Breakout 13

About

Breakout 13 is a single player role playing game. It was developed by ALT Lab and was released on January 8, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Step into the shoes of a game-loving teen, sent to a harsh correctional institute by Principal Yang for your supposed internet addiction. Inspired by a real-life figure, Dr. Yang, a controversial psychiatrist who advocated for electrotherapy to "cure" troubled teens. You will navigate a branching narrative and make choices that impact your fate. Unravel the truth behind the institute, …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 498 reviews

story96 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features a gripping story that effectively raises awareness about serious social issues, making it more than just entertainment.
The production quality is high, with well-executed cinematography, acting, and engaging character development that keeps players invested.
The interactive elements and branching choices provide a sense of agency, allowing players to explore different outcomes and relationships.

The game is only half of the full experience, requiring a DLC purchase to access the complete story, which many players find frustrating.
Despite the illusion of choice, many decisions lead to predetermined outcomes, diminishing the impact of player agency and making the gameplay feel linear.
There are issues with translation and dubbing that can detract from the overall experience, along with some gameplay mechanics that feel clunky or poorly designed.

story
348 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
The story of "Breakout 13" is a gripping narrative inspired by real events, focusing on a teenage boy's harrowing experience in a behavior correction institute after being expelled for excessive gaming. Players appreciate the engaging plot and character development, though many express frustration over the illusion of choice, as decisions often lead to similar outcomes, and the need for a DLC to complete the story. Overall, while the storytelling is praised for its depth and emotional impact, some feel it is undermined by gameplay mechanics that limit player agency.
- “I really, really liked Breakout 13 for its powerful story and likable characters.”
- “The story here is of course heavily inspired by real events and characters, fairly recent events at that - it quickly piqued my interest.”
- “I love the storytelling, I love the interactive movie concept, I love the endings, the paths; it's just a very gripping story and the fact that it's based on true events was very touching and made this feel even more real.”
- “To get the full story, you have to buy a DLC!”
- “The story feels less like a story to be engaged in on its merits, and more like a trap to engage the player so they’ll shell out extra money to see how everything ends.”
- “I forced myself to play through to chapter four but at this point really none of your decisions matter, all of the branching storylines come back to the exact same point as if you had made no decisions at all.”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
60%
9%
The gameplay features a mix of relationship-building mechanics, decision-making, and simple point-and-click elements, which some players find enjoyable and engaging. However, there are criticisms regarding the execution of these mechanics, with some describing them as odd or overly simplistic, leading to a bloated plot and uneven character development. Overall, while the gameplay is straightforward and offers multiple story paths, it may not appeal to everyone due to its lack of depth in traditional gameplay elements.
- “Awesome story and gameplay.”
- “The gameplay mainly consists of you making choices for the main character and has some point-and-click sections that are decent. There are multiple story paths that can alter the whole game, which is very fun, and if you want to redo a scene, it's not hard at all with its storyboard.”
- “Very cool gameplay mechanics; compared with other FMV games, the gameplay mechanics in this game are simpler, which is a good thing so players can focus on the story rather than spend a lot of time finding items, solving puzzles, or randomly clicking to interact with objects.”
- “What results is a mess of odd gameplay mechanics, a needlessly bloated plot, and mishmashed character development.”
- “The game’s very core mechanic of building relationships and earning trust can be purchased.”
- “And this part of the gameplay is an absolute joke.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and suitability to various situations, with many players expressing a desire for the full soundtrack to enjoy it outside of gameplay. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack significantly enhances the overall experience, contributing to the game's engaging story and atmosphere. However, some comments indicate a lack of music in certain areas, suggesting inconsistency in its presence throughout the game.
- “The music is really nice and it's a shame not being able to listen to it repeatedly.”
- “One of the biggest parts of the game for me was the soundtrack; the music chosen for each situation was spot on and had me searching the internet far and wide to find the songs.”
- “Great FMV game with an engaging story, interesting characters, good music, and a good choice system.”
- “I love in a terrible way that they had English dubs mixed in, country/rock music, and absolutely horrible storytelling.”
- “ little to no music”
- “Sets, music and such is all done well, like I said, this could easily pass for a Netflix series (or Amazon or whatever streaming service you prefer).”
monetization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism for introducing microtransactions and a pay-to-win model into a narrative adventure, which many players find insulting. While there are in-game purchases available, they are generally viewed as non-essential and more of a nudge towards spending rather than a significant barrier to gameplay. Overall, the presence of microtransactions detracts from the experience, despite the game's enjoyable aspects and decent localization.
- “It includes microtransactions in the form of voting on who the best or worst character is, purely for fun I guess and completely separate from the game and the story.”
- “Despite some exaggerated overacting and unwelcome in-game purchases, Breakout 13 is definitely an enjoyable experience that has been enhanced significantly with its decent localization in contrast with many other Chinese titles.”
- “There is in-game purchase to buy an item but it's not that important like any other in-game purchases.”
- “The most insulting element of this game, though, might be that it introduced microtransactions and pay-to-win into a narrative adventure.”
- “Warning: ending only with DLC and microtransactions.”
- “So there is not a roadblock, but they are nudging you toward the microtransactions.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players found the emotional aspect of the game to be unexpectedly powerful, particularly towards the end, evoking genuine feelings and making them feel deeply connected to the story. The gripping narrative, enhanced by its basis in true events, combined with the interactive movie format, created a compelling experience that left many feeling like they had been on an emotional roller coaster. Overall, the storytelling and multiple endings contributed to a highly impactful emotional journey.
- “It was a lot more powerful than I anticipated, and especially toward the end of the game - it actually made me a little emotional.”
- “I love the storytelling, I love the interactive movie concept, I love the endings, the paths; it's just a very gripping story, and the fact that it's based on true events was very touching and made this feel even more real.”
- “Overall, Breakout 13 was an amazing experience that sent me on an emotional roller coaster.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
Reviews indicate a mixed perspective on replayability; while some players find the game infinitely replayable, others believe that not every game needs to be revisited multiple times, similar to how some movies are only watched once for the full experience.
- “ Infinitely replayable.”
- “Overall, it's a great game worth the price. Not every game needs to be replayable; just like with movies, sometimes one watch is all you need to get the experience.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is perceived as overly silly and often unintentionally amusing, leading players to laugh at the absurdity rather than with the intended comedic elements. This disconnect suggests that while the game aims for humor, it may not resonate as intended, leaving players feeling more bemused than entertained.
- “I enjoy FMV games, but mostly in the sense that they are silly and over the top, and I'm usually laughing at them rather than with them.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has a generally stable performance with very few glitches, but players have reported issues with a buggy ending that prevents achieving a good conclusion. It is recommended to wait for a full release to avoid these stability problems.
- “The game has a buggy ending that prevents players from achieving a good conclusion.”
- “Other than that, it's a pretty good game with a decent story and very few glitches, but I'd recommend waiting to buy it until it's fully released.”
- “The game has a buggy ending that prevents players from achieving a good conclusion.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics in the game are generally considered unimportant by users, suggesting that gameplay takes precedence over visual quality.
- “Graphics don't matter in this game.”
- “Graphics don't matter in this game.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is criticized for being disjointed and poorly executed, contributing to an overall sense of confusion alongside a convoluted plot and inconsistent gameplay mechanics.
- “What results is a mess of odd gameplay mechanics, a needlessly bloated plot, and mishmashed character development.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is hindered by inconsistent actor performances, a frequent issue in interactive stories due to the challenge of smoothly transitioning between various choices. This inconsistency can detract from the overall immersion and narrative flow.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, as unlocking every path can be challenging, with a few particularly confusing routes. While most paths are straightforward, the occasional difficulty can lead to frustration.
- “Grinding can be a bit tedious and sometimes difficult to unlock every single path. While most are easy, there are 2 or 3 that can be quite confusing.”