Access Denied: Escape | PS5 Review

Have you ever watched the movie, Hackers (1995)? As much as they made the movie a technology thriller, the Hackers in question were just as adept at social engineering as they were at breaking in via keyboard. I love that movie! 

Imagine my glee when Access Denied: Escape came available for review. Opening with a graphic that says “Ratalaika Games” and some really nifty 80s techno-style music, I said to myself, “I’ve heard that name before!” Indeed, they published Skeler Boy, which I reviewed earlier this year! Okay, we’re off to a good start so far!

Access Denied: Escape has all of the tech fun of hacking into stuff without the social engineering and talking to people. While zero percent of the gameplay includes typing on a computer, the technology-driven style of puzzles kept me engrossed for the entire two hours. If puzzle games are for you, Access Denied: Escape is definitely right up your alley.

Why are We Here?

Dr. Kobayashi is a science genius who has made many questionable ethical decisions but also a major discovery that came under threat from his opponents. So Dr Kobayashi split the invention into many pieces and hid them inside puzzle boxes. He needs a vault hacker. That’s where you come in with a promise of a huge payment if successful.

What follows is a series of puzzles with either increasing difficulty or number of steps. Sequence puzzles, binary switches, hidden mazes, a dash of math, symbol translations, and much more await to find the pieces of Dr. Kobayashi’s invention and try to save the day. There are definitely some twists along the way as the story gets deeper as you solve more puzzles. 

Each puzzle offers several hints. They came in handy a few times for me. I just did not understand what I was supposed to do. The hints aren’t purposefully obtuse, either. They provide the exact information that is needed.

The Guts of the Game

Controlling Access Denied: Escape is a cinch. Move the cursor around and press the X button (on PS5) to interact with the puzzle box. In some cases, the shoulder buttons are used to look left or right. When you aren’t solving a puzzle, you may stroll around the one small room (well, three small rooms by the end of the game) and look around. A handful of tasks will be performed in those rooms as the game progresses.

There are a handful of safes that you must also open to find objects or clues to how Dr. Kobayashi wound up in the state he’s in. Sure, you could brute force the safes. There is no limit to how many times you get a puzzle or safe combination wrong. But, that’s no fun! Solve puzzles, find clues, and progress as the game wants you to! Besides, opening the safes early will actually get you nowhere.

The graphics and sound are of the highest quality considering how independent this game actually is. While we were recording the segment for the podcast, Scott mentioned that it was a $5 game! The game makers really took some noticeable care in crafting a solid looking game that plays well. Sound effects are perfect even if they are pretty simple. You’re in one room with only a few items to interact with. Those items make the appropriate noises.

There are several control options offered for everybody’s preferences. This includes the ability to slow the cursor speed down which is a welcome option for clumsy melee guys, like me.

Final Verdict

I’m trying to find more to write about, but that’s really all there is to it. Access Denied: Escape is a quick game that you could finish before lunch. Solid puzzles that offer the right amount of stump and required thinking. A story that keeps you invested through the end. Controls are great and adjustable. Graphics were quite nice, sound effects were great, and the music was fine while minimalistic. I’ve played quite a few puzzle games this year, but Access Denied: Escape definitely sits at the top of the list. And for $5? What do you have to lose? 

To hear me talk more about Access Denied: Escape, be sure to listen to the November 22, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast.

This review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy of Access Denied: Escape provided by PR Hound for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC via Steam.