Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: Studio 3DO
Publisher: Electronic Arts

This game's ninety degree walls are influenced by "Wolfenstein 3D", except in this case drawn via quads. The wooden door frames, wrought-iron fencing, velvet-carpeted or mossy brick walls, and other stage assets are of incredible resolution. Enemies are equally mind-boggling, with a zillion frames of animation as they scale towards the player. Some even have fancy alpha channel effects! It may not have the later-released "Doom's" fancy multi-leveled floors and angled walls, but in many ways it's a better looking game than id's classic.

Escape from Monster Manor's development team evidently owned the same sound effects collection that id Software did, as the aforementioned "Doom" went on to feature many of the sound effects used as noises in this title's ambient background music. Outside of that interesting anecdote, the game has absolutely fantastic Halloween-style Bob Viera music, which is mood-setting yet melodic. The track used first in stage three could have done without the constant voice acting however.

This title involves navigating twelve large, occasionally interesting maze stages, while killing baddies and collecting treasure, health, and ammo. It is much slower paced than "Wolfenstein 3D", and pleasantly feels a bit like a dungeon crawler as a result. It also incorporates some elements that went on to be pillars of the survival horror genre, such as selective ammo deprivation, and limiting the participant's ability to survey the scene quickly via a slow player rotation speed.

Outside of the terribly paced, frustratingly obnoxious tenth level, this game actually has some ludonarrative aspects that cause interesting, dynamic things to happen occasionally while playing. The title's deliberate pacing is wonderful, but many of the maps are overly long and can be tiresome to play through in one session. Thankfully, the game can be saved in between stages. On the balance then, Escape from Monster Manor is a highly competent "Wolfenstein 3D" clone, and deserves a place on every 3DO owner's shelf.