Escape The Cradle

About

Escape The Cradle is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Crimsonren and was released on October 20, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Escape The Cradle is an incremental RPG where you help Hina, a foxgirl trapped in a mysterious dungeon, grow stronger by upgrading her skills and sending her repeatedly on dungeon runs. The dungeon, called The Cradle, prevents death by returning Hina to safety each time she expires, challenging players to strategize and explore its 30 enemy-filled floors. With charming pixel art and a heartwarming story, the game blends progression and adventure in a unique cyclical journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 48 reviews

emotional4 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features a cute and charming story with a lovable protagonist, Hina, making it an enjoyable experience.
The gameplay loop is simple and fun, allowing for a relaxing idle experience without excessive grind.
The art style and animations are well done, contributing to the overall appeal of the game.

The game is very short, with many players completing it in under three hours, leaving them wanting more content.
The skill tree and upgrade system can feel repetitive and lacks meaningful variety, leading to a monotonous gameplay experience.
Sound design issues, including grating music and sound effects, detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The story centers around Hina, a fox girl on a quest to rescue her mother from a dungeon, offering a heartwarming and cute narrative that many players find appealing. While the plot is engaging and has potential for expansion into sequels or prequels, some players express a desire for deeper backstory and more detailed explanations regarding the characters' circumstances. Overall, the story is described as short and sweet, fitting well within the game's charming aesthetic, though it leaves room for further development.
- “This game is a very cute story about a fox girl trying to save her mother and get them both out of the depths of a dungeon.”
- “Along with the heartwarming plot and our cute protagonist, these elements make the game fun and appealing for the entire length of your time playing it.”
- “The art is cute, and the story is a happy feel-good vibe.”
- “It's more of a tech demo, with parts of a story that seem to be building to something, and then it all just kinda ends.”
- “I will say I wish there was a little more to the story, like an explanation as to how and why Hina's mother got in there, her backstory, more about the father, etc. Perhaps there will be a sequel/prequel one day?”
- “Not really sure what I expected, but for just 4 euros I can't really complain about a short idle game with a bit of a vague story.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The gameplay is characterized by a simple and cozy auto-battle system complemented by a skill tree and a unique healing mechanic involving head pats. While the loop is enjoyable and free of grind, some players find it monotonous and lacking in interactivity, with slow progression and limited new mechanics over time. Overall, it offers a charming experience, particularly for fans of cute narratives, but may leave those seeking deeper engagement wanting more.
- “The gameplay consists of an auto-battle mode followed by skill tree progression and a prestige system to get permanent upgrades.”
- “The gameplay loop is fun without any grind, and the price is fair for the playtime.”
- “These small issues in no way detract from the game as a whole, and I wholeheartedly recommend this game to those who enjoy cute stories and simple, cozy gameplay.”
- “The gameplay here, such as it is, is dreadfully un-interactive.”
- “The gameplay loop becomes increasingly monotonous, with constant grind for crystals and even more time healing Hina.”
- “- unlike most skill tree incrementals, there is no active gameplay.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be manageable, with skill tree progression feeling less tedious due to quick gem acquisition. However, as the game progresses, the need for repetitive actions, such as farming for health upgrades, can become monotonous, leading some to resort to idle farming strategies. Overall, while some aspects of grinding are streamlined, others can feel excessive and detract from the experience.
- “The only reason I have so many hours is because I accidentally left the game AFK farming for gems for about 9 hours, plus some change.”
- “While it’s a heartwarming and charming interaction, it quickly becomes tedious, especially later in the game when health upgrades increase the number of pats required.”
- “As it stands, the most efficient way to progress is to boost experience gain and let the game run idle on a specific floor, farming levels and shards automatically.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its wholesome and heartwarming emotional elements, featuring a touching healing mechanic and a charming plot that keeps players engaged. However, some users note that the experience can become tedious over time, particularly as the gameplay demands increase.
- “Short and cute, with a touching healing mechanic.”
- “Along with the heartwarming plot and our cute protagonist, these elements make the game fun and appealing for the entire length of your time playing it.”
- “A very nice, wholesome, well-made and short idle title.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game's graphics are characterized by an adorable and simple art style that effectively captures a cute aesthetic, particularly highlighted by a charming headpat minigame. However, some users feel that while the visuals are appealing, they do not sufficiently compensate for the game's overall shortcomings.
- “This game is absolutely adorable, and I really loved the simple art style.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “While the cute aesthetic is appealing, the overall visual quality is disappointing.”
- “The art style seems to prioritize charm over substance, resulting in a lackluster visual experience.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with players finding it grating and repetitive, leading some to prefer playing on mute. While the upgrade system and overall experience are considered basic yet time-efficient, the lack of variety in both music and sound effects detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “The worst thing about this game is the music, which is grating and on a short loop, and the absolutely horrible sound effects that will make you want to play it on mute.”