The Escape Artist

Your estranged father, a theme park engineer riddled with lawsuits dubbed "the Escape Artist", has died. You inherit his decrepit shack in the middle of the woods. The shack, and the objects within it, distort reality and break the laws of physics. A game made in collaboration between the University of California, Irvine and the Laguna College of Art & Design, The Escape Artist is a single-play…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,345 reviews

gameplay638 positive mentions

stability44 negative mentions

gameplay
1,802 mentions
35 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Superliminal" is characterized by its innovative perspective-based mechanics, allowing players to manipulate object sizes based on their viewpoint, creating a unique puzzle-solving experience. While the game introduces a variety of mechanics, many players feel that it doesn't fully explore or combine them effectively, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and a lack of challenge as the game progresses. Overall, the game is praised for its creativity and engaging atmosphere, but some players express disappointment over its short length and the limited depth of its puzzles.
- “A great mind-bending puzzle game with an interesting concept and enjoyable gameplay.”
- “The mechanic of changing the size of objects by playing with the perspective is excellent and very well used in the game, but there are other mechanics across the levels that are fun too.”
- “The gameplay is creative in an abstract way.”
- “The gameplay is boring, the game is too long, I did not understand the story.”
- “The puzzles never really became difficult, I was waiting for the point where everything started coming together and there were larger scale puzzles that brought in many different mechanics, but that never came.”
- “The gameplay gets stale, the story is boring almost immediately, the narration gets old fast.”
story
1,282 mentions
38 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of Superliminal is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet brief, often comparing it to titles like Portal and The Stanley Parable. While some appreciate its thought-provoking themes and emotional depth, others criticize it for being shallow or lacking in substance, feeling more like a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a fully developed narrative. Overall, the game offers a unique experience that intertwines its puzzles with a simple yet impactful story about perspective and self-discovery, though its short length leaves some players wanting more.
- “The story is so cool as well.”
- “The story pushes you forward through every puzzle, the graphics feel very clean and polished, and the ambient soundtrack is an absolute treat to listen to while working through the puzzles.”
- “The story starts off feeling very portal-like but by the end, conveys a really interesting and meaningful message about perception and critical thinking that one can definitely take away and benefit from in the real world.”
- “The story is bland and generic and performed way better in other games.”
- “The plot is confused between being a reference or a parody of Portal and The Stanley Parable.”
- “The story felt like a rehash of Portal; though it had a few nice points, it mostly felt almost good.”
music
574 mentions
60 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its soothing and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful jazz soundtrack that complements the gameplay and enhances the overall atmosphere. While some players found the music repetitive or reminiscent of elevator tunes, the majority appreciated its calming effect, making it a perfect backdrop for solving puzzles. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's unique and relaxing experience.
- “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing.”
- “The music is astonishing, visuals are great, and sometimes it's not you who plays the game, but the game that plays you.”
- “A beautiful experience that can be played in one sitting while listening to some amazing soundtrack.”
- “The constant lobby music gets annoying very fast, so I just switched it off completely.”
- “In the last chapter of the game, I was begging for it to end while strolling aimlessly through the void while listening to obtrusive 'relaxation' music.”
- “The music is incredibly boring.”
graphics
445 mentions
55 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and unique art style, which effectively convey a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere. Players appreciate the clean, minimalist aesthetic and vibrant colors that enhance the overall experience, although some noted minor performance issues and a desire for more advanced graphical features like ray tracing. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's immersive and captivating nature.
- “I loved the art style; the colors of some of the levels are so gorgeous I would just stare at the rooms for a while.”
- “The graphics are amazing, with a creative use of liminal spaces that encourages you to think outside the box with its logic puzzles.”
- “The visuals are stunning, with a clean and minimalist aesthetic that perfectly captures the game's surreal and dreamlike atmosphere.”
- “The graphics are rather poor and repetitive.”
- “The graphics don't look terrible but it's got some pretty bad screen tearing.”
- “The graphics kept crashing my computer (though that's not the game's fault).”
humor
277 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-1 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as clever, quirky, and reminiscent of titles like "Portal" and "The Stanley Parable," with many players appreciating its witty dialogue and unexpected comedic moments. However, some reviews note that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with certain jokes feeling forced or repetitive, and the overall comedic impact not reaching the heights of its inspirations. Despite these criticisms, the game is generally seen as entertaining, with a unique blend of humor and thought-provoking puzzles that keep players engaged.
- “Clever, funny, thought provoking.”
- “Superliminal is a puzzle game that is very unique, humorous, and enjoyable on its own, but its true greatest quality is how it conveys its 'moral' or its 'message'.”
- “The humor was also really amusing :) had a lot of chuckles and even some laughs and at the end you leave the game as a wiser person :)”
- “I'm not funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and didn't land at all.”
- “The humor felt forced and often missed the mark.”
emotional
208 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-1 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has resonated deeply with players, often leaving them in tears by the end due to its heartfelt message and touching narrative. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke a wide range of emotions, from frustration to joy, culminating in a satisfying and uplifting conclusion that offers a sense of personal reflection and growth. Overall, players describe the experience as both a clever puzzle game and a profound emotional journey, making it a standout title in its genre.
- “It left an emotional impact on me in a way I've never felt before.”
- “This game made me feel every emotion in the span of two hours.”
- “The ending made me cry, the puzzles were fun and challenging and the presentation was perfectly executed.”
- “No real challenges at all and a boring story. I really wanted to like this game, but I just can't.”
- “The emotional moments felt forced and didn't resonate with me at all.”
- “I expected a deep narrative, but the emotional impact was lacking and left me feeling disconnected.”
atmosphere
201 mentions
57 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its surreal, dreamlike quality, enhanced by stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack that creates a relaxing yet occasionally eerie experience. Players appreciate the clever integration of narrative and environment, with many noting the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions from comfort to existential reflection. While some found the atmosphere to become repetitive towards the end, the overall consensus highlights it as a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience.
- “The atmosphere, the visuals, and the narration are all so aesthetically pleasing, and the gameplay is phenomenal.”
- “Through its application of forced perspective and optical illusions, the game establishes an otherworldly, hallucinatory atmosphere that is both mesmerizing and disorienting.”
- “The atmosphere, combined with an absolutely gorgeous soundtrack, made me feel oddly nostalgic, and spoke to me in a way that very few games ever had.”
- “I think the end of the story left a little bit to be desired after the atmosphere of panic was built up so well over the course of this relatively short game, but that could well be personal taste and I think someone else might find a lot of satisfaction in the ending.”
- “The main mechanic gets stale after a couple of puzzles, there's little narrative to speak of, and on a more personal note, I disliked the scary atmosphere.”
- “The writing and atmosphere falls incredibly flat as it heavily relies on the nostalgia of games like Portal and The Stanley Parable.”
replayability
140 mentions
25 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting its short length (typically 2-4 hours) and limited replay value due to straightforward puzzle solutions. However, some aspects like collectibles, challenge modes, multiplayer options, and user-generated content can enhance replayability for dedicated players, making it worthwhile for those interested in achievements or exploring hidden secrets. Despite these features, many reviewers still feel that the game lacks substantial replay value, especially after the initial playthrough.
- “The campaign itself is rather short, but it has great replay value due to all the hidden areas you can explore.”
- “A pretty short single player game for the price, but replayability exists in going for achievements, trying the challenge mode, listening to dev commentary on another playthrough, and some multiplayer shenanigans.”
- “It's a game that will take about 2-3 hours to beat, with a bit of replayability given by the speedrunning mode.”
- “It's an experience with little replayability.”
- “Also, this game is way too short and for the life of me, I cannot see any replay value in it. The gameplay is not interesting enough to warrant another playthrough, and when the puzzles are this shallow and uninteresting, the game just doesn't work in terms of being fun.”
- “The game could be criticized for being short, with not enough replay value because the solutions can typically only be solved one way.”
stability
51 mentions
14 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting various glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in co-op mode and on certain hardware configurations. While some users experienced minimal issues and found the game enjoyable despite these bugs, others faced significant problems that affected their overall experience. Overall, the game's unique mechanics and fun puzzles are often overshadowed by its instability, leading to a somewhat inconsistent experience.
- “Very well made and great physics, no glitches at all.”
- “It is technically very impressive; not only are the non-Euclidean mechanics implemented flawlessly, the whole experience was bug-free and performed well throughout its short duration, often leaving me questioning how they pulled off some of the crazier mechanics.”
- “The game is extremely polished; do not expect to exploit or glitch your way past any game spaces.”
- “It's messy, it's buggy, it breaks the puzzles and the game, but it's fun and incredibly unique.”
- “While the game is really fun, constant freezes on moving from one area to another were not enjoyable.”
- “Multiplayer is so unbearably buggy it makes Cyberpunk 2077 on release look polished.”
grinding
45 mentions
7 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
73 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious and frustrating, with many noting that while the initial experience is engaging, it quickly devolves into repetitive and uninspired gameplay. Some enjoy the challenge of finding secrets and completing achievements, but many feel that the puzzles and exploration become overly grindy and detract from the overall enjoyment. The game is often described as needing a "second life" for the amount of grinding required, leading to mixed feelings about its value and replayability.
- “A bit grindy.”
- “No grinding at all.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I got stuck a few times looking for an object to interact with - this was more tedious than engaging to me personally.”
- “This game is incredibly tedious and whilst the concept is great, and the first hour is incredible the novelty wears off really quick.”
- “The maps are aesthetically too crowded (with bland objects) to keep track of what the game wants you to do, and I found it too tedious always having to play the game its way, barring you off from things that most games would let you explore.”
optimization
35 mentions
29 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and impressive frame rates on high-end systems, others experience significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly on lower-end PCs and Macs. The game's simplistic art style generally aids performance, but certain levels can be demanding, leading to drastic frame rate drops. Players are advised to adjust graphic settings for optimal performance, especially on PC.
- “Considering it's their first release, it's quite incredible to see they optimized such a visually complex game to run at 170 fps on an RTX 2080 on ultra at 5x1440.”
- “Kudos for the extra effort that went into the optimization here.”
- “Runs well with zero performance issues from my own play-through.”
- “But the performance is not great considering that it's not the most graphically complex game out there.”
- “Horrible jittery performance even on lowest settings.”
- “- there are some either extremely demanding or badly optimized levels where my fps dropped from a solid 60 down to barely playable 10 fps.”
monetization
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game relies heavily on advertising, which may mislead players into expecting a more complex experience than what is delivered, as the gameplay consists of repetitive challenges and a simplistic design. While the advertising creates intrigue, it ultimately fails to align with the actual content, leading to disappointment among users.
- “Don't be tricked by the advertising or cool premise; this is a walking simulator hyped up as a puzzle game.”
- “When I saw the game in the store and looked at the pictures provided for advertisement, I thought, 'Oh, it looks a bit like Portal, as in you have an interesting mechanic and solve puzzles.'”
- “Despite the advertising, this game reuses simple challenges quite a lot, allowing me to race through the game.”