Escape The Mad Empire

About

Escape The Mad Empire is a single player role playing game. It was developed by XperimentalZ Games and was released on April 22, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Escape The Mad Empire challenges you to assemble a diverse team of heroes from 13 unique classes to survive a chaotic apocalypse created by a fallen empire. Harness powerful, cursed loot and strategically pause combat to unleash spells and abilities in real time. Build machines in your sanctuary hub to strengthen your chances of escape.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 184 reviews

gameplay12 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Escape the Mad Empire combines tactical RPG elements with real-time combat and pause mechanics, providing a satisfying and strategic gameplay experience reminiscent of classic CRPGs like Baldur's Gate.
The game features charming pixel art and a humorous tone, enhancing the overall enjoyment and making it a fun dungeon crawler for fans of the genre.
With a variety of classes, loot, and character customization options, players can experiment with different builds and strategies, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.

The game suffers from some UI and control issues, making it difficult to manage characters and navigate menus effectively, which can detract from the overall experience.
There are concerns about the game's content depth and balance, with some players feeling that the leveling system and character management can lead to repetitive gameplay.
As an early access title, the game has bugs and stability issues that need to be addressed, which may frustrate players looking for a polished experience.

gameplay
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
The gameplay is a tactical blend of real-time and turn-based mechanics, drawing inspiration from classic CRPGs while incorporating roguelite elements that keep each run engaging. Players appreciate the depth of combat, customization options, and unique mechanics, though some express frustration with repetitive character leveling and unclear progression systems. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience with a mix of strategic planning and fast-paced action, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its complexity and certain design choices.
- “The gameplay is tactical, satisfying, and clearly inspired by classic CRPGs, but wrapped in a roguelite structure that keeps runs fresh.”
- “The quick attack feature being its own cooldown is something I never knew I needed but is essential to fully fleshing out the combat and the equipment customization; set mechanics and meta progression are all positives.”
- “There are a lot of different ways in which you can build your party, and the game nudges you to experiment with various builds through the instability mechanic, which helps in keeping the runs fresh.”
- “I don't like this mechanic because you always have to play new characters, and since there are only 13 characters, it's repetitive to level these guys to level 5 and then start from 1 again.”
- “Half of the classes require you to sacrifice a high-leveled character in order to buy, which feels super bad, and I can't understand what the thought process behind this mechanic was.”
- “I should reiterate that the core gameplay of taking a team into a dungeon for an extended conflict with monsters and bosses is solidly executed, but the base management, unlocking classes, and metaprogression feel bloated to the point of padding.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The story is generally viewed as a basic framework that serves primarily to facilitate gameplay rather than as a compelling narrative. While some players find it lacking in depth and engagement, they appreciate the fun mechanics and customization options that keep them invested in the game. Overall, the story is considered decent but not groundbreaking, with potential for improvement as players progress.
- “Story: the empire discovered reality-bending crystals, invented new technology, conquered the world - then became overrun with monsters.”
- “It's a fun dungeon crawler story that I would definitely recommend giving a try!”
- “But I'd still love to see something deeper, but I haven't finished the game yet, so maybe the story unfolds and develops better as I go on.”
- “I do wish there was a bit more to the story, but I can kind of give it a pass as it seems to be predominantly there as a jumping-off point to get you into the dungeons.”
- “But I'd still love to see something deeper; I haven't finished the game yet, so maybe the story unfolds and develops better as I go on.”
- “The story is mid, but everything else feels really good, intuitive, and incredibly fun to play, which at the end of the day is why we play games.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's graphics are described as stunning and engaging, particularly appealing to fans of pixel art. However, some players noted that certain art styles, especially character icons and the home base, can be unappealing, and there is a lack of distinctiveness among enemy designs. Overall, while the graphics may take some getting used to, they contribute positively to the immersive gameplay experience.
- “Stunning graphics and very fun gameplay!”
- “Graphics, quality of life, pace, everything's very pleasant.”
- “It's got a Slay the Spire style map, CRPG mechanics that find their heart from D&D, an ARPG-like gearing system, and an art style that would make any pixel art fan immediately buy this game.”
- “This game is deep and it's a S+ tier game, but if I have to nitpick one thing, and it's a personal preference, the one thing that's preventing me from going deeper is the art styles - especially the character icons and the home base; they are unpleasant to look at.”
- “Only real gripe is that given the graphics, a lot of the enemies and sprites in general look similar, so you really have to rely on looking at enemy stats to figure out what you're fighting, as enemies don't have portraits like the heroes.”
- “I've been ignoring pixel graphics games for their general low effort; so it was harder to find this on Steam once I heard the good news, and I am glad I did.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it leans towards a grinding team RPG rather than a roguelite dungeon crawler, the unique mechanics and character changes keep it engaging. The larger party sizes and ability management can feel tedious, but the balanced progression and potential for an enjoyable endgame loop, such as gem farming, mitigate the grind for many. Overall, while grinding is present, it doesn't significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “It intended to be something like a roguelite dungeon cleanser, but in reality, it is more like a grinding team RPG.”
- “But there are a lot of unique game mechanics that I love, and the game pushes you to change your heroes, which is great; however, it unfortunately entails even more grinding.”
- “End game is gem farming to enchant and finish with gemcraft.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by absurdity and charm, often arising from chaotic interactions and unexpected mishaps that enhance the gameplay experience. Players find the blend of frantic action and comedic moments, such as elite enemies causing mayhem, to be both entertaining and engaging, contributing to a desire for repeated play. Overall, the humor adds a delightful layer to the game's intense atmosphere.
- “Sometimes things go horribly wrong because of a chance interaction, but it is quite funny and isn't frustrating.”
- “There is a lot of progression, different strategies, and funny moments of panic when an elite enemy torches your whole team.”
- “The pixel art is charming, and the game’s humor adds a fun layer of absurdity to the intense action.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with users highlighting its coolness and effectiveness in enhancing the overall experience. Comparisons to soundtracks from other notable games suggest that it stands out, even in a year filled with impressive audio offerings.
- “In a year of KCD2 (awesome game) and Clair Obscur Expedition 33 (omg the soundtrack), this is not what I was expecting to consider my game of the year.”
- “If you like Pillars of Eternity, real-time with pause, 8-bit graphics, and music, this game is for you.”
- “The music is absolutely fantastic!”
- “In a year of 'KCD2' (awesome game) and 'Clair Obscure Expedition 33' (oh my god, the soundtrack), this is not what I was expecting to consider my game of the year.”
- “If you like 'Pillars of Eternity', real-time with pause, 8-bit graphics, and music, and stress, and RPGs.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express dissatisfaction with the monetization strategy, suggesting that the developers should allocate less budget to advertising and focus more on enhancing basic features of the game.
- “Next time, spend less on advertisement and more on basic features.”
- “The monetization model feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many paywalls in a game that could be enjoyable without them.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its incredible pixel art, which effectively combines childhood wonder with a modern dark-fantasy aesthetic. While character details may be minimal, the richly designed backgrounds and dungeons create a captivating environment that prioritizes atmosphere over graphical fidelity. The brilliant introduction further sets the tone for this immersive experience.
- “Incredible pixel art - fits the whole feel of the game so well, blending the childhood wonder of fantasy tales with a more modern dark-fantasy/grimdark aesthetic. The characters may be small and lack detail, but the backgrounds and dungeons are so well done that they truly emit a wonderful atmosphere, which for me takes precedence over fidelity every time.”
- “The intro is brilliant too, setting the atmosphere perfectly.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, citing the game as buggy and expressing frustration with its performance from the outset. Many feel that these problems detract from the overall experience and deem it not worth their time.
- “It's buggy.”
- “Not worth my time if it's buggy right out of the gate.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the emotional connection to the characters is lacking, as they perceive them as disposable and unmemorable, which diminishes the overall impact of the game's narrative and character development.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, which satisfies the desires of Hades fans for engaging and varied gameplay experiences.
- “However, it also delivers the replayability that Hades fans crave.”

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Escape The Mad Empire
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7h Median play time

14h Average play time

5-30h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Escape The Mad Empire is a role playing game.

Escape The Mad Empire is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 14 hours playing Escape The Mad Empire.

Escape The Mad Empire was released on April 22, 2025.

Escape The Mad Empire was developed by XperimentalZ Games.

Escape The Mad Empire has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Escape The Mad Empire is a single player game.

Similar games include Gordian Quest, Trials of Fire, The Last Spell, Across the Obelisk, Stolen Realm and others.

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