Games Like The Escapists

Craft, Steal, Brawl and Escape! It’s time to bust out of the toughest prisons in the world as you return to the life of an inmate in The Escapists 2, now with multiplayer! Have you got what it takes to escape?

Why similar: Crafting 19.6%, Pixel Graphics 18.5%, Strategy 14.6%, Multiplayer 9.2%, Simulation 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: This direct sequel expands on the original formula with improved mechanics, multiplayer support, and more complex prison layouts to escape.

Only the world’s most ruthless Warden can contain the world’s most ruthless inmates. Design and develop your personalized penitentiary in Prison Architect.

Why similar: Strategy 22.3%, Simulation 18.4%, Sandbox 17.5%, Top-Down 11.6%, 2D 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: While you are the warden instead of the inmate, this game shares the same core prison aesthetic and deep simulation mechanics.

Merging the smash hit indie game The Escapists with the world wide phenomenon that is The Walking Dead, Team17 have taken the very best of both worlds and are now providing players with the opportunity to play Rick Grimes as he takes on hordes of zombies let loose upon the world.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 27.7%, Survival 20.6%, Strategy 18%, Multiplayer 8.2%, Crafting 8%

Why You'll Like It: This spin-off applies the familiar Escapists gameplay mechanics to a zombie-infested world, adding a new layer of survival urgency.

Sheltered is a deep and emotional survival management game. You take on the role of protecting four family members who, after a global apocalypse, have found their way to a deserted shelter.

Why similar: Survival 26.8%, Pixel Graphics 20%, Crafting 16.9%, Strategy 13.8%, Simulation 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: You must manage a family in a post-apocalyptic shelter, focusing heavily on resource scavenging and crafting to survive.

Craft The World is a unique sandbox strategy game, the mix of Dungeon Keeper, Terraria and Dwarf Fortress. Explore a random generated world populated by dangerous creatures, build a dwarf fortress, gather resources, and craft all the items, weapons, and armor you need.

Why similar: Crafting 41.7%, Sandbox 13.7%, Survival 12.9%, Strategy 11.1%, Simulation 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: This 2D side-scrolling game combines base-building and survival with a crafting system that feels very similar to the loop found in The Escapists.

A sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more.

Why similar: Survival 27.1%, Strategy 22.3%, Sandbox 16.5%, Simulation 15.6%, 2D 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: A deep colony management simulator that forces you to survive and craft under extreme pressure, mirroring the high-stakes decision-making of prison life.

Build and manage a medieval graveyard while facing ethical dilemmas and making questionable decisions. Welcome to Graveyard Keeper, the most inaccurate medieval cemetery sim of the year.

Why similar: Crafting 39.6%, Pixel Graphics 26.5%, Simulation 9%, Sandbox 8.9%, RPG 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: This management sim features a similar pixel-art style and a complex crafting system that requires careful planning to progress.

60 Seconds! is a dark comedy atomic adventure of scavenge and survival. Collect supplies and rescue your family before the nuke hits. Stay alive in your fallout shelter. Make difficult decisions, ration food and hunt mutant cockroaches. And maybe survive. Or not.

Why similar: Difficult 28.9%, Strategy 24.5%, Survival 22.7%, 2D 12%, Funny 11.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on high-pressure resource management and survival decision-making within a confined space.

A living world full of surprises, secrets and danger awaits in The Survivalists, an adventure-filled survival sandbox set in The Escapists universe. Explore, build, craft and even train monkeys with up to three friends in a desperate bid to survive. Have you got what it takes to be a Survivalist?

Why similar: Crafting 33.7%, Pixel Graphics 15%, Survival 14.4%, Sandbox 8%, Multiplayer 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: Set in a sandbox world, this game emphasizes crafting and survival mechanics that will feel immediately familiar to fans of the genre.

Congratulations. The October labor lottery is complete. Your name was pulled. For immediate placement, report to the Ministry of Admission at Grestin Border Checkpoint. An apartment will be provided for you and your family in East Grestin. Expect a Class-8 dwelling.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 31.8%, Simulation 19.8%, Indie 10.6%, Strategy 8.8%, Difficult 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the feeling of working within a restrictive, bureaucratic system where every small action has significant consequences.

Don’t Starve is an uncompromising wilderness survival game full of science and magic. Enter a strange and unexplored world full of strange creatures, dangers, and surprises. Gather resources to craft items and structures that match your survival style.

Why similar: Crafting 33.6%, Survival 28.2%, Sandbox 9.8%, Difficult 5.6%, Multiplayer 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: A challenging survival game that relies on exploration, crafting, and managing your character's needs to stay alive.

Crash land on a hostile planet where you'll have to build the strongest defenses if you wish to live to escape from it. But be warned... this planet is merciless. Build strong, and smart; else physics may flood or destroy your only hopes of survival.

Why similar: Crafting 32%, Survival 17.3%, Sandbox 12.3%, Strategy 8.3%, Pixel Graphics 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A 2D survival game where you must craft defenses and tools to survive against increasingly difficult waves of enemies.

Project Zomboid is the ultimate in zombie survival. Alone or in MP: you loot, build, craft, fight, farm and fish in a struggle to survive. A hardcore RPG skillset, a vast map, massively customisable sandbox and a cute tutorial raccoon await the unwary. So how will you die? All it takes is a bite..

Why similar: Survival 30.1%, Crafting 24.5%, Sandbox 11.9%, Multiplayer 9.7%, Simulation 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: A hardcore survival game that requires meticulous planning, crafting, and stealth to avoid death in a hostile environment.

Prison Boss VR is a crafting and trading game turning your VR space into a jail cell! Craft cigarettes, alcohol and cookies for other inmates! Customize your cell as your reputation grows! Earn cash until you can’t store it anymore and become the Prison Boss!

Why similar: Crafting 44.1%, Simulation 14.8%, Strategy 13.2%, Sandbox 8.7%, Funny 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: This title brings the prison crafting experience into virtual reality, focusing on the illicit creation of contraband items.

Get a taste of prison life! Become a prison guard and deal with dangerous convicts. Prison management, lots of daily activities. Will you become the best guard in history? Or maybe you'll turn into the worst scumbag this Prison has ever seen?

Why similar: Simulation 25%, Sandbox 23.8%, RPG 17.5%, Funny 15.5%, Singleplayer 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game offers a first-person look at prison life, allowing you to experience the daily routines and interactions from a different angle.

It's 3:00 a.m. Your neighbours are having a loud party. Stop them. Party Hard is tinyBuild's award-winning stealth strategy game about ruining parties by any means.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 40.7%, Strategy 21.6%, Difficult 10%, 2D 5.3%, Indie 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: This game shares the top-down perspective and the need for careful, strategic planning to achieve a goal without getting caught.

Explore, craft, and survive in this Multiplayer RPG Platformer with permanent death! Featuring many Rogue-like elements, Magicite randomly generates each underground dungeon for you and your friends to delve deep into.

Why similar: Crafting 25.5%, Pixel Graphics 19.1%, Difficult 7.9%, Survival 7.8%, Multiplayer 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: A roguelike that focuses on crafting and gathering resources to survive in a procedurally generated world.

Oxygen Not Included is a space-colony simulation game. Deep inside an alien space rock your industrious crew will need to master science, overcome strange new lifeforms, and harness incredible space tech to survive, and possibly, thrive.

Why similar: Survival 32%, Strategy 14.5%, Sandbox 11.8%, Simulation 11.2%, Difficult 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: A complex management sim that requires constant monitoring of resources and crafting to keep your colony alive in a hazardous environment.

You’ve fled your home, only to find yourself lost in space with a damaged ship. Your only option is to beam down to the planet below, repair your ship and set off to explore the universe...

Why similar: Crafting 27.8%, Pixel Graphics 16.7%, Sandbox 14.6%, Survival 13.3%, Multiplayer 6%

Why You'll Like It: This space-faring survival game features deep crafting and exploration mechanics that reward players for their strategic planning.

Build an intricate prison, hire the best staff, and pamper your prisoners to create the perfect rehabilitation facility in Prison Tycoon: Under New Management

Why similar: Strategy 35.6%, Simulation 24.7%, Sandbox 21.9%, Top-Down 12.6%, Singleplayer 5.2%

Why You'll Like It: This management simulation allows you to design and operate your own prison, providing a different perspective on the same theme.

It's 3am and you just want to get some sleep. Welcome back to Party Hard! Stop parties using hundreds of new ways, incidentally destroy a drug syndicate, and save the Earth from an alien invasion. May the chickens be with you!

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 26.3%, Strategy 17.1%, Difficult 11.2%, Simulation 10.1%, Indie 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: It refines the stealth-strategy gameplay of the original, requiring even more precision to complete your objectives undetected.

Dig, fight, explore, build! Nothing is impossible in this action-packed adventure game. Four Pack also available!

Why similar: Crafting 26.6%, Pixel Graphics 17.8%, Survival 13.9%, Sandbox 13.5%, Multiplayer 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: A quintessential 2D crafting and survival game that offers endless possibilities for building and progression.

The recent events in a state prison, involving Jake from Team Hot Guns was a perfect moment for some prisoners to escape - you are one of them.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 36.3%, Action 27.6%, Indie 23.1%, 2D 13%

Why You'll Like It: A retro-styled action platformer that keeps the prison theme while focusing on fast-paced movement and puzzle-solving.

Become the most successful youtuber on the planet! Create videos, get subscribers, attend events, interact with your fans… and grow your channel. Live a youtuber’s life!

Why similar: Simulation 24.1%, Strategy 16.3%, Funny 16.1%, Comedy 13.5%, Singleplayer 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: A life-simulation game that requires managing your time and resources to succeed in a specific career path.

Embark on an epic 2D pirate simulator RPG adventure, where you navigate both land and sea. Upgrade your ship, recruit and level up your crew, and uncover hidden treasures as you become a legendary pirate.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 33%, Sandbox 28.7%, Simulation 17.5%, RPG 9.2%, Action 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: This sandbox game features ship management and crew survival, requiring careful resource allocation and strategic planning.

A free-roaming squad based RPG. Focusing on open-ended sandbox gameplay features rather than a linear story. Be a trader, a thief, a rebel, a warlord, an adventurer, a farmer, a slave, or just food for the cannibals. Train your men up from puny victims to master warriors.

Why similar: Crafting 25%, Survival 21%, Sandbox 18.2%, Strategy 13.6%, RPG 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: A brutal sandbox survival game where you start with nothing and must craft and strategize to survive in a harsh world.

Person of European Heritage #112: Welcome to Relocation Block B, your new home. Your designated role is 'Bouncer'. Work hard, stay out of trouble, and we might let you stay in the UK.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 41.8%, Simulation 26.6%, RPG 9.4%, Difficult 7.7%, 2D 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: Similar to Papers, Please, this game forces you to manage a job under strict rules and time constraints in a dystopian setting.

Too long in this prison, time to get out of here. Pull the carpet and start digging with a teaspoon. Watch out for the guard, sell him the junk you find. Trade toilet paper with the prisoners. Get better items and improve your stats. Expand the tunnel, use glow sticks and dynamite. Will you escape?

Why similar: Simulation 46.2%, Multiplayer 24.5%, Action 10.8%, Singleplayer 10.4%, Adventure 8.2%

Escape prison with your friends by equipping tools, evading guards, and executing your breakout plan. Destructible environments, proximity chat, a multitude of escape routes, 10 player lobbies, and a full custom map editor!

Why similar: Strategy 21.1%, Multiplayer 21%, Funny 20.4%, Co-op 12.8%, Adventure 9.6%

Can you escape with the loot? Play as the Master Thief and steal as much as you can. Burgle houses in order to obtain some sweet, sweet loot but, be careful, do not get caught!.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 24.9%, Difficult 17.6%, Sandbox 12.6%, Simulation 10.4%, Multiplayer 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: A stealth-focused game that requires you to plan your movements carefully to avoid detection, much like avoiding guards in prison.

As one of the last human survivors, you find yourself stranded on an uninhabited island. With a few other victims of the crash, can you craft, mine, and build your way to survival?

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 33.3%, Survival 27.5%, Sandbox 17.5%, 2D 12.1%, RPG 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: A progression-based survival game where you start with basic tools and craft your way to advanced technology.

You are bread. Your mission, become toast! Take on all hazards to deliciousness as you head on an epic adventure in one of the the toughest games ever baked. All of the game modes (including Bagel Race) are now unlocked so there's sure to be something to suit everyone's taste!

Why similar: Difficult 29.1%, Simulation 22.7%, Funny 14.9%, Comedy 9.5%, Singleplayer 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game shares the 'difficult' tag and the need for precise, often frustrating, control to navigate environments.

Play as a Prisoner or a Guard with up to 12 players(or alone) in an online prison game. Loot, Craft, and make your way to the exit, or investigate and arrest wanted players as a guard!

Why similar: Strategy 32.9%, Simulation 21.8%, RPG 13.5%, Multiplayer 13.5%, Co-op 8.7%

Survive the galaxy's toughest prison and rise to the top of a space gang! Explore, fight, craft, trade and learn convicts' stories to escape the facility. Space Prison is a turn-based tactical survival game with deep strategy and social RPG elements.

Why similar: Crafting 34.8%, Strategy 16.7%, Survival 14.3%, Simulation 12.7%, 2D 7.5%

An online game that you'll play with 3-11 players as a Prisoner or a Guard and will try to escape or prevent escapes. Loot, Craft, and make your way to the exit, or investigate and arrest wanted players as a guard!

Why similar: Strategy 33.5%, Multiplayer 24.1%, Simulation 15%, RPG 12.1%, Co-op 10.9%

Stranded on a desert island, explore, craft, build and fight in this action survival game!

Why similar: Crafting 31.9%, Pixel Graphics 22.5%, Survival 17.2%, Sandbox 8.3%, RPG 4.7%

Choose one of the characters and start your journey. The game has many interesting things in store: building, crafting, puzzles, bosses, mystery, laughs, quests etc.

Why similar: Crafting 25.2%, Pixel Graphics 19.3%, Survival 13.8%, Multiplayer 7.4%, Sandbox 7.2%

Dive into The Prison, a modern reimagining of the classic late 90's game. Experience a vividly detailed prison world and strategic multiplayer gameplay. Customize your inmate, follow a gripping storyline, and discover new items and secrets. Will you escape or rule from within?

Why similar: Strategy 42.4%, RPG 24.7%, Action 19.5%, Multiplayer 8%, Indie 5.3%

Back to the Dawn is a story-rich RPG set in a high-security prison ruled by factions and buried secrets. Investigate two conspiracies from the inside, gather evidence, and outsmart a system designed to silence you. Make friends (or foes) with fellow inmates and with their help, break out of prison.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 46.9%, RPG 14.3%, Strategy 12%, Simulation 9.6%, Singleplayer 5.5%

Use the glitch you have discovered to break out of jail!

Why similar: Simulation 43.1%, Action 19.1%, Adventure 15.8%, Comedy 10.2%, Singleplayer 6.1%

Goat Simulator is the latest in high-tech Goat Simulation technology.

Why similar: Simulation 34.5%, Sandbox 19.1%, Funny 18.2%, Comedy 12.4%, Indie 4.9%

An online game in which prisoners (2-10) sentenced to death try to win their freedom and the grand prize by eliminating others.

Why similar: Survival 33.8%, Strategy 29.4%, Funny 14.1%, Multiplayer 8.8%, Action 7.1%

Take back your identity in Muffles’ Life Sentence- a darkly quirky RPG set in a prison where inmates are remade to match their crimes.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 37.2%, Funny 13.2%, 2D 12.3%, RPG 11.6%, Indie 7.6%

Prepare to inhabit a world of chivalry, class warfare and off-beat pop references. Knights of Pen & Paper 2 is a turn-based, retro style, pixel-art adventure full of danger, intrigue, death, and saving throws!

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 28.9%, Strategy 21.8%, RPG 16.2%, Simulation 9.5%, Adventure 5.8%

Wanna find out what a prison riot looks like? Check a free stand-alone prologue for Prison Simulator. A story that is not available in the full game! Be warned: Police baton might not be enough to bring order to the prison halls.

Why similar: Sandbox 26.1%, Simulation 23.9%, Funny 17.4%, Action 11.5%, Singleplayer 11.3%

The post-apocalyptic dark comedy is back - remastered and even more radioactive than before! Scavenge supplies, rescue your family, and stay alive in your fallout shelter. Make difficult decisions, hunt mutant roaches... and maybe survive. Or not.

Why similar: Difficult 27.9%, Strategy 24.5%, Survival 22.8%, 2D 13.5%, Funny 11.2%

Train hard, fight crocodiles and find love. Earn your place in the Punch Club ranks, and discover who brutally murdered your father, in this choose your own adventure boxing management tycoon.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 41.1%, Simulation 18.8%, 2D 12.1%, Funny 11.8%, RPG 10.3%

Fat Prisoner Simulator 2 is a fighting simulator with realistic physics where you are going to play the role of a prisoner during a jailhouse riot. All you can see around is crazy prisoners attacking everybody there.

Why similar: Simulation 27.3%, Sandbox 13.6%, Funny 13.6%, Action 10.9%, Indie 10.7%

Fat Prisoner Simulator - a soccer simulator where you play the role of a prisoner. The jail managers have noticed that some prisoners, who really like to eat a lot, can hardly go through the doors, including those of their cells. So they decided to arrange a soccer game between them.

Why similar: Simulation 28.8%, Funny 18.4%, Sandbox 15.7%, Comedy 10.5%, Indie 10.3%

The Count of Monte Clicker is an incremental game about breaking out of prison and finding treasure. With the help of fellow prisoner Abbe Faria, you, Edmond Dantes must escape the notorious Chateau d'Idle and claim your destiny.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 30.3%, Strategy 28.2%, 2D 12.5%, Top-Down 11.9%, Comedy 7.5%

The highly popular and quirky "idle game that you want to actively keep playing". Explore, craft, gather & manage resources, find secrets and build your base out of nothing! Buy land to explore and expand!

Why similar: Crafting 33.8%, Pixel Graphics 22.1%, Survival 15.6%, Sandbox 7.3%, 2D 4.7%

The toughest prison sim in the yard has been locked back up to serve another sentence in 2D!

Why similar: Simulation 40.9%, RPG 17.7%, Action 15.6%, Indie 13.6%, Adventure 12.2%

Imagine that you are in prison. Not everyone can escape from the hands of justice, you need to have an IQ above average. Blow up, destroy, hide, kill, evolve - all this can be done in the game Outside the Grid. But do not forget about Kerbalai, help him finally find peace!

Why similar: Simulation 26.7%, Multiplayer 26%, Co-op 19.1%, Comedy 10.3%, Indie 9.8%

A punishing, one-button platformer about escaping prison. Test your skills and intellect as you ascend a tower of hand-crafted challenges. Jump, fly, slide up walls, float in bubbles and perform somersaults; all with the press of a single button. Reach the paramount. Reach.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 51%, Puzzle 14.3%, 2D 12.7%, Adventure 8%, Singleplayer 7.6%

Join exciting adventure of escaping from cops. Be tricky and use your skills to complete your missions in green town. If you’re successful, you can enjoy well-deserved vacation at the seaside.

Why similar: Strategy 41.9%, Simulation 29.7%, Indie 10.4%, Adventure 9.8%, Puzzle 4.8%

In Game Dev Tycoon you replay the history of the gaming industry by starting your own video game development company in the 80s. Create best selling games. Research new technologies and invent new game types. Become the leader of the market and gain worldwide fans.

Why similar: Simulation 38.9%, Strategy 26.2%, Indie 8.5%, 2D 6.3%, Singleplayer 5.9%

A crabby twist on the sokoban (box-pushing) genre, where you use deaths to create shells and solve puzzles.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 29.4%, Difficult 15.4%, Strategy 12.8%, Puzzle 10.7%, Funny 8.6%

Basement is a strategy game, where you start doing illegal business to fund the development of your dream video game. It won't be easy, so get ready to deal with other gangs, cops, crazy junkies, mysterious investor and even ghosts from the past.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 21%, Strategy 19.6%, Difficult 19%, Simulation 13.4%, Sandbox 11.8%

Who's Your Daddy is a casual multiplayer game featuring a clueless father attempting to prevent his infant son from certain death. Play with up to 7 of your friends, and test your parenting skills in a competitive setup with wacky physics and over 67 potentially ominous household items.

Why similar: Funny 16.7%, Multiplayer 14.4%, Strategy 13.3%, Simulation 11.3%, Difficult 9.6%

Fight, sneak, and hack your way through randomly generated cities. It's like Nuclear Throne meets Deus Ex, mixed with the anarchy of GTA. Rogue-lite meets immersive sim, and goes completely insane.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 36.5%, Multiplayer 13.2%, RPG 9.6%, Co-op 7.7%, Funny 6.9%