Escape The Room Games

Lana Cherin · 05-09-2010, 05:23 PM

Some of these are great!

Some of the might be great but are in Japanese only and I can't manage...

Some of these are okay.

Some of these are good, but apparently have 1 or 2 completely arbitrary elements built in so that players are "forced" to go to the walk-through (which is tied to some ad/click-thru penny earning scheme). Suck.

Some of these just suck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, which ones are great!?

Or very good?

Or pretty darn good?

Lana Cherin · 05-09-2010, 05:43 PM

A few of my favorites (I think. Should have been documenting these all along, there are a couple I really liked but, typical of me, I can only vaguely recall...):

http://naifgames.com/games/room360/

http://games.gotmail.jp/nigepico/

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/514420

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/486799

BTW, Usually if you find a good/great one there is a series or set created by the same author.

For instance all of these are excellent:

http://neutralxe.net/esc/index.html

Lana Cherin · 05-11-2010, 03:00 AM

107 views?

And no one else has any gems they'd like to recommend?

*stepurhan* · 05-11-2010, 03:34 AM

It's possibly because Escape games are often considered casual puzzle games rather than pure adventures. The main issue is that their stories often consist of "you're in a room, get out" with no explanation of why. An argument that can run and run.

Bars of Black and White
A story and a unique (in my experience) game mechanic involving messages hidden in bar codes (the bars of black and white)

A Bark in the Dark
No real story but I just remember enjoying it a lot.

The Trapped Trilogy
Trapped
Pursuit
Escape
A kidnapping and subsequent events. The story is a bit odd but it has voices which is fairly unusual in free games.

Being One
More "Escape the hideous space station lab". Waking in a tube can you find out who you really are?

You could of course just go to this site given the name (probably variable quality though)

colpet · 05-11-2010, 04:41 AM

Escape the room games are adventures in my book.
One of my favorites played like a mini Rhem game. It's called In Cubation.
http://www.newphazedev.com/incubation/
It is very good and quite challenging.
There is a good list of free games here, some of which are 'Escape' games.
http://www.gameboomers.com/FreeGames.html

Jelena · 05-11-2010, 08:52 AM

I also like to play escape the room games whenever I'm out of a "real" adventure game. I like solving puzzles and they're fun to play every now and then. (I stay away from the timed ones though.)

booB · 05-11-2010, 09:19 AM

I hate most of the ones I've played, because most of them include one or two (or several) puzzles that involve randomly clicking around the screen until you find a hotspot. The puzzle solutions should be *intuitive*, not trial-and-error, and that's what most of these amateur game developers don't understand.

The few I've played that weren't like that were actually sort of fun. I'm a MOTAS fan from way back (the first ten levels, at least).

Sughly · 05-11-2010, 03:58 PM

Escape the room games are great! But I do agree that it would be more interesting to develop some story within it - even if it's not much, a little effort towards it could go a long way. The game I'm currently working in is probably closer to being an 'escape the room' rather than an adventure because of it's context and size, but I'm going to great lengths to develop a story. I won't conclude with a shameless plug, because it's nowhere near being finished...

EDIT: Screw it, I can be shameless for a day! This is all I have uploaded so far at least, probably ready in about 8 weeks.

Lana Cherin · 05-13-2010, 08:09 AM

Ah, great. Thanks, everyone.

The barcode one was one of those I'd played and should have remembered -- so I'm glad you listed it, stepuhran. There is at least one other I really, really liked that I wish I could remember, a real feeling of accomplishment? a bomb? very hazy...

Anyway, those others I think are all new to me. I just played the bark one and it was very good! Plus it seems that was a gateway to all of that authors games!

I'm going to work my way through the others you guys have listed at my leisure.

booB, you are right some of them really suck or are just trivks to get you to go to the walkthrough; but there really are some that are challenging in a logical and fun way. Hopefully we can avoid the ones that suck...

Sughly, I'll definitely check your game out. So do let us know when it is ready.

Lana Cherin · 05-16-2010, 09:55 AM

Well, I gotta say I didn't enjoy the Trapped Trilogy so much; I got about 1/2 in to episode 2. However, it was, as stated, pretty nicely done as far as some of the production values. The voices were there -- and not just as a gimmick of one or two clips. Must have had a little money behind it. Maybe from the "coffers", as it was quite a Christian game... along with the guns and knives and bloodtrails and...

So, anyway, the reason I'm here, is that I went on to try the Being One series. I use OpenDNS as my primary DNS and they had the site flagged as a phishing risk. Anyone able to verify? Or, better yet, assure to the contrary?

Hoping for the contrary. And meanwhile I'm off to play In Cubation! Thanks.

avatar09 · 05-17-2010, 07:05 AM

I hate every kind of room games. I never played them yet my friends love them. Don;t know what they find that much enjoying in it..

Lana Cherin · 05-17-2010, 07:12 AM

Quote:

I never played them...

So, how do you figure you hate them if you've never played one? And how do you figure you'll ever know what your friends enjoy about them if you've never played one? How can you hate them if you've never played one?

You should play one of the recommended ones here and see if you actually do hate them.

*Dale Baldwin* · 05-17-2010, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lana Cherin

So, how do you figure you hate them if you've never played one? And how do you figure you'll ever know what your friends enjoy about them if you've never played one? How can you hate them if you've never played one?

You should play one of the recommended ones here and see if you actually do hate them.

I think avatar09 is just a spam account. Time will tell though

Lana Cherin · 05-17-2010, 08:06 AM

It is the first and only post from avatar09..

How bizarre. What possible purpose?

Lana Cherin · 06-06-2010, 02:20 AM

Found what so far seems to be a really good series...

Starting with:

Alice Is Dead - Part 1

I'm a little ways into Part 2...

I love the music (among all the other things) I must say.

Lana Cherin · 07-02-2010, 12:19 AM

Well...

Finished In Cubation after all this time.

Quite a challenge. And quite an abrupt end!

I was taking it really slowly* (obviously) and just enjoying it, jumping out of it for awhile if I got stuck, and then getting back to it days later maybe. The game definitely had some quite vague puzzles and likewise a quite vague storyline. So I was actually expecting I was only about half way through when... it was, all of a sudden, over. Still, it was certainly much more than your average ETR game. A full-blown Mystian beast.

Thanks for the recommendation.

*Just like this thread: entirely oblivious and unconcerned with the pace things are "supposed" to go.

Sughly · 07-02-2010, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lana Cherin

*Just like this thread: entirely oblivious and unconcerned with the pace things are "supposed" to go.

Haha! Got a good laugh out of that one...

Lana Cherin · 07-02-2010, 03:47 PM

I'm basically just chroniclin' my babblin'.

colpet · 07-03-2010, 03:53 PM

Glad you liked In Cubation. Thanks for your suggestions too. I played a bit of Alice is Dead - liked what I saw.

05-09-2010, 05:23 PM	#1
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	Escape The Room Games Some of these are great! Some of the might be great but are in Japanese only and I can't manage... Some of these are okay. Some of these are good, but apparently have 1 or 2 completely arbitrary elements built in so that players are "forced" to go to the walk-through (which is tied to some ad/click-thru penny earning scheme). Suck. Some of these just suck. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, which ones are great!? Or very good? Or pretty darn good? Share Share this post on Twitter

05-09-2010, 05:43 PM	#2
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	A few of my favorites (I think. Should have been documenting these all along, there are a couple I really liked but, typical of me, I can only vaguely recall...): http://naifgames.com/games/room360/ http://games.gotmail.jp/nigepico/ http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/514420 http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/486799 BTW, Usually if you find a good/great one there is a series or set created by the same author. For instance all of these are excellent: http://neutralxe.net/esc/index.html Share Share this post on Twitter

05-11-2010, 03:00 AM	#3
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	107 views? And no one else has any gems they'd like to recommend? Share Share this post on Twitter

05-11-2010, 03:34 AM	#4
stepurhan Freeware Co-ordinator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South East England. Posts: 7,309	It's possibly because Escape games are often considered casual puzzle games rather than pure adventures. The main issue is that their stories often consist of "you're in a room, get out" with no explanation of why. An argument that can run and run. Bars of Black and White A story and a unique (in my experience) game mechanic involving messages hidden in bar codes (the bars of black and white) A Bark in the Dark No real story but I just remember enjoying it a lot. The Trapped Trilogy Trapped Pursuit Escape A kidnapping and subsequent events. The story is a bit odd but it has voices which is fairly unusual in free games. Being One More "Escape the hideous space station lab". Waking in a tube can you find out who you really are? You could of course just go to this site given the name (probably variable quality though) Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ No Nonsense Nonsonnets #43 Cold Topic A thread most controversial, that’s what I want to start Full of impassioned arguments, of posting from the heart And for this stimulation all will be thankful to me On come on everybody it won’t work if you agree

05-11-2010, 04:41 AM	#5
colpet Easily amused Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,091	Escape the room games are adventures in my book. One of my favorites played like a mini Rhem game. It's called In Cubation. http://www.newphazedev.com/incubation/ It is very good and quite challenging. There is a good list of free games here, some of which are 'Escape' games. http://www.gameboomers.com/FreeGames.html Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 00637228).

05-11-2010, 08:52 AM	#6
Jelena Lazy Bee Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 7,518	I also like to play escape the room games whenever I'm out of a "real" adventure game. I like solving puzzles and they're fun to play every now and then. (I stay away from the timed ones though.) Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Temporary guest in your life

05-11-2010, 09:19 AM	#7
booB Junior Mint Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA Posts: 350	I hate most of the ones I've played, because most of them include one or two (or several) puzzles that involve randomly clicking around the screen until you find a hotspot. The puzzle solutions should be intuitive, not trial-and-error, and that's what most of these amateur game developers don't understand. The few I've played that weren't like that were actually sort of fun. I'm a MOTAS fan from way back (the first ten levels, at least). Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ *I'm in my undies. That's... SO not appropriate.*

05-11-2010, 03:58 PM	#8
Sughly Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 607	Escape the room games are great! But I do agree that it would be more interesting to develop some story within it - even if it's not much, a little effort towards it could go a long way. The game I'm currently working in is probably closer to being an 'escape the room' rather than an adventure because of it's context and size, but I'm going to great lengths to develop a story. I won't conclude with a shameless plug, because it's nowhere near being finished... EDIT: Screw it, I can be shameless for a day! This is all I have uploaded so far at least, probably ready in about 8 weeks. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ KRAMS DESIGN - Indie Game Design & Development Now playing: The Longest Journey, Gray Matter, Lost Horizon Recently finished: Sanitarium Looking Forward To: Deponia, Resonance

05-13-2010, 08:09 AM	#9
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	Ah, great. Thanks, everyone. The barcode one was one of those I'd played and should have remembered -- so I'm glad you listed it, stepuhran. There is at least one other I really, really liked that I wish I could remember, a real feeling of accomplishment? a bomb? very hazy... Anyway, those others I think are all new to me. I just played the bark one and it was very good! Plus it seems that was a gateway to all of that authors games! I'm going to work my way through the others you guys have listed at my leisure. booB, you are right some of them really suck or are just trivks to get you to go to the walkthrough; but there really are some that are challenging in a logical and fun way. Hopefully we can avoid the ones that suck... Sughly, I'll definitely check your game out. So do let us know when it is ready. Share Share this post on Twitter

05-16-2010, 09:55 AM	#10
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	Well, I gotta say I didn't enjoy the Trapped Trilogy so much; I got about 1/2 in to episode 2. However, it was, as stated, pretty nicely done as far as some of the production values. The voices were there -- and not just as a gimmick of one or two clips. Must have had a little money behind it. Maybe from the "coffers", as it was quite a Christian game... along with the guns and knives and bloodtrails and... So, anyway, the reason I'm here, is that I went on to try the Being One series. I use OpenDNS as my primary DNS and they had the site flagged as a phishing risk. Anyone able to verify? Or, better yet, assure to the contrary? Hoping for the contrary. And meanwhile I'm off to play In Cubation! Thanks. Share Share this post on Twitter

05-17-2010, 07:05 AM	#11
avatar09 Junior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1	I hate every kind of room games. I never played them yet my friends love them. Don;t know what they find that much enjoying in it.. Share Share this post on Twitter

05-17-2010, 08:06 AM	#14
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	It is the first and only post from avatar09.. How bizarre. What possible purpose? Share Share this post on Twitter

06-06-2010, 02:20 AM	#15
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	Found what so far seems to be a really good series... Starting with: Alice Is Dead - Part 1 I'm a little ways into Part 2... I love the music (among all the other things) I must say. Share Share this post on Twitter

07-02-2010, 12:19 AM	#16
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	Well... Finished In Cubation after all this time. Quite a challenge. And quite an abrupt end! I was taking it really slowly* (obviously) and just enjoying it, jumping out of it for awhile if I got stuck, and then getting back to it days later maybe. The game definitely had some quite vague puzzles and likewise a quite vague storyline. So I was actually expecting I was only about half way through when... it was, all of a sudden, over. Still, it was certainly much more than your average ETR game. A full-blown Mystian beast. Thanks for the recommendation. *Just like this thread: entirely oblivious and unconcerned with the pace things are "supposed" to go. Share Share this post on Twitter

07-02-2010, 03:47 PM	#18
Lana Cherin Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 38	I'm basically just chroniclin' my babblin'. Share Share this post on Twitter

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07-03-2010, 03:53 PM	#19
colpet Easily amused Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,091	Glad you liked In Cubation. Thanks for your suggestions too. I played a bit of Alice is Dead - liked what I saw. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 00637228).