Escape from Ever After Review – Once Upon a Time

Escape from Ever After is a funny RPG inspired by the iconic Paper Mario, poking fun at fantasy cliches and office culture. In our review, we’ll tell you whether this witty game is worth playing.

• Developer: Sleepy Castle Studio, Wing-It! Creative
• Publisher: HypeTrain Digital
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
• Release date: January 23 , 2026

Escape from Ever After introduces Flint, a brave hero who repeatedly attacks the dragon Tinder’s castle to finally defeat her. Each time, he falls just short of achieving his goal, but Flint refuses to give up.

And so, one day, having reached Tinder Castle once again, the protagonist encounters not the usual monsters and traps, but a friendly girl at the reception, which has turned the fortress’s hallway, spacious offices with computers and perpetually busy workers, as well as the boss of this establishment – Mr. Moon, who explains to Flint that Tinder Castle now belongs to the corporation, and she herself, so to speak, has been removed from her position.

After a brief skirmish, our hero finds himself in a dungeon , where he finds a dragon languishing in a cage. The characters decide to team up and take revenge on the corporation, but after assessing their strength, they devise a plan more cunning than a frontal assault, which they clearly lack the strength for – they will infiltrate the company and attempt to destroy the business empire from within.

So, very soon, Flint and Tinder make peace with Mr. Moon, get a small office, and begin implementing their idea. As the heroes climb the corporate ladder, they meet colleagues who also belong to the fairytale world and learn many unpleasant things about the corporation and its true goals.

Escape from Ever After skillfully satirizes fantasy cliches. Fairytale universes blend surprisingly seamlessly with reality, and the jokes, though rather weak, hit home. The game pokes fun at sworn enemies forced to team up, at office culture where even an attempt to organize a colleague’s birthday party can turn into a grand quest , and at the introduction of a soulless corporate system into a magical world. Furthermore, the developers don’t forget the central characters, who grow and develop throughout the story campaign.

But the game’s appeal extends beyond its story. Gameplay-wise, it’s a Paper Mario-style adventure, where 2D characters navigate a pseudo-3D space. You explore locations by solving simple puzzles that require you to use your squad members’ abilities and jumping across platforms. When you encounter enemies, the action shifts to a separate combat level where the heroes engage in turn-based combat.

The combat is simple, but not boring. Each character has a unique set of attacks: for example, Flint throws his shield, while Tinder breathes fire on her opponents. Opponents can also damage the hero who approaches them for a strike or defend themselves with shields, so it’s important to timely swap team members and choose the right attack types to stun and neutralize monsters.

Additionally, a lot of the game is based on reactions. For example, if you press a button when Flint’s shield returns to him, you can launch it at the enemy again. And if you do the same just before an enemy attack, you can block it and avoid damage. Furthermore, the game features synergies, which allow for more powerful and effective teamwork moves.

While enemy animations are generally easy to read, sometimes there can be difficulty reacting to attacks. The large number of battles makes Escape from Ever After’s gameplay rather drawn-out and repetitive. The game does have a legal cheat, enabling auto-block and perfect execution of moves, but this makes the gameplay too casual .

There are other questionable aspects, too. The game’s pacing sometimes gets off track, and after a captivating adventure, you’ll waste time on boring fetch-and-get quests. The controls are intuitive, but platforming can be problematic, as it’s not always clear whether the character will be able to reach a platform.

Despite this, Escape from Ever After is still likely to be a hit. The game boasts charming visuals and a pleasant soundtrack , delights with a variety of locations referencing famous fairy tales, and amuses with its sparkling humor. Ultimately, it’s a good cartoon-themed RPG adventure that’s a lot of fun.