The Escapists 2 Reviews
The Escapists 2 is a relatively safe sequel expanding on the mechanics of prison escape from the first game, while still retaining its difficulty curve.
There are quality of life upgrades here but The Escapists 2 is still that same challenging, unforgiving prison simulator that you either love or hated.
With some choice additions to an already great formula, The Escapists 2 is a neat little game which is sure to capture your attention.
All in all, The Escapists 2 is a bigger and better version of the original game. The core gameplay loop of improving your inmate and finding materials and resources to escape is really engaging, even if it can be remarkably boring at times. The new features are mostly hits, and even when they're misses, they just need to be fleshed out, rather than being bad additions to the experience. The Escapists 2 does a solid job, and it's fun to play. Its only shortcomings are some awkwardness with the controller and the general tedium and punishing nature of the game.
More of a refinement of the original than seeking to right its wrongs, The Escapists 2 on Nintendo Switch adds more of what fans enjoyed in the first place, whilst still not quite advocating enough time to entice a newer crowd.
Ultimately, The Escapists was such a success because it was fun, entertaining, and smart. You could perhaps argue that the sequel doesn't do enough to build on the foundations of the first, but that's only if you don't use the multiplayer options. Those alone breathe fresh air into the whole experience, and, as I said at the start, the Nintendo Switch hardware itself is just perfect for Mouldy Toof's endlessly entertaining vision.
For the amount of content and replayability that you get, The Escapist 2 is a fantastic game for new and old players, it’s a really fun puzzle game with a unique RPG twist and offers bags of fun for a reasonable price.
The Escapist 2 mainly focuses itself on improving the series’ combat, giving more elaborate ways to escape and new items to mess and experiment with; it definitely feels as if The Escapist 2 is about refining the original formula and improving certain aspects to create a game that forces you to think strategically and outside of the box, acting very much more like “The Escapist 1.5” – That’s not a bad thing, however – If you want to feel as if you are part of the great escape or simply want to experience a truly challenging game with a twist, then this is the game for you.
The Escapists 2 is feature rich and runs a treat on Nintendo Switch
The Escapists 2 is a solid package that expands upon the concepts of the original game in meaningful ways and it performs very well on the Nintendo Switch.
All in all, The Escapists 2 does a decent enough job in providing that Shawshank Redemption fix you’ve always dreamed of. So much so that when you do finally make it out, you will probably fall to your knees while staring at the stormy sky in relief. Naturally, this game isn’t going to be for everyone as it can be quite intimidating for beginners. It may also test the patience for those who lack it or are initially looking for a quick fix. In all fairness, it is prison after all. It was never going to be a walk in the park. Now shut up and eat your porridge.
Those looking for a unique challenge and that have a group of friends willing to pick it up as well could find themselves with hours upon hours of laughs.
When it comes to movements and fluidity, nothing to say is really very good; the only "flaw" is perhaps the difficulty in using mouse and keyboard and, in this regard, even on PC we recommend that you take advantage of the pad. For the rest there are really good improvements compared to the first chapter, a lot of limitations less and better care of the mechanics and the technical level. Really good also the introduction of the multiplayer that gives that extra touch to the game, though perhaps, could have been slightly more cautious, especially in Versus mode. Generally, however, a great job, you must buy if you like this genre, even in relation to the low sale price!
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Escapists 2 is a management-strategic game that improves some aspects of the predecessor and adds a successful multiplayer component.
Review in Italian | Read full review
What The Escapists 2 does do is improve its look, expand your options for escape, and throws in a hilarious multiplayer. What The Escapists 2 does not do is make itself significantly more accessible and forgiving. If that put you off the first time, there's little to convince you to play the sequel, but for fans, this is a rather pleasant upgrade.
Fancy living out your Great Escape fantasies? Or maybe you reckon Alcatraz was for wimps? Either way The Escapists 2 is here to allow you to do just that as the prison escape sim returns, and this time you get to being a friend to do time with you.
This action puzzle, now avaiable on Nintendo Switch console, is the same - funny - title released on other platforms some months ago. Very good, indeed. [OpenCritic note: Marcello Paolillo separately reviewed the PS4 (7.5) and Switch (7) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you think you are up for the learning curve, I definitely recommend giving The Escapists 2 a try. It has definitely made me feel like a genius when I have formulated the perfect escape strategy, but also foolish when I squander the perfect getaway and miss the easier route. All of that is part of the fun and makes for a rewarding experience.
Plenty to discover, but tedium sets in quickly, particularly when faced with an abrupt loss of progress
The Escapists 2 brings a very conservative formula. The most important improvement is the multiplayer mode, which works perfectly and masks the mistakes of this game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review