When you’re looking to implement gameplay with a very narrow focus, you really need to get every aspect of it right. With puzzle games that usually feels like it doubly applies, since there typically isn’t too much more to the experience than how you interact with them and how difficult they are. Access Denied: Escape sort of works out, with you needing to complete a series of puzzle cubes (and some other shapes and types of things, but mostly cubes) in order to progress in the pretty thin narrative structure that has been slapped on. The problem is that where it falls down, it unfortunately does so pretty hard, and that makes it tougher to enjoy as it distracts you from what are usually well-designed brain teasers.

Considering how few overall controls there are, the fact that they’re not implemented very intuitively or with a reasonable degree of sensitivity is irksome. In particular turning dials, which you’ll work out require pointing in the direction you want to end up at, and manipulating sliders, which you’ll need to fight with when trying to only move 1 position as it tends to want to move 2 - 3 even if you try to use a feather touch on your analog stick, are a pain. Unfortunately, these are also pretty commonly encountered, further pointing out the negligence in not taking the time to implement them more effectively since they’re a consistent irritant.

The other issue is really that while the puzzles can generally be worked through with experimentation, observation, and some patience, when you get stuck you’re generally on your own. This isn’t uncommon with puzzlers like this, either offering no hints, fully explaining solutions rather than moving you towards them, or just stating things that are too obvious to be helpful. But again, with as few items that are on the checklist that make up the player’s in-game experience, you’d think more care would have been taken to focus on smoothing it all out better. Puzzle fans may still enjoy the challenge, but there’s no question it could have been implemented better as a whole.