No Escape was developed by Bits Corporation, and published by Psygnosis for the Megadrive and SNES, in 1994. It is based on the science fiction action film of the same name, starring Ray Liotta and Lance Henriksen.
You play as inmate J.T. Robbins (a highly-trained ex-Marine), trying to escape Absolom penal colony island.
This is a platform fighting/survival game, not too dissimilar in gameplay style to Flashback or hundreds of other games like it. It uses ‘rotoscoped’ animation, which is basically filming someone and then using their movement to create the drawn animation frames. The resulting animation is often very realistic, and it is in No Escape. Which helps elevate it above shite like Timecop.
What is different about No Escape, though, is that it really does throw everything – and the kitchen sink – at you during the first few levels. The relentless attacks just seem ridiculous at times. Which of course they’re designed to be. Which is why you’re supposed to run away from angry groups of enemies and try to keep one step ahead of them. Rather than fight them head-on. You can stop to take a pop at a few, but if you stay too long you’re likely going to get battered…
So the opening of No Escape does a good job of insisting on some urgency from the player… And teaches you how to use RUN. Which is essential!
Incidentally, to run in No Escape simply double-tap in the direction you want to run in. Don’t forget that – you’ll need it. I didn’t even realise what the run command was until my second session of playing this...
Pressing the ‘C’ button brings up your “Survival Kit” (basically your inventory), and in here you can combine items to make new and hopefully useful tools. You can also use weapons, if you can find some.
What else can I say about No Escape? It’s a British interpretation of Prince of Persia. It might entertain you for a few hours, as it did me. It’s a generic platform/action game, of a generic action film. It just sort of… exists. Happily. With the universe in sync. 🙂
A similar game would be: Planet of the Apes on the Game Boy Color.
No Escape is still worth a play today, if you like this type of game. Not something I can say about all games in this genre. Some might even call it a “hidden gem”. After finding the run command I certainly enjoyed the game a lot more. 🙂
More: No Escape on Wikipedia
No Escape Action Replay Codes:
Infinite Health P1: FF9257:88
Infinite Time: FF0BB3:FF
Infinite Lives P1: FF080F:99
Game Genie codes for No Escape:
Infinite Energy: AJTT-0A46
Infinite Lives: RYST-06VJ
Infinite Time: AVLA-LA9C
Invincibility: CTDT-0N7J
Start with 25 Lives: DHJT-CAGT
Start with 9 Lives: BHJT-CAGT
