ESCAPE FROM HELL
General Comments
ESCAPE FROM HELL is an adventure role-playing game of a different color.
Instead of trying to hook up with the good guys, everyone you meet is _bad_!
After all, you _are_ in _HELL_! But seriously, ESCAPE FROM HELL doesn't have
super fantastic graphics or a really great interface, but it does have a
novel and interesting plot and lots of non-player characters to talk to and
interact with, but a disappointing endgame. The puzzles can, for the most
part, be solved using several different solutions. The game is fairly non-
linear, but each of the three levels of hell become increasing difficult, so
fighting skills and weapons must increase as you progress further into the
game. The graphics used in the game are tile graphics, with full portraits
and animation during combat and npc-interactions. Hercules, CGA, EGA
(512KB), TGA, and MCGA (640KB) graphics modes are supported, and all input
is from the keyboard (no mouse or joystick support). Copy protection is off-
disk (documentation) and consists of matching color bad-guy portraits with
black and white ones in the manual. This may present some difficulty to
players with CGA and Hercules displays.
One thing the player should be aware of is that the game maps are updated
whenever a new location is entered. So even if you get a really neat item
from a chest, save and exit the game, then come back another time, that
chest will be empty. There is a way around this, and it will be mentioned
later. This also goes for combat. _Don't_ save your game and exit just after
a big fight, because the monsters will be there when you return. Build up
your hit points and wait to save until you are in a _safe_ place.
The game manual has a very handy list of weapons with the damage that they
do, as well as a list of available armor. The manual also has a handy map of
the first level of hell. Fortunately, the second and third levels are fairly
simple, so mapping is probably not required. Inventory management may
present some problems as you are limited to 10 items per character,
including weapons and armor. There are never more than 3 people in your
party (30 items). Always give Richard (yourself) the best weapons and armor.
Don't use up any good weapons (Dark Pistols, Dark Rifles, SMGs) because
there is a location on level 2 where these weapons can be exchanged for new
ones. Generally, don't fight friendly characters unless you can't avoid it:
They are usually the toughest ones to beat. Golden tridents are scattered
about the landscape of Hell. Touching these tridents changes the time frame
of the game so that different monsters are more prevalent and certain
weapons won't work (ie. Uzi and MAC 10 SMGs won't work before they are
invented), but Dark Rifles and Pistols work no matter what time frame you
are in.
For "DOS-heads" _ONLY_!!!: If you want to continue to pillage chests, do the
following: Make a copy of your original map disk (for those playing from
floppies). Copy map files _ONLY_ into the Maps subdirectory of the Escape
directory (for those playing from a hard disk). It is a good idea to make
backups of the savegame, npcs, and history files to go back to a previous
location. This can be done with the copy command (eg. copy savegame
savegame.bak). The savegame file stores your location in the game. The
history and npcs files keeps a record of your (Richard's) abilities and
inventory and your party members', respectively.
Level 1: Building a party, City on the Edge of Eternity, Limbo, Training
Camp, Recruiting Cave, Lucifer's Landing
You begin the game in a small area just outside the entrance to City on the
Edge of Eternity (center). Limbo, the city of Virtuous Pagans, is located at
the bottom of the map in the middle. The Hell Guard Training Camp is located
in the upper middle of Level 1. The Recruiting Cave is on the upper east
side of the map, and Lucifer's Landing is in the lower east side of Level 1.
To begin, get the items in the chest (save the Holy Cross; you will need
this item two times in the game! The handset, however, is usless), and head
into the city. At this point, you will not be able to get past the skeleton
guard, so talk to the damned souls outside the city, then enter the city. A
party must be built before you can do much else, so add Khan to your party
in the Court Waiting Room, but stay away from the receptionist. Stalin can
be found in the Capitalists for a Free Hell building. Now exit the city
(don't worry, we'll be back before too long), kill the skeleton, and head
toward the place marked by the tombstone on your map. Talk to Horatio and
pick up a skull. Head almost due south and find Hamlet. Take everything from
Stalin. Talk to Hamlet, then _while facing him_, give him the skull. This
jogs his memory, and he will ask to join (replace Stalin). Now take
everything from Khan and give to Hamlet. Return to Horatio, and seeing
Hamlet, Horatio wants to join (replace Khan). Your party for the bulk of the
game now consists of Richard, Hamlet, and Horatio. Other combinations of
characters will work, but other NPCs seem to leave at inopportune times
(taking their entire inventory with them!), and Hamlet and Horatio have
well-developed dueling skills.
Throughout this walkthru, I will tell you when other npcs will join. I
played the game with Hamlet and Horatio, which I eventually substituted for
Alan and Guderian. This is for your information only, so that you may try
the game with other party members. It is a good idea to have Richard carry
any irreplaceable items.
Now, to really get started, head back into the City on the Edge of Eternity
to pick up a few things. First, get mirror shades from Melrose Amber in the
firepit; equip them to get some protection from psychic attacks. Head on
over to the Court waiting room, and in the upper left corner behind the door
you should pick up a garbage can lid for everyone. Trade your matches for a
pistol to the guy who died smoking in bed. Talk to the Lawyers in the
building next to the Courtroom for some vital information to help you in
your quest. Exit the city and head over to Limbo.
Save the game before entering the city of Limbo. When you enter Limbo, the
guards may fight you. If you lose the fight, you can restore the game. Pick
up a 'Tudes tape. Go to the Library and get archery skill from Thucidides.
If you can find Marc Anthony wandering around, he will teach melee weapon
skill. Head over to the dorms and get a shovel from the northern dorm (man
on toilet), and a wrist rocket (under the bed) and pistol (under the toilet)
from the southern dorm. Don't give the pistol plans to B. Arnold. Exit the
city and head over to the Recruiting Cave.
In the Cave, walk up to the desk Sergeant, talk to him, and when you sign up
as a Hell Guard you get a Hell Badge. Having a Hell badge equipped will
allow you to touch healing statues scattered about and get hit points back.
Without an equipped badge, touching these statues will make you lose points.
If you try to walk by the Sergeant, the others will attack. Leave the Cave
for now (don't worry, we'll be back before too long!) and head over to the
Training Camp.
Save the game and enter the Camp. Ideally, you should have a Hell Badge to
keep the guards from attacking you. Go straight up to the Sergeant and get
rifle skill. Enter the training area and touch the leftmost trident. The
scenery changes, and you should practice your lockpicking skill. Now touch
the topmost trident and the scenery changes again, this time into a
graveyard. Make sure you have at least five inventory slots open before you
do the following. Use the shovel on the third grave from the right in the
second row form the bottom (under the rightmost trident) and you will find
some good armor and weapons. The rightmost trident will change the camp into
Dachau, and the bottom trident will restore it to "normal." There are eight
chests in each of the northeast and northwest corners of the Training Camp.
You may find a Hell Badge here, too. You are done here, so exit the Camp
(you may have to fight) and head over to the northeast corner of level 1 and
talk to the skydiver. Save before you talk, and ready your long-range
weapons so that you can fight the warriors and archers nearby. Trade the
'Tudes tape for a parachute and parachute skill. Return to the Recruiting
Cave.
Save the game before you enter; your toughest fight yet is coming up. As you
try to walk by the Sergeant, the others will attack. Wipe out the bad guys,
and build up your hits again before proceeding (DON'T SAVE). Take the
corridor to the south and fight the loggers. These guys are mean, and their
chainsaws wiped me out four or five times before I got them first. Check out
the cabinets and find a book which will improve your pistol skill. Build up
your hits again, and go up and around to the south. Use your lockpick skill
and open the locked door. After another tough fight, open the chests (make
sure you have one slot open for each chest). The item you really want is in
the bottom center chest -- a Demonic Shield -- which will allow you to enter
Lucifer's Landing.
Lucifer's Landing is a strange place. Messages are spelled out in the tiles:
"Satan Rules" and "#666." It is okay to save inside. Chests abound, but you
must fight to get at them. If you go north, you can talk to Flicka, a
friendly Hell Captain, who will teach you SMG skill and give you a "care
bracelet." You can get a clue to the location of "Flicka's Flame" (16N, 5W
from Moriarty); you will need some kind of boat to get there, however (this
is probably a red herring). You will find a lot of junk, so toss out
anything worthless. The southern portion of the Landing has better items, and
tougher fights. Don't step in the southern crater unless you are ready to go
to level 2, and save before you jump.
Level 2: Gangster's Guillotine, Los Diablos, Prison of the Damned, Satan's
Halo, Capone's City, Return to Level 1.
The locations in level 2 are: Gangster's Guillotine, center (just north of
where you dropped in); Los Diablos, middle east; Prison of the Damned,
southeast corner; Satan's Halo, northeast corner; and Capone's City is in
the southwest corner.
You land in the middle of a bunch of monsters. They aren't too tough: You
can beat them with hand weapons, so don't waste your good stuff. And
speaking of monsters.... Roaming Bugs or the like are about on level 2. They
are very tough, but fortunately travel singly or in small groups. Take them
out as soon as possible because they use Rocket Launchers and do heavy
damage. After this long fight, go north to Gangster's Guillotine. WATCH OUT
FOR THE QUICKSAND two tiles south of Gangster's Guillotine (the northernmost
green tile, directly SW of the signpost). Enter the city and go to the Bank
of Avernus. Make sure you have three inventory slots open, and get three
gallons of blood from Bonnie and Clyde. Alan is also here, but is under the
mind control of Capone. Ed the Electrician is here (no relation to me), and
will teach you Electrical skill. After we do in that Arch Devil, Capone,
we'll come back and pick up Alan. After you get the blood, head over to Los
Diablos.
When you enter Los Diablos (The Devils) don't step on the pentagram (the
star) unless you want to go to the Prison. The Bank of Undead is to the
left, Satan's Speakeasy is north of the Bank, Satan's Sauna is to the right,
and Al's Automatic Answers straight up. Al's is the place where you can get
weapons recharged. From left to right, they are 1) Pistol, 2) Rifle, 3)
Assault Rifle, 4) Dark Rifle, 5) Uzi, 6) MAC 10. Simply face the appropriate
table and ive the item. A new one will be returned in the first empty
slot of the party. For every gallon of blood you give Count Dracula in the
Bank, he will give you a bulletproof suit. In the south graveyard, Wyatt
Earp will teach you Rifle skill. In the north graveyard, Wild Bill will join
the party and is well-equipped. Don't take a drink in Satan's Speakeasy- you
will lose hits. Finally, visit Satan's Sauna and grab a copy of Rolling Bone
Magazine (The hottest mag in Hell!- fun, but not neccessary) and a Petrify
Rod (a handy-dandy weapon) which is holding the toilet paper near the toilet
(where else?). Now it's time to visit the Prison, so recharge all your
weapons and step on the pentagram outside.
In the prison are lots of Hell militia. The Hell Lieutenants and Captains
carry some heavy firepower, so use the same on them. There are also police
in the north of the city. SMGs are required to kill them. If you have a
sledgehammer, se it on the aquarium in "Abe's Tanks" to free the man who
will give you an Asbestos Suit and Bluffing skill. If you don't have a
sledgehammer, I found mine after some of the other prisoners attacked me.
Sparticus is a prisoner here and will join the party. Give Harry a Dark
Rifle and he will raise your picklock skill to 20. A Reload Shotgun can be
found in the building to the left. In the building to the right, Abdul will
teach you Explosives skill, you can get bombs from the terrorist here, there
is a Dark Rifle in the bookcase and a Dark Pistol in the toilet.
You can head over to Capone's City and take out the Bad Guy if your defense
is around 15. I hope you still have your Holy Cross from the beginning of
the game- now you will need it. As you near Capone's City from the north,
there is a group of Evangelists who can freeze you with guilt. Take them out
quickly because frozen is a good as dead. Equip your Dark Rifles and Pistols;
in Capone's City, SMGs will not work. After you are in the city and find
Capone, alk to him. Capone will be friendly at first, but not after you
attack. Capone can wipe out your party in one round, so get him first. Save
the game before proceeding. Now, ttack this group of monsters. Let the
party member who hits first se the Holy Cross on Capone, and let the
second fastest party member se the Petrify Rod on Dillinger. The Holy
Cross seems to work every time, but the Petrify Rod does not. The last party
member should attack the other Killers. After Capone and Dillinger are
finished off (they have Tommy Guns and can do serious damage), take out the
rest of the monsters. This entire encounter can be deadly; success will
require a great deal of luck. If you are successful, smash the mind control
device (although the game says that a heavy object is required, it isn't),
and open the vault. Be sure you have three open inventory slots before
opening the vault, and one for each chest. The bedroom has several Dark
Rifles and Pistols. The Fallen Angel Cafe has a table in the back (the one
with lines) that will restore all hit points. Capone's City also has
transporters to levels 1 and 3.
Satan's Halo is an interesting place. I should mention here that if you have
Kahn in your party, he will leave you before you enter the city. Behind the
guarded door, Billy Bob, an Arch-Devil in training, will join your party for
a pair of shades. Items are hidden in nooks and crannies of this city, so
explore everywhere. Phu-do's has some good SMG weapons, but if you have Ah-
chu in your party, he will leave you here. Over in Club Moranda, a Blonde
will join your party, but you will be attacked upon leaving.
Return to Gangster's Guillotine and talk to Julius Caesar. He will give you
a database program to take back to level 1. There are also some other
weapons in here that you should pick up. Go over to Bonnie at the Bank and
she will give you an Uzi. I recommend that you add Alan to your party now so
that he can gain some experience before going to level 3. Alan is fast, and
if you give him an SMG (don't use it up!), he will get lots of experience
quickly. Wander around on level 2 until Alan's hit points are about 150,
recharging your weapons as needed in Los Diablos. When you are ready to
return to level 1, get new bulletproof suits via the bank as described
above. Return to Capone's City and take the transporter to level 1.
You will land in Lucifer's Landing, and you see that it is destroyed. The
only monsters left are undead types, and there are no chests. If you go back
to the north end where you met Flicka previously, you can pick up a "care
bracelet" and read the message: "Dust of Fantasy + Flicka's Flame = Healing
Force." Exit Lucifer's Landing and make your way back to the City on the
Edge of Eternity. Get a Laptop Computer from the Office of Redundancy. Enter
the Courtroom (again, avoid the receptionist!) and give the database to the
woman at the north desk. She will be dutifully grateful and tell you the DTI
number to get to level 3 [(666) 555 - HELL)]. She will also tell you to see
her sister to get a consultant's badge and a Superior's Cloak (you can do
this more than once, but you only need one Consultant's Badge). While you
are in the Courtroom, give the "care bracelet" to Juliet. A divine voice
then tells you that you now have Angelic Power to escape from Hell. But
wait! We need to get Allison from level 3 first! You can use the DTI phone
in the Courtroom to go directly to level 3. Alternatively, you can return to
level 2 via Lucifer's Landing. If you don't have a Demonic Shield, you
should get one in the Recruiting Cave or from a Hell Guard wandering about
before going to level 3.
Level 3: Dachau, Dismal Land, Death Alley, Satan's Fortress (Endgame)
If you used the DTI phone in the Courtroom, you enter level 3 near a phone
booth. I hope you didn't forget anything, because you can't easily get back
to level 1 or 2 from level 3. If you do need to return to level 2 or 3,
unequip all armor and weapons to avoid wasting ammo and damage to armor, and
let some handy monsters kill the whole party, and restart the game from the
beginning. You are returned to your starting point, but with experience and
items intact (and opened chests still empty).
Dachau is in the southwest corner (directly west of where you dropped in),
Dismal Land is in the east, Death Alley in the northwest corner, and Satan's
Fortress somewhere in the north slightly northeast of Death Alley (this will
become clear later).
Dachau should be your first stop. Talk to Guderian, then free him with your
lockpick skill. Talk to everyone in Dachau -- unless attacked, they are
friendly, and may teach you some skills. Model will teach Rifle skill, and
Rommel will teach Rocket Launcher. Talk to the Charon, the Arch Devil who is
chained up to learn of Hitler's plans. In the command post, Himmler will
give you access to the storeroom. Hitler will join if given a copy of Mein
Kampf, found in the bookcase. Although Hitler has some good items, _don't_
let him join; he hates Guderian and is flaky to boot. The supply depot has
some good weapons and armor, so clean it out if you have inventory slots
available. Save your game before exiting Dachau.
Head up to Dismal Land where you should get the Phreaker Box from Scrooge.
Blackbeard is willing to join your party, as is Dr. Jekyll (for a Dark
Pistol). Jekyll is no good -- if he is in your party, the stars will drain you
of skills, so don't let him join. However, you will need to give Eric the
Viking a Dark Pistol to learn swimming. Here, you will also learn that
Allison is being held in a cave to the northeast. This is a _TRAP_!! Allison
is _NOT_ there! If you enter, you must fight your way back out, wasting
ammunition (good for exp points, though). You may now exit Dismal Land and
head over to Death Alley.
By far, Death Alley holds the toughest fights in the game. Fortunately,
there is a healing statue halfway across the river of fire: _USE IT_! At the
end of the bridge are a phone booth and two chests. One of the chests holds
Superior's Cloaks which can be obtained repeatedly for each party member.
Bump into the phone booth, and if you have both the Phreaker Box and Laptop
Computer, you will phone yourself into Satan's Fortress.
As I said previously, Satan's Fortress is found somewhere in the north of
level 3 surrounded by rivers of fire. You may be able to enter it with some
item like an Asbestos Suit without benefit of the Laptop Computer and
Phreaker Box. If you enter by way of the phone lines, you begin in the
center of the fortress. There are many, many weapons in cabinets to the
north, along with some tough fights. The exit to level 3 is to the
southwest. All the important stuff is to the east. The Consultant's Room is
the small gray room and is entered by sing the Consultant's Badge. When
you walk over to the desk, you get a message about needing a microprocessor.
_Not True_! Another red herring from Richard and Alan! Allison is in the
room to the west, but before we let her join, let's knock off Ol' Lucifer
first! Continue southward until you see the Bad Ol' Boy himself. se the
last charge on the Holy Cross and He vanishes in a puff of smoke: How
anticlimactic! Go back and get Allison (replace Guderian-thanks, big guy!).
Follow the corridor around through and past Satan's office, and eventually
you will see a red portal. Bump into that and the game's over. That's right,
that's it. No modestly animated sequence, no congratulations, no boot out
into DOS. I had to reboot to get out. The mediocre ending left a bad taste
in my mouth, but I'm sure Richard Seaborne's next effort will be better. You
may want to try PROPHECY (1989) -- Alan Murphy participated on the artwork,
which has a more arcade-like feel, and is also easy.
ESCAPE FROM HELL is published and distributed by Electronic Arts.
This walkthru is copyright (c) 1991 by Ed "Buzzard" Reedy. With assistance
from Dave Konkel and Patricia Raymond. All rights reserved.
