Game Review: Without Escape (Xbox One)

Without Escape is an old-school first-person point and click game that harks back to the early 90s. Back when these types of games relied on pre-rendered backgrounds and full-motion video to tell interactive stories.

Here, you will explore the mundane existence of your home as it switches between bland walls into a horrifying otherworld. Arriving home, the house is empty and in the early hours of the morning you are woken up by strange noises.

Is it a burglar? No, it’s something far worse and far more nightmarish. To escape this horror, you’ll need to explore and solve puzzles.

We really don’t get enough of these games anymore which is a shame but after playing through its short length, it’s kind of obvious why.

For all its nostalgic value, Without Escape lacks the story depth to really make a lasting impression. It’s very ambiguous and confusing which makes for a very disconnected playthrough. Especially during the early portions of the game.

Later, when the horror elements are introduced it begins to give off a bit of a Silent Hill vibe. It looks great but lacks substance as the imagery serves little purpose. This isn’t a scary game nor does it chill, it’s the equivalent of a movie filled with jump scares without actually going down that route.

Then there are the puzzles, most of which are simple and then you hit one that will absolutely stump you. We’re talking about the water temperature puzzle of course, which will require the use of Google to solve. This is not joke, the solution is not in-game. Unless you know the atomic number of elements off the top of your head, you’ll need help.

Terrible puzzle aside, Without Escape just isn’t very good. It’s not terrible thankfully and the nostalgic value is great but it lacks in too many departments to be a recommend.