Escape Simulator 2 Review

With the right people, escape rooms are a damn good time. Walking into the unknown to figure out a series of puzzles and escaping before the clock reaches zero always leaves me feeling ever so slightly smug. So, when Pine Studio’s Escape Simulator first released back in 2021, I had to give it a go, and, unsurprisingly, I loved it! It had a great variety of themed rooms, a plethora of free and paid DLC over the years, and an incredibly impressive room editor that let players share their creations online!

Now, the developer has released Escape Simulator 2, which, at a glance, looks like more of the same in terms of gameplay. I mean that in the best possible way, though, as I’ve spent many, many hours playing the first title. Can this co-op puzzler charm me all over again, or is it destined to disappoint my love of a good head-scratcher?

In case you’re unaware of the concept of an escape room, which is essentially the whole premise of Escape Simulator 2, it’s really quite simple. You’re locked in somewhere, usually a single room or two/three connecting rooms, and must solve a series of puzzles in order to unlock the exit. Simple, right? Well, no, otherwise it’d be a pretty poor puzzle title!

Most rooms start the same: you load in, and you’re free to explore the various nooks and crannies in order to uncover keys, clues, and so on. No story to follow or characters to interact with, it’s all about making your way from one challenge to the next, which, in a game about having to engage my brain, I’m absolutely fine with. Items can be collected and stored in your inventory until finding the relevant puzzle to use them on, with anything of importance having a symbol next to its name (key, clue, openable box, etc.), which saves you from hoarding absolutely every item in the game! Purists are able to turn this off, though, so you’ll really need to scour every corner to ensure you’ve not missed a crucial clue.

Although the timer in the corner reaching zero doesn’t mean game over, it’s simply there as an extra challenge. I found I had plenty of time to spare in most rooms, but the option to disable it is there if you’d rather take a more relaxed approach. There is a hint system available should you need it, and there were times when I was seriously stumped and had to swallow my pride and use it. Taking advantage of it is as simple as clicking the prompt in the pause menu, where an image will appear to aid you with a particular puzzle. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work, as in the majority of levels, requesting a hint simply did nothing. Perhaps this is something that will be fixed before the public launch date, although thankfully, this was the only bug I came across.

Escape Simulator 2 features twelve levels across three different themes: Dracula’s Castle, The Lost Starship, and The Cursed Treasure (a pirate-themed set of levels). This is slightly less than the 15 or so available at launch in Escape Simulator, but the ones found in the sequel take considerably more time to beat. Pine Studio has already made its intentions clear about adding more content, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what fantastic creations will soon be uploaded by the player base!

Speaking of community creations, I tried my hand at the Room Editor, and whilst I can’t see myself being someone who creates truly engaging puzzles, it’s a very impressive tool. There are tutorials to help you get started, and once I eventually figured out which icon did what, it was really simple to use thanks to the clean, uncluttered UI.

You now have a lobby area to unwind in between puzzles. Here, you can customise your avatar and play chess with a co-op partner (due to having a review copy, I was unable to invite other players). There are also three jigsaw puzzles to solve, with eight pieces to be found as hidden collectibles in each level. Finally, you’re also able to access the Darkest Puzzles: twisted, more complex variations of ones found in each level. These could get very difficult, and I think I’ll need a co-op buddy to help with some of them!

Escape Simulator 2 has undergone a major graphical overhaul from the first game, and, to be honest, I’m not sure I like the change. Gone is the colourful, cartoon-like aesthetic in favour of a more realistic, grittier-looking title. One positive of this new aesthetic, however, is just how much more atmospheric the game is. Each of the three themes really drew me into the given scenario more so than the first game’s themes did, mainly thanks to the impressive lighting and soothing ambient audio tracks.

For the low price of £19.99, you really can’t go wrong with such an incredibly well-thought-out puzzler. Escape Simulator 2 may differ from the more light-hearted tone of the first game, but it’s still chock-full of interesting brain teasers, with undoubtedly much more content on the way in the coming months/years.