (Vita)". Edge. Future plc. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
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