Escapeworld Dilemma
Genres: Puzzle, Mystery, Atmospheric, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer
Release Date: 29-1-2021
Rating: 4/5
Developer: Sonoma Games
Our verdict
7/10
- Difficulty: Hard
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 4–6 h
Escapeworld Dilemma is a free, single-player exploration puzzler from solo developer Sonoma Games. You are snatched from daily life and dropped into a theme park built as a giant escape room, spread over 12 islands with their own themes, from desert highlands to a coal mine. Getting out means solving puzzles, gathering resources and finally making a choice about the park's fate. It suits fans of Myst-style games who like to wander and work things out alone.
About 70 percent of its 87 Steam reviews are positive. SteamSpy tags put exploration, open world, logic and nonlinear play near the top, and the one detailed review available compares it directly to Myst and calls it tough. Expect to take notes and connect clues across islands rather than solve one tidy room at a time.
The developer is upfront that one person made it and that it has rough edges, and advises saving often. The evidence on how players found the pacing is thin, so go in expecting some jank. As it costs nothing, it is an easy recommendation for Myst and Obduction fans with patience; players who want a short, guided escape room should look elsewhere.
Pros
- Free open world of 12 themed islands to explore
- Myst-style puzzles that span multiple locations
- Ending hinges on a choice about the park's fate
Cons
- Solo-developer rough edges; the store advises saving often
- Open layout can leave players unsure where to head next
- Single-player only
About
How did you end up at Escapeworld? Without your consent, you were snatched from your every day life. Basically, kidnapped. Teleported to Escapeworld. Now you are standing, alone, in a theme-park-sized "Escape Room" that looks like it was supposed to be a puzzle and exploration resort for paying guests. How do you escape these puzzle islands and get back to your world?
That will be no simple matter. But one thing is clear - something has gone badly wrong at Escapeworld. It is up to you to not only escape, but to see if you can fix Escapeworld. Others are counting on you to make the right choice to resolve the dilemma you face.
Escapeworld Dilemma is an Indie-developed single-player walk around puzzle and exploration game. Of the Escape Room genre, the game takes place in a large, open theme park like world with 12 differently themed islands to explore, many different puzzles to solve, many challenges to overcome, and most importantly, a choice you must make to resolve the dilemma you face.
