9 Iconic Video Game Prison Breaks

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Everyone enjoys an exciting escape from prison, whether it’s the main plot device in a story or a minor detail. It doesn’t mean you have to support criminals to appreciate the thrill of stealthily navigating through a closely watched, confined space, often leading to a fight or gunfight.

In the films “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Great Escape,” they were both fantastic; and without a doubt, they’re also captivating in video games.

Breaking out of prisons in video games can occur in various forms. One frequent type is stealth missions, as it’s highly likely that an inmate wouldn’t be armed. Another form is massive prison uprisings, where the prisoner must rely solely on their physical strength to escape.

Additionally, it could be that your character is involved in a jailbreak situation, where they must apprehend the fleeing inmates. No matter what scenario unfolds, jailbreaks are always thrilling, and these ones in particular stand out among gaming experiences.

9.
Escape From The Royal Dungeon

Chrono Trigger

In the hands of the creators who brought us Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, you’d think Crono would be awarded some kind of honor for saving Marle at the start of Chrono Trigger. However, instead of a medal, he encounters a sham trial, a death sentence, and imprisonment. That seems to be how life works sometimes.

The unexpectedly amusing aspect of this specific prison escape lies in the fact that, despite being confined to a cell, you still possess all your equipment and belongings, such as your sword.

In medieval fantasy land, I’m unsure about prison protocols, but it seems reasonable that dangerous items should be removed from prisoners for safety reasons. However, since the one who sentenced Crono was actually Yakra disguised as the Chancellor, maybe that’s why the entire process appeared disorganized and rushed.

Leaving aside any administrative errors, it builds to a thrilling jailbreak, reaching its peak with a confrontation between Crono’s group and Yakra, who has just built his Dragon Tank. This is followed by their daring escape into the future.

8.
Escape From Coldridge Prison

Dishonored

In the game Dishonored, our protagonist Corvo Attano is falsely accused and imprisoned for six months in the grim Coldridge Prison, under suspicion for a grave crime – the assassination of the Empress. Though we as players know he’s innocent, since we controlled his actions during the event, this truth does little to sway the justice system.

Breaking out of prison offers an exciting beginning for the game Dishonored, as it emphasizes elements like stealth, deception, and when required, elimination.

After escaping his cell, Corvo remains vastly outmatched by corrupt guards due to overwhelming numbers and firepower. Consequently, a stealth-based tutorial is necessary for him to navigate this situation successfully. Additionally, the prison serves as an intriguing miniature representation of various environments you’ll encounter throughout the game, offering glimpses into open areas, narrow corridors, and more, thus providing a small taste of what lies ahead in the overall adventure.

Additionally, there’s something incredibly gratifying about leaving a confinement unnoticed and without causing a commotion. While a riot or tunnel dug with a spoon may hold their own appeal, there’s also something captivating about maintaining a low profile in such situations.

7.
Escape From Special Detention

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

In many prison break games, you play as an inmate planning an escape, though there’s often someone masterminding the plan offstage who provides guidance but isn’t directly involved in the exciting action. Ghost Trick offers a unique twist by letting you control the organizer from beyond the grave.

In the past, Sissel prevented Detective Jowd’s execution. Now, back in the present, they find themselves in a Special Detention prison with no electricity due to an electric chair explosion. With the intention of escaping together, Jowd and Sissel plan their breakout. However, they soon realize that every corner of the prison is swarming with guards wearing night-vision goggles.

In contrast to previous instances where we’ve had to cheat death and outsmart ghosts, this part is significantly more intense and intricate. It’s no longer just a matter of executing the right moves at the perfect moments; it’s about constantly readying Jowd to sprint to each concealed location.

Experiencing quite a challenge, I must confess it gave me some difficulties, yet the triumph at the end brought an immense sense of fulfillment, despite Inspector Cabanela’s swift discovery.

Or, in a more colloquial style:

Man, that part was tough and I struggled with it for sure, but when I finally nailed it, it felt amazing, even though Inspector Cabanela caught me right away.

6.
Escape From A Colorado Prison

A Way Out

Among various escape-from-prison narratives in video games that come to mind, none quite matches the classic feel of A Way Out as vividly as a long-running series like Prison Break. If you’ve ever been captivated by such prison break stories on screen, this game will strike a familiar chord, conceptually speaking.

In “A Way Out,” the popular scenes follow a classic pattern: You see two inmates forming an alliance due to necessity, planning an escape together. They quietly collect data and resources, while also discreetly arranging their final means of exit.

The major spectacle unfolds by means of both clever problem-solving and the intense physical prowess driven by adrenaline, as we craft a makeshift rope from bundled bedsheets and ascend staggering elevations using merely our own strength.

A Way Out stands apart from many contemporary media in that escaping from prison is just the beginning of the game. It showcases how a shared experience like this fosters camaraderie and teamwork abilities, which are crucial for the development of the story as characters Vincent and Leo journey across the country.

5.
Escape From The Forsaken Fortress

The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker

On different occasions throughout the Legend of Zelda series, Link has ended up imprisoned. Typically, this is just a brief mention because with his sword and strength, escaping prison is usually not much of a challenge. However, an exception to this was in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, where he faced a more challenging confinement.

After tracking down his kidnapped sibling to the Deserted Fortress and being hurled inside by Tetra, Link ends up in dangerous territory without his sword and armor. Essentially, he forced his way into a fortified prison, but soon found himself needing to escape from it as quickly as possible, ideally with his sister by his side.

Interestingly, the game’s initial dungeon is primarily focused on stealth. If Link gets noticed by roaming Moblins, they’ll quickly capture him and confine him to a cell. However, it’s not difficult to escape. Although this approach might seem unusual, I believe it effectively sets up this version of Link, as it demonstrates how unprepared he is compared to other characters.

4.
Escape From The Contessa’s Prison

Sly 2: Band Of Thieves

In the second Sly Cooper game, not only can you control Sly, but also his friends Bentley and Murray, each with their unique skills for stealth, infiltration, combat, and more. What’s intriguing is that the game introduces an unexpected twist to the gameplay.

After wrapping up the third act, I found myself locked up in a Prague jail, thanks to The Contessa – an Interpol prison guard with hidden loyalties to the Klaww Gang. For a good portion of the fourth installment, it’s just me and my trusty sidekick Bentley until we manage to free Sly and Murray from their cells.

Instead of relying on Sly’s mobility or Murray’s strength as before, now all you have is Bentley’s gadgets to work with. This setup cleverly pushes you to master the fundamentals of infiltration since Bentley isn’t as adept at evading danger or fighting his way out of tricky situations like Sly and Murray used to.

I too find The Contessa’s prison equally chilling. By combining her unique form of hypnosis and the Clockwerk Eyes, she manipulates prisoners into becoming helpful individuals, as Bentley puts it in the opening scene, if he doesn’t rescue Sly and Murray, they’ll be forced to work conventional jobs from 9 to 5, selling shoes.

3.
Escape From Titania

Tales Of Berseria

As a gamer, let me tell you, Tales of Berseria knows how to switch its mood like nobody’s business. Take the prologue for instance, it’s all casual and easy-going. But then, wham! Out of nowhere, we find ourselves in a dark pit with Velvet, who’s been trapped there for three long years. All she’s got is some Daemons dropped to her as food. If that doesn’t drive home the intensity of her anger, I don’t know what will.

At the outset of the tale, Velvet hadn’t devised any specific strategies for escape; it wasn’t until Seres unexpectedly showed up that she found a sliver of possibility to exact vengeance upon Artorious.

She makes no secret of her aims following her escape from captivity; she swiftly mobilizes the other inmates and instigates an uprising, and she’s so determined that her resolve is unmistakable.

I find that the most intriguing aspect of the escape from Titania lies in its depiction of the group’s initial dynamic, much like the shift in tone I mentioned earlier. Rokuro initially joins forces with Velvet to settle a perceived debt, while Magilou follows along because she lacks other options. Despite their tenuous relationship, they’re scarcely friends or allies. However, due to shared objectives, for now, they make an uneasy team.

2.
Escape From Okinawa Penitentiary No. 2

Yakuza 4

Many characters from the Yakuza/Like Dragon series have served prison terms, but generally, they choose to serve their sentences diligently and depart as scheduled.

In Yakuza 4, a significant departure from the norm occurred when we were introduced to Taiga Saejima, Majima’s estranged blood brother who had been in prison for 25 years. The accusation was that he killed 18 members of the Ueno Seiwa Clan with a gun.

At the outset of Saejima’s narrative, he is relocated to Okinawa Penitentiary Number 2 – a clandestine, high-security facility often used to conceal influential yakuza figures. Initially unperturbed by this move, his resolve changes upon learning about Majima’s activities over the years. Without delay, he determines to stage an escape.

Leaving Okinawa Penitentiary No. 2 provides an ideal setting for introducing Saejima, as it offers a platform to demonstrate his astonishingly formidable strength.

In the major fight against numerous guards, Hamazaki offers assistance, yet it’s primarily Saejima who must fend for himself. Remarkably, he manages to tackle the confrontation single-handedly, and with surprising ease. This was the first moment in a Yakuza tale that made me feel incredibly powerful at the outset.

1.
Stopping The Escape From Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum

In my previous statement, I explained that a prison break situation isn’t limited to playing as the prisoner. Instead, you could assume the role of the one tasked with preventing it, similar to how Batman took on this mission in the initial Arkham Asylum video game.

From a technical standpoint, it’s not exactly a “prison break” because neither The Joker nor the other Arkham Asylum inmates technically left the confines of the asylum grounds. However, considering they were supposed to be locked up in their cells, I’d argue that their escape still qualifies as a breakout, even if it was just within the asylum walls.

From the get-go, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when Joker started crafting this daring escape, but one thing’s for sure – it was a masterfully intricate plot. As soon as Batman rolled me in, it felt like we, Harley and the gang of crooks, seized almost absolute command over the entire facility. Guards were either subdued or held captive, sentry points were established, and all sorts of traps and gizmos were laid out throughout the place.

Just like many other Batman portrayals, it serves as another compelling evidence that Arkham Asylum is simply… subpar. The inhabitants, whether common criminals or super-powered ones, arguably don’t belong here for several reasons. Firstly, numerous practices are questionable in terms of ethics. Secondly, the security measures seem inadequate to handle such diverse and potentially dangerous individuals.

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2025-05-23 16:44