CLI-Escape - Escape Python's Grasp

A command-line, interface-based escape game built with Python.

Gameplay Example

Features

1. The os and sys modules are used to give the player an improved experience by clearing all previous actions from the screen and allowing a smooth exit midway through the game.

2. Specific parts of the code have been moved into their own modules located at ./gameplay_elements/ to provide a cleaner and more readable project for anyone who wants to look through the code.

The Stack

Category	Details
Language	Python 3
Standard Library	os, sys
Architecture	Modular packages under ./gameplay_elements/
Interface	Terminal / command-line (Unix-like)
Tooling	Git, any Python-capable IDE (e.g. VSCodium)
License	MIT

Project Structure

├── cli_escape_game.py       # Entry point; imports all necessary modules
├── gameplay_elements/       # Gameplay module directory
│   ├── dialog_options.py    # Dialogue available and already played
│   ├── keys.py              # Keys and where they reside
│   └── locations.py         # All accessible locations
├── images/
│   ├── image_01.png         # Gameplay example 1
│   └── image_02.png         # Gameplay example 2
└── LICENSE

Prerequisites

1. This application can only be run if you have Python installed or run it through the IDE of your choice.

2. Everything is intended to be run on a Unix or Unix-like system but more concrete Windows support is coming. Everything will work if you are on MacOS, Linux, the BSD of your choice, or running through Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Applications and Software

• Python - Download from python.org or via your OS package manager.
• Integrated Development Environment - A good example would be VSCodium, but anything will do as long as it can run Python programs.

Installation

Clone this repository using the Clone button above, or download the source archive, then place the files in a directory of your choice.

For use of the terminal

mkdir ~/Code/escape/

# Clone or extract this repository into ~/Code/escape/

Notes:

The repository can be downloaded manually and be placed in any directory of your choice as long as all of the files remain together.

Start and Play the Game

Start the Game

cd ~/Code/escape/

python3 cli_escape_game.py

Play the Game

1. During any dialog press enter to move forward.

2. Either the number next to or typing the name of a location can be used to move to it.

3. Typing 'exit' allows you to exit the game.

4. Whether a piece of text is capitalized or not never matters within the game.

What I Learned

• Modular design: splitting game logic into separate modules under ./gameplay_elements/ taught me to separate concerns and keep files readable.
• Standard library fluency: used os and sys to clear the terminal and handle clean mid-game exits without external dependencies.
• Robust input handling: made commands case-insensitive and accepted both numbers and names for navigation, improving usability.
• Cross-platform awareness: targeting Unix-like systems (Linux, macOS, BSD, WSL) and planning concrete Windows support.
• Documentation and version control: wrote user-facing install/play instructions and tracked the project with Git.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for details.

Copyright (c) 2026 Benjamin (Ben) LaShell