Escaping prison isn’t for the faint of heart but in a game it's rewarding, especially when all you have are nail files, a sock, and duct tape.

Team 17 have always excelled at games that make you think hard about your next move.

Worms was a brilliant tactical, faux war game with bright colours and an interesting premise that made it different enough to be enjoyable.

The Escapists has taken this one step further, tackling the rather daunting premise of a prison simulation with a great design and the need to plan a hundred steps ahead.

The premise of a prison escape sounds exciting and rather daring, but The Escapists' most gutsy aspect is that the boring daily grind that is prison life is just as important as the escape itself.

Regular cell tosses, communal showers, and mandatory roll calls portray a strangely realistic view of the regimented prison life.

Especially considering the misleadingly adorable 16-bit graphics and charming soundtrack which takes you back to the days when 16-bit was ground-breaking.

The mood is set perfectly through several different things, one of which is the routine of prison life that you are forced to work around in order to escape.

You can't just run around doing whatever takes your fancy. Missing roll calls, meals, and exercise hours can all increase the prison guards' suspicion of you, and a suspicious guard will force you to toe the line and that can lead to boredom.

There are only so many times you can dig up weeds in a game before you've had enough. It's not a high number either. It does lend to the mood however, and certainly makes you want to escape prison.

The Escapists is a game you will want to play when you've got a fair bit of spare time because not only is a decent amount of your time spent doing as the guards tell you or waiting around until dark, but it is also very addictive.

It is very unsatisfying to leave a level part way through. You need to work hard to think up new ways to make the system dance to your tune, and that great sense of satisfaction at finishing a level is well earnt.

Especially since the tutorial level is almost completely useless; the controls in the options menu will teach you more than the tutorial. Still, the tutorial succeeds at setting the mood.

Entering the first level, you feel completely out of your depth and just a little bit helpless.

The fact that no one will hold your hand works very well with the prison setting.

Each stint in the slammer teaches you more and more, and every breakout attempt, even the failed ones, gives you more information to form your next plan with.

Failing an attempt is a very legitimate strategy if you learn something new to help you next time.

Often you will learn a hint upon capture and confinement to solitary that can help your next plan. It is this aspect of the game that gives it such a steep learning curve.

There are six very different levels that increase in difficulty as the prisons change from minimum to maximum security.

The one exception is the Alcatraz DLC, which despite being based off of one of the most well-known maximum security prisons in popular culture, is an easy level.

It's certainly a step up from the first few levels, but not by much. It's disappointing how easy it is to escape, not even requiring the makeshift raft craftable for the last level.

For a prison famed for being inescapable partially due to the fact that it is on an island, not needing to do anything thing more than get outside and walk to the wharf is very anti-climactic and leaves you missing the sense of accomplishment that finishing the other levels provides.

As far as storyline goes, frankly there isn't one beyond "escape prison". It works fine with the art style and gameplay.

In fact it works so well that a strong plot might throw the game off its excellent problem solving potential. Just don't expect any great reveal or plot twist at the end other than your score after each level. This game is all about you and how you manage to think enough steps ahead to escape, not your character's story.

Along with the lack of plot, there is a lack of characterisation when it comes to your fellow inmates and guards that is disappointing.

They are nothing more than another tool to help you escape, which is a shame, because the customisation ability on both inmates and guards allows you to personalise your gameplay (you could recreate Prison Break or Shawshank Redemption if you wanted to - do try for a slightly speedier escape than Andy Dufresne though).

Doing favours and gifting items to inmates increases their opinion of you. If someone likes you well enough they can become your minion and will protect you in fights, which is certainly useful. Any fondness you feel for your minion is not reciprocated though and in the next level he probably won't even like you.

Some sort of campaign mode could create an interesting dynamic and stronger inmate and guard characterisation with your character building relationships and making enemies as he moves through the penal system from minimum to maximum security prisons.

It takes some very creative thinking to avoid having your contraband taken off you.

Being beaten up results in a trip to the infirmary as well as confiscation of contraband.

Cell shakedowns mean that there aren't any safe places to store items. Unless you get creative, of course.

Is there a room that doesn't get used you can tunnel into? Is there a vent crawl way right above your bed, or underground tunnels just a short walk away?

There are dozens of ways to escape each prison, each with its own risks and rewards and how you handle each prison is up to you. If you think you can do it, you probably can.

This is a game you will play over and over again if you like strategy games.

Any frustration and getting caught is far outweighed by the joy at succeeding in breaking out. Each play through allows you to find another way of escaping, and the leader boards give you something to strive for. The Escapists is worth the money, but the same can't be said for the Alcatraz DLC.

The Escapists

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Publisher: Team17

Developer: Mouldy Toof Studios

Number of players: 1

Rating: PG

Score: 8/10

-NZGamer