For an inexplicable reason, an ordinary guy named Richard was thrown into Hell. Apparently, there has been some mistake, but it doesn’t look like anyone is about to correct it - Richard’s own Guardian Angel has left him a note in a telephone booth, making it clear that Richard can rely on no one but himself. The first thing he has to do is find companions (luckily, Hell seems to be a rather densely populated place), who would help him on his perilous journey through this very unpleasant place..
Escape from Hell is a role-playing game that uses the Wasteland engine. Richard’s party navigates the top-down environments, encountering and interacting with characters, friendly and otherwise. Compared to Wasteland, the role-playing system is simpler, with more traditional leveling up and more focus on combat abilities. The skill system is present, but skills need to be acquired or learn from trainers rather than increased by repeated usage. Most of the skills are combat-oriented, though some (such as hacking, swimming, and others) apply to non-combat activities.
Despite its horror premise, Escape from Hell contains many comedic elements. Many of the weapons and other accessories have funny names, much of the dialogue is humorous, and characters who join Richard’s party are popular historical or fictional figures such as Stalin, Genghis Khan, Hamlet, Mozart, and others.