50 Games in 2012 – #8 Escape Plan [PSV]

 

50 Games in 2012 – #8 Escape Plan [PSV] (Completed February 24th)

[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":694240,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"gbunfiltered,","session":"B"}']

Coinciding with my Vita purchase I picked up another downloadable game called Escape Plan. This game had me hooked from it's debut trailer. Usually new hardware needs system selling software and Escape plan going into my purchase was one of my main reasons for picking up a Vita. For me personally I put a lot of stock into this game and was briming with excitement to play it once I picked up my Vita.

Aesthetically Escape Plan looks like a great platforming title for the Vita. You have a cool noir based look to the visuals and your asked to control Lil and Laarg in the game with the base of the Vita's touch controls. Your main goal within Escape Plan is to escape the nefarious traps set by Bakuki the controller of this factory you start off in. Each level your tasked with facing has an object to overcome and a puzzle to solve making Escape Plans platforming a formidable fun challenge.

Sadly Escape Plan falls short when it comes to the controls. A game based on controlling characters to make precise actions needs crisp controlling and Escape Plan doesn't deliver the goods. Each level you are tasked with escaping the set area in as little touches as possible and these touches are based on the Vita's front and back touch. The front touch works well but the back touch is hindering to your experience. Many times I found Lil and Laarg moving because of my hand accidentally touching the back touch while just trying to hold the controller. Eventually I was able to change how I held my controller in order to stop this but overall it was disappointing that the games main controls brought me out of the games experience.

Escape Plan is presented well and fits perfectly on the Vita at a cool $15. Potentially this game could have been the go to app for the Vita but with a hindering control set it's brought down. Ultimately still a fun game but potential was definitely left on the planning room floor with Escape Plan.

Game Summary:

Date Finished: 2/24 | Escape Plan (Vita)

[aditude-amp id="medium1" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":694240,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"gbunfiltered,","session":"B"}']

Pros: Quirky humour and funs levels, Portal vibe but sidescrolling and noir.

Cons: Frustrating control scheme hinders gameplay.

Conclusion: Experience was brought down by clunky controls but still packed fun.

[7.5/10]