Pokémon Cave Escape [ESCAPE ROOM]

[Ketchupplant]

Download:

Pokemon Cave Escape - Google Drive

drive.google.com

If you're an experienced player looking for a Pokémon challenge, this game is for you.

Inspired by previous hacks from @wiz1989, SmallAnt and Freezai, this game follows the same escape room concept: it uses the core Pokémon game mechanics to set up several puzzle-like steps for the player to solve. It features overworld puzzles and a variety of tough, carefully crafted trainer battles that require the player to come up with out-of-the-box solutions in order to progress, with the ultimate goal of escaping the cave they're in.

Please note: this game is genuinely difficult. It's the challenge to beat the escape room as quickly as possible. An experienced Pokémon player should take about 3-5 hours of playtime to complete it.


Game Details & Features:

• The game features Pokémon, moves, and battle mechanics up to gen 9.
• The puzzles consist of 6 trainer battles and 3 overworld puzzles, in combination with several items and game mechanics.
• There's an NPC with the ability to offer hints, with each hint coming at the cost of getting additional playtime added to your in-game clock.
• You do not have to worry about getting softlocked unless you actively seek to do so (e.g. by tossing away your items).
• All battle RNG has been removed with the most intuitive outcomes set to occur (e.g. a 70% accuracy move always hits, a second Protect always fails).
• Every puzzle step is meant to feel fair. Anything not directly solvable via logical reasoning is hinted at in one way or another.
• None of the battle solutions rely on the AI making suboptimal plays. Switches ignored, there's no way for the AI to prevent you from accomplishing your goal.

No spoilers!
Please use the spoiler tags if you're discussing anything in-game related when replying to this thread.

It's my first romhack. Any feedback is much appreciated!


Credits:

Spoiler:

Created via the Pokeemerald-expansion decomp by:

• pret
• RH Hideout

Tools used:

• Porymap
• Poryscript
• GraphicsGale
• Tilemap Studio

Inspiration taken from:

• SmallAnt (Initial Pokémon escape room concept).
• @wiz1989 (Further developed the concept with features like the Hintmaster).

Special thanks:

• Accidental & Datoneman for helping me flesh out ideas.
• Everyone who gave the initial versions a try <3

 

[KH!TheBlackQuill]

Pretty good hack, yall should probably play it.

 

[freezai]

Loved it!
One of my favorite escape rooms of the year. Challenges felt satisfying to complete without requiring obscure knowledge and most of them were original ideas. Good QOL experience as well with features like running from trainer battles, softlock support, etc
Excited for the next one

 

[Ketchupplant]

Loved it!
One of my favorite escape rooms of the year. Challenges felt satisfying to complete without requiring obscure knowledge and most of them were original ideas. Good QOL experience as well with features like running from trainer battles, softlock support, etc
Excited for the next one

Thanks! I'll be waiting for Freezai's Mountain 2.

 

[wiz1989]

Awesome! So cool to be mentioned as inspiration for a hack! :)

Will check it out soon!
And congrats for the release!

 

[Ketchupplant]

Awesome! So cool to be mentioned as inspiration for a hack! :)

Will check it out soon!
And congrats for the release!

Perfect, I'd love to hear what you think of it.

 

[theScarletSprig]

I think I am, uhh, "hardlocked"? Unless I start over completely. The softlock guy says he can't do anything for me.

My toxic orb got thief'd by Kecleon and the Kecleon died with it, and after I finished out the battle to let the lady throw me back, my toxic orb is gone. She says she returns it to the previous state but this doesn't seem to be the case. Her Kecleon still has my Orb, and it is not located in the strength puzzle - nothing at all is there, actually. It's not in my bag, on my Toxicroak, or in my character's Item PC.

 

[theScarletSprig]

I think I am, uhh, "hardlocked"? Unless I start over completely. The softlock guy says he can't do anything for me.

My toxic orb got thief'd by Kecleon and the Kecleon died with it, and after I finished out the battle to let the lady throw me back, my toxic orb is gone. She says she returns it to the previous state but this doesn't seem to be the case. Her Kecleon still has my Orb, and it is not located in the strength puzzle - nothing at all is there, actually. It's not in my bag, on my Toxicroak, or in my character's Item PC.

I was able to reload thanks to having used the in-game save feature, so I have gotten my own item back, but it might be good to look into that.

 

[Ketchupplant]

I think I am, uhh, "hardlocked"? Unless I start over completely. The softlock guy says he can't do anything for me.

My toxic orb got thief'd by Kecleon and the Kecleon died with it, and after I finished out the battle to let the lady throw me back, my toxic orb is gone. She says she returns it to the previous state but this doesn't seem to be the case. Her Kecleon still has my Orb, and it is not located in the strength puzzle - nothing at all is there, actually. It's not in my bag, on my Toxicroak, or in my character's Item PC.

Yes, unfortunately this is a softlock I didn't account for (yet). Normally, stolen items are returned to the player's Pokémon after battle. Apparently this isn't the case when you also steal their item during the same battle. Sorry :3

Next update will have it fixed.

 

[SilentSparrow]

Just played through the hack, it was really fun! Great job, and I'll be looking forward to your next work :D

 

[EzraKunze]

Just played through the hack, it was really fun! Great job, and I'll be looking forward to your next work :D Block Blast

You see it too it's interesting that we have the same thoughts.

The hack is something I'm looking forward to more.