#1 The Escapists (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
First take a nice long gym sock. What you want to do is stuff Minecraft, Prison Architect, and a VHS copy of The Shawshank Redemption in there and give it a couple test swings. Yeah, that’s good. What you’ve got now is The Escapists.
It is, unsurprisingly, a game about escaping from prison. But instead of just tackling this problem right away, you have to spend time actually being in prison first. You learn the routines, who might have possessions that prove valuable, guards’ habits. You coordinate with your fellow escapees.
It’s a puzzle game, but in an open sandbox that gives you tons of freedom to experiment and create your own solutions. Learning the game takes some time, but once you do, it’s a rewarding experience every time. And the game’s got plenty of replay value, since you can find multiple ways to escape from each of its nine prisons.
