You fall through a manhole into a maze of tunnels, and the only light is a small glow around your feet. Somewhere in the dark are a key, a padlock and a way back up. Escape the Catacombs unblocked is a short isometric escape where the undead are always a few steps out of sight.
Santi Herranz made it for js13k 2022, where it went by the name Escape from Death Hole. Each floor is a quick hunt, and the climb to the top is long enough to make a narrow escape feel earned.
How to play Escape the Catacombs
Press Enter on the title screen to begin on floor 0. Wander until the golden key shows up in your light, then step on it to carry it. Find the padlock and walk into it, and a rope drops onto the exit square. Stand beneath the rope to climb to the next floor.
Undead come in waves, announced by a banner on screen. Every bite takes a piece of your red health bar, and pink hearts on the floor heal you. Lose all your health and you become one of them, so press Enter to try the floor again.
Swords lying around let you fight back, but they wear down and break after enough swings. Other trapped people roam the halls too. Get out past floor 9 and the escape screen shows your time and a tally of what happened along the way.
Controls
| To… | 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 | — |
Tips
- Hug the walls while searching. Following one wall around a floor is a simple way to sweep it without walking in circles.
- Do not swing at nothing. Every swing shortens your blade, so only attack when something is close enough to hit.
- Save hearts for later. If your health is nearly full, walk around a heart and come back when a wave has worn you down.
- Move when the banner shows. A new wave means company soon. If you already know where the padlock is, that is the moment to head for it.
Escape the Catacombs questions
Do I need a keyboard?
Yes. Movement and jumping are on the keyboard, and there are no touch controls, so this one is for a computer or Chromebook.
What happens if I get caught?
When your health runs out you turn undead. Press Enter and the same floor starts again with a fresh character.
How many floors are there?
The counter starts at 0, and climbing out of floor 9 brings you to the surface. That makes ten floors in total.
