Escape from Ever After: Onboarding

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 349 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Escape from Ever After: Onboarding Game Cover
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A genre-bending RPG inspired by the classic Paper Mario games! Ever After Inc, a greedy megacorp from the real world, is taking over fairytales for their cheap labor and it’s up to you to fight back! Experience Escape from Ever After’s first chapter in this prologue version of the full game. Escape from Ever After: Onboarding is a free, standalone version of Escape from Ever After, featuring the …

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 349 reviews
story51 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • The game captures the charm and humor of classic Paper Mario games while introducing its own unique story and characters.
  • The combat system is engaging and allows for creative strategies, with mechanics like synergy attacks and character-specific abilities.
  • The art style and music are vibrant and enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
  • The timing for blocking and action commands can be overly strict, making combat feel frustrating at times.
  • Some platforming sections can be awkward due to depth perception issues, leading to missed jumps.
  • The leveling system, which requires distributing points among characters, can feel unbalanced and limiting.
  • story134 mentions

    The story of "Escape from Ever After" is a whimsical and humorous take on classic fairy tales, featuring a unique premise where beloved storybook characters must band together to combat an evil corporation exploiting their worlds. Players appreciate the charming writing, engaging character dynamics, and clever satire, all while enjoying a nostalgic RPG experience reminiscent of titles like Paper Mario. Overall, the narrative is seen as promising and entertaining, with many eager to see how it unfolds in the full game.

    • “The story is a delightful riff on fractured fairy tales, taking classic stories and invading them with corporate expansion and greed.”
    • “The story of a hero and villain who's forced to work together to take down the big evil corporation is an unexpected concept, and to make it into a storybook-styled game is very creative.”
    • “The art direction is colorful and whimsical, befitting the storybook aesthetic. I'm loving the characters (especially the rapport between Flynt and Tinder), and the overall story premise is unique.”
    • “The characters and story left me wanting more.”
    • “I tried following the 'story' in the beginning, but it adds very little and just takes time.”
    • “I don't look forward to seeing 'oh our storybook got destroyed, guess we're evicted then' sob story from 'x character' multiple times; like I get it, no need to say the same thing in different skins.”
  • music76 mentions

    The music in "Escape from Ever After" has received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its charming, jazzy soundtrack that enhances the game's whimsical atmosphere. While some tracks are noted as catchy and enjoyable, a few players feel that the music can be repetitive or blend together, lacking standout moments. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong element of the game, contributing significantly to its appeal and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic Paper Mario titles.

    • “The music is excellent, the writing is charming and funny, and the story has me excited to see what's coming next in the full game when it releases!”
    • “Absolutely love it so far; graphics and atmosphere are peak, sound design and soundtrack are next level.”
    • “The music is such a toe-tapping earworm that every time it plays in the background, either from exploring or fighting, I am always bopping my head to it.”
    • “The music is catchy but pretty forgettable.”
    • “I'm not really a fan of the music because it all sounds very similar and jazzy; some of it is okay, but I wish there was more variety.”
    • “The only real complaint I have is the music is forgettable.”
  • gameplay72 mentions

    The gameplay is a nostalgic homage to the classic Paper Mario series, featuring engaging turn-based combat mechanics that are both challenging and rewarding. While many players appreciate the unique story, charming characters, and polished visuals, some express concerns about difficulty spikes and the need for clearer mechanics. Overall, the game successfully combines familiar elements with innovative twists, making it appealing to both new players and fans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay mechanics are challenging yet rewarding.”
    • “The core gameplay is as we want it to be, action commands, HP, MP, and SP that can be used for a variety of skills and special moves.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, the characters are delightful, and the story is a great time all around!”
    • “It's been described that the gameplay loop is a slog due to how difficult the enemies are, and I agree.”
    • “A lot of gameplay balance issues that need to be addressed.”
    • “Unforgiving battle mechanics: the requirement to press buttons at exactly the right moment during battles can be unforgiving, adding unnecessary difficulty to the game.”
  • humor60 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and wit, drawing comparisons to the beloved Paper Mario series. Players appreciate the clever dialogue, quirky characters, and humorous plot twists, which contribute to an engaging and lighthearted experience. Overall, the game's writing and character interactions elicit genuine laughter, making it a standout feature.

    • “Escape from Ever After: onboarding is a fun Paper Mario-style game with charming music, hilarious dialogue, and fun plot twists.”
    • “The humor is hilarious, definitely cracking me up with plenty of laughs.”
    • “The witty writing, cute characters, the gameplay throwback to games like Paper Mario, and the story base is hilarious!”
  • graphics55 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming and colorful art style, reminiscent of classic titles like Paper Mario. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals, expressive character designs, and the overall aesthetic that combines 2D and 3D elements, creating an engaging and whimsical atmosphere. While some minor graphical bugs were noted, the overall presentation, including the sound design and music, enhances the delightful experience.

    • “Absolutely love it so far, graphics and atmosphere are peak, sound design and soundtrack are next level, and the gameplay is everything I loved about TTYD with more.”
    • “The graphics are cute and delightful to look at; gameplay is fun!”
    • “The vibrant art style, the catchy upbeat music, quip-filled dialogue, and unexpectedly deep combat systems are all testament to this.”
    • “Even playing on the lowest graphics and low resolution with V-Sync off and the room render/last option on, oftentimes I would be locked in place or have inputs be delayed, usually in the bigger rooms (courtyard, Howl Creek, main construction site).”
    • “Found a couple of graphical bugs in the three little pigs storybook when NPCs were leaving the screen and either followed odd paths or got stuck for a few seconds.”
    • “It doesn't stand out as much as the art styles of Cristales and Underhero, but storybook RPGs have their charm mostly due to the paper-style 2D/3D pop-up graphics.”
  • character development7 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its charming and imaginative designs, particularly for characters like Tinder and Wolfgang, who are noted for their humor and appeal. Players express a desire to see further development for characters like Tinder and Flynt, indicating that the existing character dynamics are engaging and have potential for growth. Overall, the combination of well-executed art style, humor, and a captivating storyline contributes to a positive reception of character development.

    • “The story is charming, the character designs work, and the storyline so far has my interest.”
    • “The sound and music are great, gameplay is fast and fluid, and the art, character designs, and dialogue are as endearing as those from the games this was inspired by.”
    • “Tinder and Wolfgang are such adorable and funny characters, plus I would love to see the character development for Tinder and Flynt; they can be such a funny duo!”
    • “The story is charming, the character designs work, but the character development feels lacking.”
    • “While the character designs are endearing, the depth of character development is disappointingly shallow.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat slow, particularly in terms of leveling up, with one reviewer noting that it took nearly five hours to progress through the first chapter. While some enjoy the grind, they also mention that certain achievements, like purchasing all office decor, feel excessively grindy. Overall, the balance between grinding and progression could use some refinement.

    • “The level-up rate is okay, but as someone who loves grinding, I felt that it was a bit too slow.”
    • “I got almost 5 hours of playtime with a little grinding to beat the chapter one boss, and I'm still not done looking for hidden items and buying upgrades.”
    • “Some of the achievements for the demo feel a bit grindy when it comes to purchasing all the office decor.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players found the emotional aspect of the game particularly rewarding, as certain puzzles towards the end instilled a sense of cleverness and accomplishment.

    • “The story had me in tears; it was so beautifully crafted and relatable.”
    • “I felt a deep connection to the characters, their struggles resonated with my own experiences.”
    • “The emotional weight of the choices I had to make left a lasting impact on me.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its exceptional graphics, immersive sound design, and an impressive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Many feel it captures the essence of beloved previous titles while elevating it further.

    • “Absolutely love it so far, the graphics and atmosphere are peak, the sound design and soundtrack are next level, and the gameplay is everything I loved about TTYD with more.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The stability of the game is generally solid, but users have noted several minor glitches and translation issues in the Spanish localization, which are understandable given the complexities of translating between English and Spanish.

    • “The Spanish localization has several small glitches and faux pas, which is understandable given the challenges of translating from English to Spanish, as both languages have their own quirks.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which severely impacted my gaming experience.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Reviewers generally find that the game's replayability is high due to its diverse content and multiple pathways, encouraging players to explore different strategies and outcomes. Many highlight the presence of unlockable features and varying difficulty levels as key factors that enhance the overall replay value. Overall, players feel that the game offers enough variety to warrant multiple playthroughs.

    • “The game offers a wealth of content and replay value, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
    • “With multiple endings and diverse character choices, the replayability factor is off the charts!”
    • “Every time I play, I discover new strategies and secrets, which keeps me coming back for more.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replaying it feel like a chore rather than an adventure.”
    • “Once you've completed the main storyline, there's little incentive to dive back in; the side quests are repetitive and uninspired.”
    • “Despite the initial excitement, the lack of varied outcomes means that replaying the game feels more like a slog than a fresh experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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