I can recommend playing Inescapable, so long you understand several very important things about this title. First, despite the visual similarities, know that this is not Super Metroid. A comparable situation would be like saying a triple decker sandwich is proportional to a single slice of lukewarm bologna. Second, this game is very short, and I would suggest not even playing unless you have ample time to finish it in a single go, because, third, there is no map (or hidden collectibles). Even though the game’s world is relatively small, I imagine most will simply give up upon booting back up and realizing that they can't recall where they'd been. And that would be a shame, because once you get past the fact that the supposed similarities to Metroid don't really exist past the visuals, you will still find a competent and mysterious adventure that ends long before it has the chance to overstay its welcome.

To better explain what this game is, lets again bring up the beloved Super Metroid. Now, remove the myriad of hidden hallways, collectibles and bosses, remove the enemy variety and all music, remove all but a few non-linear pathways, and cut the world into, oh… 1/5th the size, if even that. Now, you might have an idea of what to expect upon starting Inescapable, an inspired take on the metroidvania style.

As bad as the all of the above may sound, know that I enjoyed my time with Inescapable, as brief as the 2 hour journey was. The game is very “indie”, with only a handful (read: 3) of enemy types, lack of weapon variety beyond a pistol and variant thereof, and whose combat consists solely of ducking below enemy bullets. Worse yet, there are doors that can only be opened upon finding the proper jewel or thingamajig that fits a slot, and so backtracking becomes an integral part of the experience. You may understand now why completing this title in a single sitting becomes paramount, as “misplacing” that blasted door was will undoubtedly infuriate, and the likelihood of such an error may lessen if you’ve yet to pause your journey and allow forgetfulness to set in.

What story exists is told through snippets of dialogue found through interacting with computers, murals, plaques and the like, but it’s typical sci-fi nonsense of “ancient alien power” and man’s greed. What gets me most, in regards to the story and this title’s aforementioned Indie quality, is that this story doesn’t end, or rather, there is no ending. In typical indie nonsense fashion, the game ends with a “deep” quote and a The End screen. The story sees no resolution, and the player receives no reward for their work.

So why, then, the thumbs up? Simply, the journey was enjoyable, and the lack of resolution to the meager story did not diminish that feeling. The world that you explore, as lacking as it may be, and the adventure it brings ends before it becomes stale. Lack of a proper conclusion in favor of a silly quote screen notwithstanding, I enjoyed this short title for what it was. And if you can forgive the lack of a proper finish (and that it sure as hell isn't Super Metroid), as I did, you will likely look fondly on your time with Inescapable.

I can recommend playing Inescapable, so long you understand several very important things about this title. First, despite the visual similarities, know that this is [i]not[/i] Super Metroid. A comparable situation would be like saying a triple decker sandwich is proportional to a single slice of lukewarm bologna. Second, this game is very short, and I would suggest not even playing unless you have ample time to finish it in a single go, because, third, there is no map (or hidden collectibles). Even though the game’s world is relatively small, I imagine most will simply give up upon booting back up and realizing that they can't recall where they'd been. And that would be a shame, because once you get past the fact that the supposed similarities to Metroid don't really exist past the visuals, you will still find a competent and mysterious adventure that ends long before it has the chance to overstay its welcome. To better explain what this game is, lets again bring up the beloved Super Metroid. Now, remove the myriad of hidden hallways, collectibles and bosses, remove the enemy variety and all music, remove all but a few non-linear pathways, and cut the world into, oh… 1/5th the size, if even that. Now, you might have an idea of what to expect upon starting Inescapable, an [i]inspired[/i] take on the metroidvania style. As bad as the all of the above may sound, know that I enjoyed my time with Inescapable, as brief as the 2 hour journey was. The game is [i]very[/i] “indie”, with only a handful (read: 3) of enemy types, lack of weapon variety beyond a pistol and variant thereof, and whose combat consists solely of ducking below enemy bullets. Worse yet, there are doors that can only be opened upon finding the proper jewel or thingamajig that fits a slot, and so backtracking becomes an integral part of the experience. You may understand now why completing this title in a single sitting becomes paramount, as “misplacing” that blasted door was will undoubtedly infuriate, and the likelihood of such an error may lessen if you’ve yet to pause your journey and allow forgetfulness to set in. What story exists is told through snippets of dialogue found through interacting with computers, murals, plaques and the like, but it’s typical sci-fi nonsense of “ancient alien power” and man’s greed. What gets me most, in regards to the story and this title’s aforementioned [i]Indie[/i] quality, is that this story doesn’t end, or rather, there is no ending. In typical indie nonsense fashion, the game ends with a “deep” quote and a [i]The End[/i] screen. The story sees no resolution, and the player receives no reward for their work. So why, then, the thumbs up? Simply, the journey was enjoyable, and the lack of resolution to the meager story did not diminish that feeling. The world that you explore, as lacking as it may be, and the adventure it brings ends before it becomes stale. Lack of a proper conclusion in favor of a silly quote screen notwithstanding, I enjoyed this short title for what it was. And if you can forgive the lack of a proper finish (and that it sure as hell isn't Super Metroid), as I did, you will likely look fondly on your time with Inescapable.