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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in an actual fairytale? To approach the castle of your archnemesis, knock down the door and…find it converted into an office space? That’s the premise behind Escape From Ever After, a delightful rpg inspired by the classic Paper Mario games. If you needed a fun game to take you back to those days and scratch an itch you didn’t know you had, Escape From Ever After is for you. This was one charming story that had me smiling the whole time despite a few minor kinks.
In Escape From Ever After, you play as Flynt Buckler, the main character of “The Adventures of Flynt Buckler” where he fights the evil dragon Tinder. Except the story takes a very unexpected turn after Flynt visits Tinders castle and finds not an evil dragon, but a mega corporation. That’s right, Ever After Inc. has taken over Tinder’s castle and turned it into a corporate branch. After an initial meeting with the seemingly cheerful Mr. Moon, Flynt is tossed in the dungeon where he reunites with Tinder and the two team up to make their escape.
The castle dungeon serves a tutorial and it’s here where we learn the basics of combat. Like the series this game draws inspiration from, combat is both turn-based and reactionary. Flynt mainly attacks by throwing his buckler at enemies. With a well timed button press, Flynt can throw it again after catching it on the rebound. Meanwhile Tinder attacks by getting in close and breathing fire on an enemy, easily done by holding a button down. Enemy attacks can also be guarded against with a properly timed button push, though I personally found the timing can be tricky to nail down. Especially against enemies with longer attack animations. Speaking of, some strategy is required depending on the enemies. For example, there might be an enemy with a shield that will block Flynts buckler but can be burned by Tinder. Or there’s an enemy with wings that Tinder can’t reach but Flynt can hit. Small things like keeps the fights from getting too stale. Like in Paper Mario, winning battles awards exp. Upon leveling up, you get to choose between HP, MP(Mocha Points) or TP(Trinket Points) to get a boost. MP is used for special attacks while TP let’s Flynt and co equip trinkets to get access to new techniques or buffs
Once Flynt and Tinder escape the dungeon, they realize the only way to take down Ever After Inc. is from within. So the two become employed and start working their way up the corporate ladder. Outside of battle, Flynt can navigate the overworld by jumping and using his shield to hit far away switches. Tinder can breath fire, which can be aimed to burn wall banners and light torches. Wolfgang, a wolf companion that joins part way through chapter 1, can play his lute to help seeds sprout into stalks or even cause the wind to blow. There are two more party members who I won’t spoil but also bring their own unique abilities to the table. That’s one thing I really appreciate about Escape From Ever After. Each different party member comes with their own skills and abilities, and each one gets their own time to shine. Both in combat and out.
Immediately after becoming employed, Flynt gets his own office space! And has to decide how to decorate it. What rugs look good? Maybe a clock can go on that wall? Too many choices. Fortunately visuals aren’t limited to cubicles and filing cabinets. As part of his new job, Flynt will be tasked with entering different fairytales in order to expand Ever After Incs operation. This means the game features some very noteworthy and distinctive locales. From a wolf village with a construction site next door, to a town in perpetual gloom, there’s no shortage of sights to see. And all of them in the wonderful paper style that never gets old to look at. The 2D characters look great and all of them are pretty distinct. From unicorns, to vikings to…is that Pinocchio? Yeah there’s a lot of easter eggs and references here too.
While designing his office, Flynt can also change the background music to whatever he likes. It could be standard Ever After Inc. fare or the theme of Mr Moon himself. The music is another thing this game does really well. I actually found myself humming the office theme and noticed how the music tended to get stuck in my head. It’s THAT good. The game even makes use of its audio in a lost woods type segment. Seriously, this is one of the most enjoyable soundtracks I’ve experienced yet.
Escape From Ever After wears its inspiration on its sleeves and manages to be something incredible the whole way through. The cast of characters are wonderful and the banter is great. The writing in this game is fantastic, managing to balance humor and some of the more serious moments really well. This game is very well put together and is a must play for Paper Mario fans. You’ll feel right at home with Flynt, Tinder and the rest.
Thanks to Publisher Hypetrain Digital for the review copy
