So there's this game I played many years ago that I'm trying to find, but for the life of me I can't remember its name. I thought maybe someone here with better memory might remember it from my vague description. It was a shareware game and I only played the first out of 3 (?) episodes. It's kind of a side-scrolling adventure puzzle game. You're a prisoner at the start, and you make your way around a big side-scrolling prison collecting various items and using them to solve puzzles. You have to avoid prison guards, etc. I don't remember if you ever received any kind of weapon but it definitely wasn't focused on action or shooting things. I think by the end of the first episode you escape the prison and find yourself in some kind of mine... that's about all I remember about it. Anyone have a clue?

Sounds like Lure of the Temptress. You can get it free from the developer page now :).
http://www.revolution.co.uk/_display.php?id=10

[edit: Actually, this may not have been shareware, but on the off chance it's what you're looking for I'll leave the link]

Thanks! Looks similar but not quite. The game I'm thinking of had a more modern prison. Also the graphics had more of a "flat" side-view character.

Sounds a bit like Framed: Clicky

Oh, and of course do not download if you don't own the original!

Yes that's exactly it! Thank you, you are awesome.