Azooma Escape Review: A comedic stealth adventure weighed down by tedious tasks

It’s not every day you play a game about escaping the food and greetings of a family gathering - but that’s exactly what Azooma Escape delivers.

Developed by Saudi Arabia’s Ash Game Studio, this culturally rich stealth adventure turns the chaos of family events into a comedic, pixel-styled experience.

Story

You play as Jaser, an introverted teen and the chief’s nephew, whose mother sends him to a family gathering to congratulate his uncle Abu-Metaib - warning that he can’t come home until he does, or she’ll take away his PC for spending too much time in his room. That’s the gist of the game’s narrative.

Once at the family gathering, you’ll meet characters who need help finding misplaced items, and while Jaser is willing to lend a helping hand, his biggest challenge is avoiding Shaddad, the event's head chef.

Shaddad insists Jaser eat until he’s stuffed and greet every relative, but his pushy, bully-like approach sends Jaser running. Soon he’s chased by guards across the venue, and this is where the stealth aspect of the game shines as you'll have to sneak, hide, and move objects to outwit Shaddad and escape. 

Gameplay

At its core, Azooma Escape is a straightforward stealth adventure - and I think it succeeds because of this. One of the first things I did was walk around to get a sense of the game's environment and stumbled upon an electrician who was locked out of his garage.

This led me to my first quest, which I solved by petting a stray cat that conveniently dug up the key. It's a bit odd, but in this game, quirky moments like that set the tone. The real charm of Azooma Escape, though, lies in character interactions and constant NPC chatter and gossip that echo the atmosphere of real-life gatherings.

From that one guy who's constantly searching for his cuff link to the lady who judged a book by its cover and still didn't like it after reading it, the team did a fine job with the NPC dialogues all over the game, and a few of them are genuinely funny. 

The game also sprinkles in playful references to other games and comics - nothing major, but a nice touch.

Graphics and Visuals

While stealth is the game’s biggest strength, the pixel-art style adds a nice touch, keeping everything fluid. 

Both character and level design shine as well, with expressive dialogue animations that are fun to watch as the story unfolds. 

Unlike similar games where navigation can be confusing, the levels here are easy to follow without ever feeling lost. 

Issues and Irritations 

There aren’t many major flaws in Azooma Escape, but a few things stand out. The sound of footsteps is unnecessarily loud and identical. Whether you're walking or running, they’re the same. This made me turn the SFX volume down massively to keep playing. 

Ambient chatter from the crowd would have been a more fitting touch for a game depicting a crowded gathering. This wouldn’t be a replacement for the sound of footsteps, but I think it's a feature the sound design team could still implement. There are minor bugs I couldn't help but notice, including one where the guards won't spot you even if you're right in front of them.

Beyond that, some missions feel tedious and uninteresting. These tasks weren't exactly repetitive, but they mostly didn't feel relevant to the narrative. Also, certain characters like Qais especially, can test your patience, and you want to strangle them. Still, the game doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that playful tone works in its favor.

Verdict

I generally had fun with Azooma Escape, and that’s clearly what the game sets out to deliver. The real excitement kicks in once the guard chases begin. The leeway you get during pursuit, paired with the energetic music, is one of the game’s highlights. 

Look past some dull NPC tasks and turn down the SFX volume, and you’ll find a culturally-inspired stealth adventure that doesn't try to be anything more, and that's okay. Ultimately, Azooma Escape works because it turns the chaos of family gatherings into something we can all relate to - the urge to sneak away.