Find the key, open the padlock and climb the rope out of each dark floor while the undead hunt you.
Escape the Catacombs takes place in a maze of tunnels beneath an old city, shown from an isometric angle. Your character tumbles through a manhole and has to work back up to the surface, one floor at a time. Each floor hides a golden key and a padlock, and you need both before a rope will drop to let you climb higher.
Only a small circle of light surrounds you, and the undead roam everywhere else. Its original js13k 2022 title was Escape from Death Hole.
How a floor works
Hit Enter at the title to drop into chamber one. A floor number at the top of the screen begins at 0 and rises as you climb.
Search the dark until you find the key, then walk over it. Next, track down the padlock and touch it while carrying the key. The lock opens and a rope falls onto the exit tile. Step under it and the climb up happens automatically.
The key and padlock stay in the same spots each time you play a floor. Diamonds, however, land in new places, and the escape screen counts every one you collected.
Staying alive
The undead come in waves, and a banner warns you when a new one begins. Each bite shrinks your red health bar. Pink hearts lying around restore it, but only when you are already hurt, so it is smart to leave them until you need them.
Swords change everything. Empty-handed, Space only gives you a hop. Holding a blade, the same key swings it, and one clean hit can finish an attacker. Blades wear down, though. Each swing makes the sword shorter, and it breaks after 20 swings. If you run into another person carrying a sword, it gets knocked loose and you can grab it.
Deeper floors bring more undead, including tough giants and faster attackers.
Helpful pickups
- Swords, as early as you can find them.
- Night-vision goggles, from floor 3 on, which widen your light for about a minute.
- A compass, found on the same deeper floors, which points toward nearby undead.
- Hearts, best saved on the floor until your health is low.
- Diamonds, which open nothing but count on the final screen.
Who it suits
Escape the Catacombs suits players who like tense exploration more than fast action. The goal on every floor is always clear, and a speedrun timer runs through the whole escape for anyone who wants to chase a faster time.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse |
|---|---|---|
| Move | Arrow keys or W A S D | — |
| Jump, or swing a sword you are carrying | Space | Click |
| Start the game or retry after being caught | Enter | — |
Escape the Catacombs FAQ
Can I play Escape the Catacombs on a Chromebook?
Yes, if it has a keyboard. You move with the arrow keys or W A S D, and Space or a click jumps or swings a sword. Phones and tablets will not work, since the game has no touch controls.
Is this a one-player game?
Yes. You control a single character from start to finish. Other trapped people wander the tunnels, but the game moves them, not a second player. They can be bitten and turned just like you.
How do I win?
Climb out of the floor marked 9 to reach the surface. You then see a summary of your full time, your diamond count, the number of people who made it and the undead you put down.
What happens if the undead get me?
Each bite drains your red health bar. When it hits empty, you become one of them. Press Enter to start that same floor again with a new character, so you do not have to go back to the beginning.
