Review
The Escapists 2 Review: A Smarter, Friendlier Prison Break Sandbox
Team17 and Mouldy Toof kept the trial-and-error heart of The Escapists and fixed much of the friction around it. The result is more accessible without being any less of a puzzle.
Released August 21, 2017Reviewed on Xbox OneAlso on PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper Team17, Mouldy Toof StudiosPublisher Team17Price at launch $19.99 USD
The Escapists series sits on an awkward line. It is a true sandbox that leaves players to their own devices, and it also depends heavily on trial and error and a fair amount of randomness. The Escapists 2 keeps that identity but refines almost everything around it, making it easier to get into without removing the challenge or the planning.
The premise
Every level is a prison, with one goal: get out, by any means. Each prison has its own layout, staff, guards, inmates and obstacles, so learning the ground comes first.
After a short, charming tutorial, the first full prison is Center Perks 2.0, familiar to veterans: according to the flavour text, the warden tore down his much-escaped prison after a devastating inspection and rebuilt it more securely. The day starts in the cell with morning Roll Call, where the guards are introduced and two unlucky inmates learn their cells will be searched. At 08:00 everyone heads to breakfast and the rest of a strict schedule.
The daily schedule
Every prison follows its own timetable, the same each day. Center Perks 2.0 is relaxed, with plenty of free time; the third prison, Rattlesnake Springs, is far more controlled. Each scheduled activity requires attendance, though only barely: one step into the canteen at mealtimes or into the gym during exercise is enough. Missing one raises the prison’s security level by half a star out of five, and each step makes the guards harder to beat.
Contraband and crafting
Items fall into two groups. Permitted items can be carried anywhere; contraband is banned and gets confiscated or causes trouble if found. Most escape tools come from contraband, so collecting them without raising alarms takes care.
Like Dead Rising, the series lets anything be put to use, and most players end up dumping paperclips, aftershave and hand lotion in hallways once something better turns up. The sequel’s biggest improvement is crafting. The first game used a Minecraft-style drag-and-drop grid and some guesswork. The Escapists 2 lists every recipe on tabbed pages; when the Intellect score and components are there, the recipe lights up and crafts with one press. For a game built on crafting, it is a major quality-of-life change.
Stats
Besides health and stamina there are three stats: Strength and Fitness, trained at the gym, and Intellect, trained at the library. All three use a trigger-based mini-game that costs stamina. Strength and Fitness affect combat; Intellect unlocks new recipes every 10 points from 30 to 70. Maxing all three to 100 takes only a few days of free time, though it is not essential for a fast, quiet escape.
Fellow inmates
The prison feels alive. Inmates hand out small jobs, such as fetching something from another cell, that pay a few coins. Coins buy supplies from other inmates, or escape tips from the payphone. Each inmate has an Opinion score: helping raises it, while failing jobs, fighting or stealing lowers it. Low opinion leads to fights in the yard and refusals to trade.
Cellmates can be obstacles too. Digging out of a shared cell is hard when the person in the next bed stands to lose if the guards find out, so plans have to be hidden from them as well as from the staff.
How an escape comes together
There are many ways out of each prison. The challenge is finding a workable one and covering the tracks. Deciding to tunnel out raises a chain of questions:
- Where does the hole go? Somewhere out of sight.
- What digs it? A good shovel is contraband and its parts are hard to find. Canteen spoons break quickly and fill the inventory.
- Where does the dirt go? Toilets can take it, but they flood and bring in maintenance.
- How is the tunnel braced? Without timber supports it collapses, triggering an investigation.
- Is there open ground to avoid? The yard may be watched by snipers or patrols.
- How does contraband get in and out of the cell? Some prisons have metal detectors or cell searches.
A typical first escape from Center Perks 2.0 might run over nine days. Learn the layout and schedule while training stats. Gather screwdrivers for vents and materials for copying keys. Watch which guards use which doors. Map the vent network. Knock out a guard, copy his key and take his uniform. Then deal with setbacks: a guard stuck in a permanently hostile state that follows without attacking, a forgotten key lost in a fight, a missing ingredient nobody sells, and a prison-wide lockdown triggered by someone else’s damage. On the final night, after evening Roll Call, slip out of a side door, dodge the searchlights and cut through the fence. A short cutscene leads into the next prison and explains how the hero ended up inside again.
How it compares with the original
Both games use deliberate retro pixel art, but moving from the first to the second is like moving from Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario Bros. 3, or further. The sequel’s sprites are higher resolution, crisp and still retro, and much easier on the eyes over long sessions. The interface, above all crafting, is far cleaner.
The second prison breaks from the usual escape structure, a welcome change of pace best left undescribed. The Escapists 2 also adds co-operative and competitive multiplayer for the first time.
The verdict
The Escapists 2 matches or improves on its predecessor in every area and adds new ones, multiplayer among them. Nothing from the first game is missed. It is not a casual time-killer. It suits players who like to study an environment, learn how a system of control works and find clever ways to break it.
Questions readers ask
Does The Escapists 2 have co-op?
Yes. The Escapists 2 added co-operative and competitive multiplayer, which the first game did not have.
How do stats work in The Escapists 2?
There are three trainable stats: Strength and Fitness at the gym, and Intellect at the library. Intellect unlocks new crafting recipes every 10 points from 30 to 70.
What happens if you miss Roll Call in The Escapists 2?
Missing a scheduled activity raises the prison security level by half a star out of five, making guards more watchful.