Elium - Prison Escape

I bought this game In baited anticipation in hopes of finding another good semi-roguelike game. Needless to say, I was disappointed by my purchase of this game. For starters "Is the game fun?" Yes, it can be. Would I recommend buying it? Based on my experience, no, you shouldn't. At least not until some of the game's quirks are ironed out. Graphically speaking, it's okay, I've seen better by Unity's standard, it runs good enough on most rigs. The combat does have it's moments (but I will talk about that in a bit). Level design is about on par with what I expect from Indie developers, but there are a couple questionable choices. Story wise, there really isn't any. Your a prisoner, and you need to escape and can pretty much be beaten in under 4 hours, hell even 2. There are a couple of different modes to try out, and cheats that you can play with in the game after you unlock them. But truthfully speaking, there's not a lot in here, and what little there is definitely needs some polish. One of my biggest cons with this game is it's combat system. The combat system, does require a tad bit of skill to learn. The gist of it is you can swing your weapon in 4 different directions, lef…

I think what a lot of these negative reviews aren't saying is that the videos, screenshots and summaries of this game display what it is extremely well. You can see the wonky animations, the weird attack angles, find out that there isn't a substantive campaign, or really any story deeper than "You're in a dungeon, so get out". I knew what I was getting when I got this game, and I didn't even have to read the reviews. So, if you've watched gameplay, or even just took a close look at the trailer, and still think you'll enjoy, I think you will too. Additional notes: I really admire how the combat is done in this game, but the real issue I have with it are the wonky animations and the animation blending. Attacks are so stiff it's as though no weight is being put into swings at all. Grabbing people to back-stab is really just awkward cuddling. The graphics aren't bad, nor is the lighting surprisingly. The different environments and levels are refreshingly varied. My one issue with the levels and environments however is how there are objects which you can move and should be able to pick up, but you can't. This wouldn't be that much of an issue with things like books, but if I see a poti…

Strong First-Person Exanima vibes, waking up deep in a dungeon and trying only to find your way out. The combat is a bit less refined but there's a solid layer of skill to it, though it's nothing entirely unheard of. Definitely worth the cheap purchase, and if they intend to keep developing the game, I strongly suggest they play Exanima if they haven't and further lean into the similarities as they move forward. I think borrowing some themes and mechanics would both improve interest and playability. If you're like me, gobbling up every Exanima update before waiting the next few months in a pit of depression, this will definitely scratch the itch for a short while, with a bit of the old Thief games creeping in, which i feel was probably their actual influence as Exanima is a relatively uncommonly heard of game. That's really how I'd describe the game in one sentence; Imagine if Garrett from Thief was stuck in the Exanima dungeon. You can more actively sneak, band together with other prisoners, fight or flee, with heavy physics interactions. It's very raw, but for $12 (less on sale) it's certainly not a waste of money.

Really enjoying this. Its dark and visceral, and feels very tactile. Plus when i freed a prisoner, he looted a dead guard and became an ally..I hope these guys make another game. A good example of an indie game. Something different..

TL/DR: It needs polish, the dev basically gave up but was SO close! Yes it looks rough in some areas, yes there are bugs, but it beats 90% of the absolute trash coming out in the last 12 years. A definitive gem if I ever saw one. Change keybinds until it feels right to you and just don't take it too seriously but don't disrespect it. Have an open mind, there are some fun mechanics here. Embrace your tiny prisoner army! I can not stress how satisfying this game is! Buggy yes, but regardless what's left is astounding. It has everything I want in a game: kicks, environmental kills (see "kicks"), dismemberment, Decent AI (sometimes buggy but forgivable), prison break, saving your fellow men, fire extinguishing, stealth, pickpocketing (though i don't see this being useful unless you are doing some challenge run type content, looting, small army building, spike walls and long falls to kick enemies into with a kick (I am a "kick in games" ♥♥♥♥♥), every visible item you see ON the characters you kill is lootable, not too shabby of graphics, better equipment as you progress. Dev, if you are done with the assets, code, etc, and want to throw them away then please send them my way. I woul…

Not a fan. I think it had massive potential if it kept growing, but this is just 2 hours of seeing the same random generated chunks with 1/2 enemies while you slaughter them with clunky directional combat (and I love directional combat) that does not respond properly with a crew of other prisoners (who for some reason can't go up in stairs) until you reach the end. The game may be more fun in Stealth, but I didn't bother. I wish it were further developed, it has potential, it's just way too undercooked.