Don't Escape Trilogy

About

The "Don't Escape Trilogy" is a compilation of three point-and-click horror games. In the first game, players must secure a cabin to protect a village from themselves during a full moon. The second game has survivors fortifying a shelter during a zombie outbreak. The third game is not described, but each game features unique settings and twists. Note that no new content is added from the original versions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 724 reviews

story36 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The trilogy offers a unique twist on the escape room genre, where players must barricade themselves instead of escaping, providing a fresh and engaging experience.
Each game features clever puzzles and multiple endings, encouraging replayability and experimentation with different strategies.
The pixel art style and atmospheric sound design effectively create a nostalgic and eerie ambiance that enhances the overall gameplay experience.

Some puzzles can be overly complex or require trial and error, which may frustrate players looking for a more straightforward experience.
The first game is relatively short and limited in scope compared to the sequels, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Certain items can blend into the background, leading to pixel hunting that can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The "Don't Escape" trilogy features distinct stories across its three games, with the third installment being the most narrative-rich and visually impressive, incorporating elements of horror and science fiction. While the first two games offer lighter storytelling, the third is praised for its depth, plot twists, and engaging lore, making it a standout experience. Overall, the series is noted for its unique approach to the "don't escape" concept, providing players with varied outcomes based on their decisions.
- “The storytelling of all the games is simple but incredibly well executed, considering the medium they're in.”
- “Each story presented in the game adds a unique twist to the 'don't escape' concept, offering a fresh experience despite the shared format.”
- “The third one just takes the cake: the lore and the plot twists.”
- “The first two games are pretty light on story; there's bits and pieces of dialogue and storytelling at the beginning and at the end, but part 3 actually is pretty story heavy, with a lot of written logs and cutscenes that explain what happened.”
- “There's not much to this entry, and the story is sparse, but the atmosphere in both visuals and audio is rich.”
- “The story seems simple at first, but as you collect and read the logs, it all becomes somewhat more convoluted.”
graphics
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
7%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a pixelated art style that evokes nostalgia and complements its eerie atmosphere, though some players find them basic and occasionally hard to interpret. While the visuals are charming and contribute to the overall experience, they may feel simplistic and dated to those accustomed to modern HD graphics. Overall, the unique art style and grainy textures enhance the game's unsettling ambiance, despite some inconsistencies and the need for graphic polishing.
- “The graphic style of the game is very pixelated, and a graininess is applied to the images to evoke a found footage horror feel with eerie ambient sound to accompany it.”
- “The pixelated graphics, although retro in style, manage to impress and evoke a strong sense of nostalgia.”
- “A nostalgic blast from the past with gritty, but well-designed graphics and a deceptively in-depth story, connected to the other Scriptwelder games.”
- “To be fair and give a word of warning, it is pretty simple graphic and gameplay-wise, with rather simple puzzles, so it may feel a bit bare-bones to today's generation.”
- “Graphics are very crude and pixelated, but get the job done, though some items are hard to recognize.”
- “Some of the clickable graphics are hard to see.”
gameplay
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The gameplay of the "Don't Escape" trilogy is characterized by its innovative time management mechanic, which adds a layer of tactical decision-making to the traditional point-and-click format. Players engage in exploration and puzzle-solving across various screens, with multiple solutions available for many challenges, enhancing replayability. While the graphics and puzzles may feel simplistic by modern standards, the series is praised for its engaging mechanics and captivating atmosphere, making it a standout in the genre.
- “You don’t need to solve all puzzles nor may you want to do so, since some may carry grave consequences. Puzzles may have multiple solutions or orders and are all intuitive; you most likely won't find anything you may consider 'moon logic' in this collection. To top it all off, your actions are timed, and you must consider your actions carefully or a defeat condition will be reached. All of that makes for a great gameplay experience.”
- “Don't Escape successfully combines nostalgia with an entertaining gameplay experience, resulting in a game that is both captivating and thoroughly enjoyable.”
- “The time mechanic adds a lot of tactical thinking to the game; it's very good!”
- “To be fair and give a word of warning, it is pretty simple graphic and gameplay-wise, with rather simple puzzles, so it may feel a bit bare-bones to today's generation.”
- “[u]Episode 3[/u] was interactive and entertaining, but it was my least favorite one because it felt like it worsened mechanics introduced in episode 2, and because it dragged on for too long.”
- “The core mechanics are inventory-based puzzles: you explore between 6 and 20 screens (depending on the game), look for items to pick up, and use those.”
atmosphere
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
26%
7%
The atmosphere in these games is widely praised for its unique blend of pixel art, unsettling undertones, and immersive horror elements, creating a rich and chilling experience. Players appreciate the innovative design and effective use of sound and visuals that contribute to a compelling sense of dread and nostalgia. Overall, the "Don't Escape" trilogy exemplifies how low-budget indie titles can deliver exceptional atmospheric storytelling and engaging gameplay.
- “In short, the 'don't escape' trilogy is a prime example of how a series of no-budget indie titles can still harbor fantastic atmosphere and chilling settings.”
- “There's not much to this entry, and the story is sparse, but the atmosphere in both visuals and audio is rich.”
- “The games convey a convincing horror atmosphere, and when combined with the dark design of the world, it leaves you with this weird and unsettling feeling, which honestly at times can get genuinely scary!”
- “The games share a creepy atmosphere and a few gameplay mechanics, but are otherwise unrelated.”
- “I recommend the 'Don't Escape Trilogy' to fans of puzzle games with an eerie atmosphere, provided that they don't mind the crude presentation.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The music in the series is generally considered serviceable, with a thematic soundtrack that complements the game's atmosphere, though it is often noted to be royalty-free. While some players appreciate the variety and fitting nature of the tracks, others find the sound effects, particularly in the third game, to be somewhat distracting. Overall, the music contributes positively to the gaming experience, but it may not stand out significantly.
- “The art and music really fit the three themes, and I had a blast finding out the solutions.”
- “I really like the small scares that came with the third game in the series (I know there's a fourth game out that I got as well), and the music in all of them really set the tone for their respective settings.”
- “Scriptwelder did an amazing job picking and choosing the music to use with each game, and the sound effects aren't too bad to boot; although the annoying hissing of the spacesuit in episode three could've been a lot less aggressive.”
- “Music (3/10)”
- “While I wasn't entirely sure if the soundtrack for the first game was royalty free, I'm pretty much 100% certain most music in all three games is royalty free.”
- “Sound and music are serviceable.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable enough to revisit for optimal endings and different outcomes, others feel it lacks long-term engagement due to its short length. Many reviews highlight the potential for multiple playthroughs to achieve better scores or explore alternative endings, suggesting a moderate level of replay value.
- “I even think the games have some great replay value, because even if the ending sounds good - there might be another way you can get the same or better result, so try again!”
- “Short games but they have replay value, so it makes you want to redo them to get a better score.”
- “Not to mention the replayability as there are so many outcomes!”
- “It's pretty short, but there's some replayability if you're looking for the optimal endings.”
- “Short games, but they have replay value, so they make you want to redo them to get a better score.”
- “Not to mention the replayability, as there are so many outcomes!”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with multiple users expressing their enjoyment through laughter, indicating that it effectively delivers comedic moments.
- “Funny.”
- “(laughing)”
- “(laughing)”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The games are available for free on Newgrounds but are reported to be in a somewhat buggy state, featuring noticeable glitches. Despite these issues, users still recommend purchasing the collection for its appealing graphics and overall enjoyable experience.
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “If you want to try any of these games out, they are completely free on Newgrounds in a somewhat buggy state; however, I would definitely recommend buying this collection if you are at all interested.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report extensive grinding, often spending hours repetitively engaging with the same environments and mechanics to optimize their performance. This repetitive gameplay can lead to a sense of monotony, as users focus on perfecting their strategies and movements.
- “I have spent hours grinding over and over, staring at the same pixel-laden screens, routing out effective mouse movement and optimal clicking.”

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2h Median play time

2h Average play time

2-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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