Kids of the noughties may recall programmable robots that were the basis of many a lesson back in primary school. Maybe it’s a very niche memory to have, but take one look at Escape String and you’ll be taken back to keying in commands to guide your own lovable robot!
Releasing today onto Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, Escape String is set up with mystery at its core. In an undefined factory at an undefined time, a small humanoid robot finds himself chucked away with all the debris, with only questions as to how he got there, what he must do next, and who he really is. How philosophical!
Instead of controlling the robot around this set of 2D levels directly, however, you’ll be tasked with inputting a string of controls (or ‘inputs’) which when executed will see our robotic friend make his way around, evading guards and manoeuvring obstacles. Said obstacles will start off static, but where the real challenge comes in is when they move, challenging you with timing your execution. Finish the level with the minimal number of inputs, and you have well and truly mastered it – have a gold chip for your efforts, which unlocks a number of skins for the bot.
Introduce guards that mirror your actions, crouch actions and the like, and you have forty levels of fiendish puzzling to make your way through. Will you get to the end and resolve the mystery of our robot, or condemn him to life as a pile of waste at the bottom of the factory floor? Only time will tell.
Escape String is now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. You can pick up a copy for £5.79 via the Xbox Store.
Game Description:
Escape String is a 2D puzzle game set in an undefined time and place. A small humanoid robot wakes up in the debris of a landfill inside a large factory. He receives strange and enigmatic messages, from someone who apparently wants to help him. The robot’s purpose is to explore the large factory where he is in search of answers about who he and his mysterious remote helper are. The player does not control the robot directly and in real time, but inserts movement commands above its display in order to tell the robot when it is time to jump, to crouch and more. It is therefore a puzzle game based on perspective: the player must calculate the spaces between the robot and the obstacles. The obstacles are initially totally static, but as they advance they will be more and more dynamic and varied. For example, we will have guard robots that will perform the same actions as our robot in a mirrored manner. There are currently 40 levels, with 8 types of obstacles. The real challenge will consist in finishing the level with the minimum possible number of indications (input) and providing these commands in a single line (string), ending the level while simultaneously satisfying these conditions will unlock the “”gold chip”” of that particular level. The “”gold chip”” will be used to unlock new skins for our robot. This title is therefore suitable both for those looking for a relaxing puzzle, given the non-dynamic gameplay, and for those looking for a challenge given its arcade nature.
