Escape Doodland
- November 30, 2018
- fluckyMachine
Get on Steam"Escape Doodland" is an arcade platformer with challenging gameplay set in a 2.5D doodle world. As a doodler, a peaceful resident of Doodland, you must outrun the invading monster Omnomus and its deadly temptation for doodler cuisine. Each level in this hand-drawn world has unique obstacles and requires quick reflexes to jump, swim, and fly to safety. With numerous ways to die, this game is not for the faint of heart.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and fun doodle art style that many players find appealing.
- It offers a decent challenge and can be enjoyable for those who appreciate endless runner mechanics.
- Some players have found the game uplifting and entertaining, providing a light-hearted escape from reality.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including unresponsive controls and poor graphical quality, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Many players feel that the game is designed primarily for handheld devices, leading to compromises that negatively impact PC gameplay.
- The monetization strategy, requiring players to purchase consumables, has been criticized as exploitative and frustrating.
- graphics30 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the quirky "doodle" art style as fun and engaging, while others criticize it as amateurish and lacking in quality. Many feel that the simplistic 2D visuals detract from the overall experience, especially given the absence of substantial graphical options to enhance the visuals. Overall, the game's art style seems to polarize opinions, with some enjoying its charm and others viewing it as a sign of low effort in design.
“I wanna start the review off by applauding the incredibly fun and interesting art style of the game.”
“I loved the art style and the noises and music fit perfectly.”
“An endless runner game with a very different, fun art style.”
“The artwork here is terrible; it's all just amateurish 'my first Wacom tablet' style drawings used instead of professional-looking game assets.”
“It's unclear if this is due to a lack of budget to arrange someone who can create graphical assets properly, or lack of talent; regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is extremely low, enough on its own to deter gamers.”
“While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as simple and accessible, with decent controls and a core mechanic that is easy to grasp. While some players appreciate the power-up ideas, others feel the overall design lacks depth and effort, leading to mixed feelings about its value and challenge level.
“The idea behind the power-ups is good enough and the core mechanic is easy to understand and get into.”
“Gameplay is acceptable, it controls well enough and provides a decent challenge.”
“I went into the game expecting fast-paced Super Meat Boy-like gameplay.”
“Sure, on one hand you might really like the clutzy 'doodle' art, or you might see it as more an attempt to push a lazy and valueless game format with as little effort being put into the visuals as went into the gameplay design.”
“The gameplay is simple; the controls are okay enough.”
“Gameplay is acceptable; it controls well enough and provides a decent challenge.”
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its upbeat and comical nature, effectively complementing the art style. Players appreciate the variety, noting the inclusion of "mystic" tones alongside the more humorous melodies, which adds depth to the experience. Overall, while the music enhances the atmosphere, some players found the gameplay less enjoyable due to control issues.
“Music is great and I really loved that sometimes players can hear some 'mystic' tones instead of 'funny and fast' melodies playing all the time.”
“I loved the art style and the noises and music fit perfectly.”
“Comical sounds and music to match.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky art style, upbeat music, and comedic elements, including amusing achievements and playful references like "your farts gonna save your life." However, some players found the humor overshadowed by imprecise controls, which detracted from their overall enjoyment.
“That was very funny... your farts are gonna save your life.”
“Some funny comedy elements and achievements in it as well.”
“Although the art style and music are funny and the whole game is very upbeat, I did not enjoy playing Escape Doodland because of the quirky controls that feel very imprecise.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story is perceived as lacking engagement, with players expressing disinterest in its narrative. It conveys a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life, but overall, it fails to resonate with its audience.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“Hardly a success story; even the people who own this game weren't interested in it.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users report that the game requires lowering the resolution to achieve better performance, indicating optimization issues that affect gameplay experience.
“I had to lower the resolution to improve the performance.”
