Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Escape Simulator 2 is a fantastic escape room game developed by Pine Studio. The sequel has new exciting locations, challenging puzzles, and an updated room editor. Like the first game, it can be played solo or co-op although it is a bit more harrowing due to the color palette and explorable areas that ended poorly. Though, this game had some of the most interesting and clever puzzles that stunned me because the challenges you face exceed the puzzles in the first game. So let me talk about this spectacular title in a little more detail.
Gameplay
First we have to talk about the gameplay, which thankfully doesn't change much from the first game. You can walk around and interact with various objects contained in the area. But before you can explore the level sets, you go through a short tutorial that arms you for the challenges ahead. Each tutorial booth (for lack of a better term) gives you easy instructions to follow like using your keyboard for movement and how to manipulate puzzle pieces. Furthermore, the tutorials have fact cards that talk about the evolution of jigsaw puzzles and the origins of combination locks.
Unlike the first game where I played exclusively in co-op mode, I was able to experience several of the levels in both the single player and multiplayer modes. Though, it should be noted that the levels can be solved in both modes however, some of the solutions to the puzzles will be different depending on which mode you play in. And I'll touch more on that point later.
Once you complete the tutorial, you get to put your sleuthing skills to the test in three level sets that contain four locations each. Escape Simulator 2 grabbed me by the arm and dragged me into Dracula's courtyard right out of the gate - which was a hell of a way to get my attention. I'll talk about my impressions about the puzzles a little later but I will say that impressively, all four levels were challenging. This is true for all three level sets in the base game (as I'm sure there will be DLC locations in the future).
Like in the first game, you have an unlimited inventory to hold puzzle pieces and clues you will need to complete the level. What's great about that is instead of keeping a notepad to keep track of clues, you are able to pin them on either side of the screen, which makes solving puzzles easier. And as before, you can put unneeded items in the trash - especially when you are done with the clues.
So let's talk about the meat of the game - the puzzles themselves.
The Puzzles
First let me preface this section by saying there will be some light spoilers to a couple of puzzles, and while I'm not going to explain the solutions to them, it will be obvious which ones I'm referring to.
Anyways, unlike the first game where several levels were fairly simple, this game was much more challenging and sometimes a little frustrating. In fact, many puzzles had enough difficulty that I struggled to complete most of them within the time limit. In truth, I failed to beat the timer in virtually every level - much to my dismay. And to be fair, when I say that the puzzles were difficult, it's not because I had no starting point, it was usually due to my lack of focus or failure to see something right in front of me. If I took time to step away for a bit, some of the puzzles would have been easier to figure out.
Even when my mind was clear, a couple of puzzles were frustrating, like one of the ones in the crypt. It had a bunch of symbols that matched up to other symbols. This information was the key to solving two puzzle boxes which require you to move tiles into the correct locations. I knew what the clues were telling me but for some reason I had an issue with figuring out the code. And any solution I had come up with ended up being quite a large distance away from the correct one. If there was any doubt about my challenges with this puzzle, it was emphasized by the fact that I used the hint system for a couple puzzles. The Crypt was the first one where I felt like I needed some direction which you could get from pressing the 'request hint' button on the menu screen. Pressing it resulted in a cute picture that would nudge you in the right direction. The final clue was often the solution, though, I didn't need to get that many hints.
Dracula's level set was quite intriguing for another reason. It contains a feature that was not present in the first game (Although, to be clear, I finished the base level sets in Escape Simulator 1 and do not yet have most of the DLCs. So if certain features were added later on, I am unaware of them). In one of the levels, you will be able to see the area with a whole new perspective - literally. I should note that most of the puzzles are solved in first person view, but there are a couple of outliers that break that perspective and it can throw people off.
Of all the levels in Escape Simulator 2, I think the most interesting and unique level is found within the Lost Starship set. Into the Unknown was one of the most fascinating puzzle designs in the whole game for me because unlike the other locations where you solve puzzles within a static location, Into the Unknown let's you virtually explore an area. It made me feel like I was living in an episode of Stargate or something. Essentially, the game created a multilayered or multiverse puzzle which added to the complexity of the game and I'm completely here for it.
After the main puzzles are complete, there are other puzzles to solve. For aficionados of the genre, you can touch the stone pillar in the lobby and try your hand at some hard mode puzzles. Some of them I found to be fairly straightforward while others reveal your personal puzzle flaws. I can proudly say that I've been able to solve a couple of them after trying most of them, and I expressed frustration at certain puzzles that drove me bananas for a few hours.
Oh but don't worry, even after the hard mode puzzles, there are a few hidden secrets within the lobby that you can reveal after you complete the game - but I won't spoil what some of those are because that's mean. What I will say is that those puzzles can be solved as you discover them, so have fun!
Anyways, even if all of the above level sets and challenges aren't enough to sate your palette, you can try your hand at the community made puzzles. At the time of playing, there weren't many options to choose from so I didn't dabble too much in that space, but as time passes and more people play the game, I will revisit the options available.
Graphics
Graphically the tone of Escape Simulator 2 is much darker and gives off a different kind of vibe. For example, in the first game the levels were brighter and aesthetically pleasant, yet in this game you are met with a number of skeletons and a darker palette. Starting in Dracula's castle, you feel a sense of dread as you traverse through the levels littered with skulls and creatures who symbolically represent bad omens. And for a while, I started to wonder what kind of puzzle game I was playing!
The Lost Starship levels were a stark contrast to the dark shadows and creepy atmosphere provided in the levels before them. Instead of the brooding atmosphere, the space levels were a little more lively, even though you begin the set on a broken spaceship. To be in space and to be able to look at a 3D star map of the sector you're in is quite marvelous. Plus, it was fun to play with a gun that could push or pull certain objects. I felt like an astronaut and I felt like a kid dreaming of being in space. As mentioned previously, visually my favorite level in the whole game is the last one in the set because you get to walk around a desertscape through the use of a unique device. I would best describe it like walking around with a VR headset.
Of course, the final level set has you go through a pirate adventure where you begin the journey to shiny treasure in a small tavern. And this level set had me grinning from ear to ear because I felt like I was on the set of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. Anyways, the level of detail was equally as stunning as the others. You had puzzles to serve food, play a tune, and mix alcohol. I especially liked the inclusion of the musical monkey toy as well as the weighted dice game. Though, the tone in the pirate themed levels was different because it actually contains some surprises. I legitimately screeched at one point. Heck, seeing the visual improvements from the first game to the second game particularly in the pirate levels where the devs had to include water physics blew me away.
Overall, the graphics in Escape Simulator 2 have elevated tremendously from the first title. I loved the dark atmosphere of Dracula's castle especially after some of the unique puzzles. The space levels were really interesting and caused a sense of wonder about what happened to the crew. And as mentioned before I adored the aesthetics of the unknown and I wanted to dive into the device to explore the area further. Escape Simulator 2 has several graphic improvements from the first game that I can't do it justice through text.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, puzzle games are my bread and butter. Once again the Escape Simulator games have exceeded my expectations. Everything from the graphics to the sound design to the puzzle complexity is vastly improved from the first game and I'm here for it. Though it shouldn't take most players long to complete the three level sets, each one forces you to use logic and reasoning to progress. And at the end of a room you get to take a screenshot that you can display in your lobby.
I love that after you complete certain achievements you open up another set of puzzles and can challenge yourself further by solving the hard mode versions of puzzles completed in each level. In short, Escape Simulator 2 has layers! And despite the fact that some puzzles caused me to re-evaluate my approach in the genre, I absolutely love this game. It has a lot to offer which includes a level editor and continued development of both games. So, anyone who is looking for a puzzle game that features a solo and co-op mode, this one is close to the top of the genre. Trust me. This game is fantastic and I can't wait to see what the devs do to improve on add in!
Score: 9 out of 10
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