AN IMPRESSIVE 8-BIT ESCAPE ROOM SIMULATOR

We were offered a code for NEScape! One of us, however, (me) had already bought the game upon seeing it in the eShop so I said I would write a review. I like escape rooms and I like video games so it was an easy purchase and I have to say that while very short, NEScape! Is both fun and very impressive for doing what it does within the limits of the NES.

Also, before I break down the game in more detail I need to point out how brilliant the title is. It works if you pronounce NES as a single word like “ness” or as single letters “N-E-S”. It’s a minor thing but when game titles are just generally a mess, one as good as this should be applauded (and if you pronounce NES as “nezz” you’re wrong).

PLATFORMS: SWITCH, NES
MSRP: $4.99 ($10 for NES ROM)
PRICE I PAID: $4.99

NEScape! contains four different rooms (single screens) each with plenty of interactable items. The goal is to solve the puzzles in the right order eventually cascading into the final escape. There’s only an interact option and access to a minor inventory which simplifies gameplay over games like Shadowgate where the player would have to choose which action to take as well as click on the right objects to solve puzzles. I thought this would be a problem because I wouldn’t always know what I was looking at but the sprite work is so well done that I always knew what I was looking at.

For the most part the puzzles are well done, leaving me either slapping myself for not figuring out the solution the first time around as the game only has an hour time limit to give that full escape room experience, or making me go “OH THAT’S THE SOLUTION” when I realized what to do. There were a couple of hiccups that involved me overthinking puzzles and failing to notice changes to the room after solving puzzles, but more than anything there were a few minor gripes I feel are must knows if an 8-bit escape room interests anyone.

This game requires audio. I know that seems minor, but this is not to just hear the great chiptune soundtrack. Some puzzles directly require the ability to hear a clue and translate that into a puzzle solution, including synthesized voice that would be able to be played back on original NES hardware. Not only is this crunchy it leads to psychoacoustic pareidolia (there is a video of Ken yelling “Oh Barbie!” or “Oh ****!” that is a great example of this phenomena). I am trying to make out an English word from this bit crushed audio recording but what I hear and what someone else may hear are two different things and both may be different from what the original sound designer recorded. I only had this issue once but that one time required me to look up what was being said, however this trick comes into play multiple times.

There is a slide puzzle. A 3×4 slide puzzle. I generally like slide puzzles, but as soon as it becomes more than 30 steps to solve it is a chore. This could make or break some peoples’ enjoyment of the game and I fully understand.

The last issue was a single puzzle where I found it unclear what a specific set of symbols on a sheet of paper were alluding to. I think the clue could have been done in a simpler way to give the same effect because there are unnecessary symbols in the clue that obfuscate the solution. It made sense, but I was left unsatisfied upon finding the solution. This was the only puzzle I truly did not like.

That being said, overall the game is quite well done. While not overly a horror game, the soundtrack and some of the moments between chapters did give off a creepy vibe. For a fiver, anyone who likes puzzles will probably get a kick out of it. However, I assume anyone with the ability to play ROMs on original hardware would get a way cooler experience playing NEScape!

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Loved the sprite work
  • Music is really good
  • Puzzles were generally fun and well thought out
  • The idea to use synthesized voice was a surprise and generally well done
  • Short experience that accurately captures the feeling of escape rooms
  • Can be played on original NES hardware
Bad
  • The slide puzzle takes up too much of the game
  • Voice synthesis puzzles can be iffy
  • No replayability value
7.5
Good
Written by
Anthony is the resident Canadian. He enjoys his chicken wings hot and drinks way too much Coca-Cola. His first game experience was on his father's Master System and he is a loyal SEGA fanboy at heart.