Exit is the tale of Mr. ESC a guy trying to make it big in life but is overshadowed by the success of a super-hero with real powers. Your objective in the game is simply to control Mr. ESC and help him guide a few citizens out of a dangerous situation. From which you will be graded and scored by how well you handled the situation and how quickly you have achieved it.
The gameplay is very similar to the original Prince of Persia in how it operates. The game actually makes use of the exact same movements as a matter of fact. The same running jump mechanism and climbing. It's basically Prince of Persia in sheep's clothes, except he's not a prince.
To accompany Mr.ESC there are often items scattered across the level that will aid him in his escape, I mean aid him in helping other people out followed by his escape.
Though the game does take a bit of time to get used to the controls. THe movements are as fluid as you'd like them to be and will definately take a few levels to get adjusted to the gameplay. The guy runs like a robot, well not really but he runs exactly the same way as the Prince in Prince of Persia. No I'm not talking about the modern remakes, I'm talking about the classic Prince of Persia action game.
With that said the graphic style of the game is drawn very excellent is a very easy on the eyes. The game is designed around a comic book scheme with the occasional word pop-up blurb or the clumsy sound-effects. It's as if you're playing a real-time American comic. All that is missing is the "Blam" and "Poof" effects you would see in the old Batman shows, glad those didn't make the cut.
But if I were to describe the graphic style, it is a sort of cel-shaded. Though it isn't a complete cell-shaded look. It retains enough 3d in the game but could easily trick you into thinking it is a 2d-drawn game. Especially given that the game is presented in a 2d-drawn cut-out view of a level.
But you are now questioning, is the gameplay really that similar to Prince of Persia? yes and no. The game adds enough to differentiate it from Prince of Persia, first off there's no fighting. And the only killing that can possibly be done is by dropping an injured citizen off an edge. Though it isn't really recommended. Also the game offers up a unique feature that will be used throuout much of the levels, and that's the micro-management cursor feature.
Using the analog nub you can control a cursor and point at the citizens that you saved to do various tasks to help with the puzzles. Examples include carrying an injured person around, helping you push boxes and crawling under some smoke and hitting a switch.
Overall the feature isn't a gimmick and you will be glad that they have chosen to include the feature. But would you think that some of the tools were also gimmicky? I would have to say a slight no because most of the game's levels make use of at least one of the tools and it actually adds much to the gameplay.
Further there are also times in which you will actually have to go through a level several times before you figure out the puzzle. Many times I've gotten lucky but there are those common times when I don't and have to figure out the puzzle before time runs out. Examples of the puzzles include pushing a bunch of boxes to form a stairway and taking a patient that is injured down that way. If that wasn't enough the puzzles get complicated as you go up level sections. Such as 4-1 level is easier than 3-8 level.
Though the game also offers up many new features to keep the game interesting. Such as the inclusion of a few levels where you are placed inside a sewer system with absolutely no light and can only view within a few steps in front of the character. However this is the stage that best makes use of the flashlight tool. which allows you to extend your range of view all the way to each end of the screen. The flashlight effects I would like to note is a very cool effect and can be controlled manually with the analog cursor.
In conclusion if you are interested in a fast-paced puzzle game that requires quite a bit of thinking on how to solve it then this game is definately the right choice. The game offers much to the playing field and will last a long time. How long you say? Well calculating by how many times you will replay a level and the amount of levels, quite a long time. Especially with 100 levels for single-player mode. The game even includes a feature to download more levels over the internet so you will never be bored with the game.
Though the way the game is set-up you will be sitting there waiting a few seconds just to have Mr. ESC climb up a set of stairs seeing as you don't manually control him when you tell him to do that. So it might get a bit frustrating waiting for him to finish him climb up when you relize you never wanted him to do that so now you tell him to climb down.
The computer's AI is generally well-rounded as well and you don't need to manage them fairly too much. Tell them to run to the Exit and they will sucessfully find their own path that way, if they are stuck however they will give you a holler.
With a release recently announced for the US in February, I can't see too much of a reason to import the title. Though you may import it for the luxury of exclusive levels only available to the Japanese game. Overall the experience is rather fun and addictive and I think my IQ has actually shot up a few points just from all this hardcore thinking.
uhhh... tyhanks for the review....but you kinda pulled a John Kerry with the flip/flop and by answering your own questions with vague "both yes and no" answers....not too specific but nice job....thanks for reviewing
It indeed is a good game, relatively fast loading, good comic like graphic and the game play is good. Although it's been released only like two weeks ago, you can already download two new sets of level to play, one is in X'mas theme. I can say the levels are not too hard (as far as I have finished 4 levels with 10 sublevels each), but challenging. Some levels, you need to do some thinking and planning before take a move, otherwise, you need to start over. I can say this game is fun, challenging, but not fustrating (as least so far I don't feel that way yet). If it indeed release in US, you can wait, but should be no problem playing the game for any non-Japanese player if you want to get it now.
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