Access Denied: Escape
Genres: Puzzle, Escape Room, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Atmospheric, Adventure
Release Date: 27-7-2023
Developer: Stately Snail
Our verdict
8/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 2–3 h
Access Denied: Escape casts you as a hacker of Data Vaults, physical safes that store secrets in a future where nobody trusts networks. A job goes wrong and you end up locked in a scientist's lab, cracking 30 vaults in first person while notes on the walls hint at what happened there. It suits solo players who like self-contained puzzle boxes in the vein of The Room, but with less spectacle.
Reception is strong for a small game: about 134 of 155 Steam reviews are positive. The one detailed review describes puzzles that lean on numbers, ordering and logic rather than flashy mechanisms, each solved within its own device, and notes there are no jump scares. Player tags back this up, stressing mystery, atmosphere and a linear structure with multiple endings.
The main limits are length and depth. Expect around two to three hours, and the story stays in the background. At its very low price that is easy to accept. Buy it if you enjoy fiddly device puzzles in short sessions; skip it if you want a big explorable space or co-op.
Pros
- 30 Data Vault devices, each a self-contained logic puzzle
- Number and sequence puzzles reward careful observation
- Very cheap for a couple of hours of puzzling
Cons
- Short, at roughly two to three hours
- Less tactile and flashy than The Room-style puzzle boxes
About
In the future, people no longer trust computer networks and prefer to use physical devices to store important information. You are a professional hacker of such Data Vaults. However, your latest job didn't go according to plan, and you're now locked in a scientist's laboratory. In order to escape, you need to not only complete the work, but also uncover the secret of this place.
Access Denied: Escape is a 3D device-hacking puzzle game. Unlock the Data Vault, examine the devices around you, and use the notes to learn about events that took place here. Use your wits and powers of observation to discover the secret hidden within the walls of this laboratory. After all, it's the only way you can get out of here alive!
- Explore the lab in first-person view;
- 30 Data Vaults that you must hack;
- Various devices and mechanisms that you can interact with;
- Explore the surroundings and the notes left behind to uncover the mystery of this place.
