Escape Simulator

About

"Escape Simulator" is a first-person puzzle mystery game that can be played solo or in online co-op with up to 10 players. Its interactive gameplay allows for thorough exploration, and it includes a level editor for community-made rooms. Despite some bugs, the game boasts masterful visuals, a good soundtrack, and sensational replayability. The game also offers a free "Among Us" DLC and a VR version is available for wishlisting.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,996 reviews

gameplay111 positive mentions

stability92 negative mentions

Escape Simulator offers a wide variety of challenging puzzles that require critical thinking and creativity, making it a satisfying experience.
The game features a robust community with endless user-generated content, providing a vast array of additional escape rooms to explore.
The cooperative multiplayer mode enhances the experience, allowing friends to work together to solve puzzles and escape.

Some puzzles can be overly complex or illogical, leading to frustration and reliance on hints or external guides.
The game lacks a save feature mid-level, requiring players to restart if they need to leave, which can be inconvenient.
Multiplayer connectivity issues can disrupt gameplay, with players occasionally getting disconnected and unable to rejoin.

gameplay
290 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
4%
The gameplay of this title is widely praised for its clever puzzles, intuitive mechanics, and cooperative elements, making it a standout in the escape room genre. Players appreciate the variety of challenges and the engaging environments, although some note occasional bugs and a learning curve for new players. Overall, the game offers a rich experience with extensive community support and a plethora of user-generated content, ensuring endless replayability.
- “The mechanics work nicely, there are icons (that you can disable) showing you if an item is a hint, container, or key, and I like the little tokens that encourage you to explore the entire room.”
- “With its detailed rooms and physics-based mechanics, each challenge feels unique and rewarding.”
- “The gameplay really resembles what an IRL escape game feels like, with the bonus of mechanics that would not be physically possible for an IRL escape game.”
- “The general gameplay is not much to speak about since it is the puzzles themselves that are the meat of the game, and they all felt fairly well constructed.”
- “There are some bugs with objects falling through the map (which is especially frustrating when critical puzzle-solving objects become irretrievable) and some unique mechanics glitching out, so you're unable to progress through the level unless the whole room is restarted.”
- “Gameplay and control are a bit janky, the space you have in each room is too small that turns the coop game into a claustrophobic cluster, they should've added 1-2 meters to each direction to make it more spacious.”
graphics
246 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
41%
1%
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, characterized by a charming, cartoonish art style that enhances the overall experience without being overly demanding on hardware. While some players appreciate the vibrant visuals and cozy aesthetics, others note that the graphics can feel simplistic or low-quality in certain areas. Overall, the visuals effectively complement the engaging puzzles and gameplay, making it a visually appealing title within its genre.
- “The aesthetic is quite nice and it offers in its base form a wide variety of different worlds and levels to tackle.”
- “Visually stunning with captivating graphics, it's not just a feast for the eyes but also a mental workout.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and the game runs surprisingly well - I was using my old laptop the whole time, without a mouse or a keyboard.”
- “The graphics in Escape Simulator are… well, let's just say they're not going to win any awards.”
- “The graphics feel unpolished and the game gives off a low-quality feeling, especially in the background assets.”
- “While not groundbreaking, the graphics are more than sufficient for the genre, focusing on creating realistic settings rather than pushing technical boundaries.”
story
157 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
69%
10%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its minimal narrative integration, with many players noting that it lacks a cohesive storyline and primarily focuses on puzzle-solving. While some quests and community-created content offer thematic elements, the overall experience is described as one where the story serves merely as a backdrop to the gameplay, making it less appealing for those seeking a rich narrative. Players appreciate the unique and engaging quests but express a desire for a more robust storyline to enhance the experience.
- “From the captivating storyline to the engaging gameplay mechanics, this game managed to keep me thoroughly entertained throughout.”
- “All the rooms have a really cool design, and I love how they follow a sort of continuous storyline, plus the game works really smoothly.”
- “The story levels sometimes made me feel claustrophobic with 3 players.”
- “It has no story, but there are some common themes.”
- “The lack of a story was the killer in single player though.”
- “If you are looking for even a tiny bit of story - a purpose - to solve the puzzles, only buy this game when it's on a good sale.”
replayability
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
58%
8%
The game's replayability is largely dependent on community-created content, with many players praising the extensive variety of user-generated levels available through the workshop, which significantly enhances replay value. While the official levels may lack replayability due to their fixed puzzles, the ability to create and share custom rooms offers nearly infinite replay potential, making it a standout in the escape room genre. However, some users note that the base game has limited replayability unless players are willing to revisit for collectibles or play with new groups.
- “With so many custom rooms, the replayability is definitely there.”
- “The sheer number of available 'rooms' is staggering and allows for virtual infinite replayability.”
- “The game comes with a fair amount of base scenarios, but the best part about this game is its robust level editor and workshop content that adds a ton of replayability for you or your friends to enjoy.”
- “Only bad thing about this game is that there is little to no replay value, but besides that, the game is very good for the experience.”
- “Everything is the same every playthrough, so that means little replay value as solving the same exact room in the same exact way doesn't really do anything.”
- “You can beat all official content in a couple of hours, and there's no replayability since once you've solved the puzzles you'll know how to solve them.”
stability
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting frequent bugs and glitches, particularly in community-created rooms, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences. While some players find the official content relatively stable and enjoyable, the multiplayer aspect often suffers from connection issues and desynchronization. Overall, while the game can be fun, its stability issues detract significantly from the experience, making it feel unpolished and sometimes unplayable.
- “The game is well designed and the interactivity is pretty cool; it runs really well and is not too buggy.”
- “The graphics are nice, mechanics aren't buggy, and it's not too easy.”
- “Found it almost completely bug free during my playthrough, which left smooth gameplay.”
- “The game is currently extremely buggy and unoptimized, to the point of being nearly unplayable.”
- “I want to love it, I really do, but due to all the glitches and disconnects, it's practically unplayable for me.”
- “Tried to play this game with several friends - absolutely unplayable - constant connection glitches, couldn't get through a single level with players being cut out of the game for minutes at a time.”
music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
51%
11%
The music in the game is generally described as ambient and fitting for the various environments, contributing to a cozy and immersive atmosphere. While some players appreciate the soothing soundtrack and unique musical scores for different rooms, others find it repetitive and occasionally overwhelming, with options to turn it off if desired. Overall, the music enhances the experience but may not stand out as exceptional for all players.
- “The ambient music is also nice; it fits the rooms that you're in.”
- “Great game overall, amazing music.”
- “The music is top notch and really has a focusing effect (for me, at least) and fits the maps perfectly.”
- “Music can get repetitive after a while.”
- “The music isn't the greatest and can sometimes get annoying.”
- “This isn't helped by the nauseatingly repetitive music (especially in the Egyptian rooms), though you could just turn off the music to be fair.”
humor
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
6%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the hilarious community rooms, clever voiceovers, and amusing glitches that enhance the experience. Many reviews emphasize the joy of playing with friends, where moments of confusion and unexpected outcomes lead to laughter and memorable interactions. Overall, the game balances challenging puzzles with a lighthearted atmosphere, making it a fun choice for both solo and multiplayer sessions.
- “The best part of the game was the hilarious voiceovers and dialogue that kept us laughing throughout.”
- “Let me start by saying that this game is the perfect mix of hilarious and challenging.”
- “Hilariously awful.”
- “There are some moments that are intended to be funny, but they often fall flat.”
- “The humor tries to be clever, but it mostly misses the mark.”
- “While there are attempts at humor, they rarely land and feel forced.”
optimization
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
40%
22%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly in VR and on community-made maps, leading to low framerates and stuttering. While the official maps generally run smoothly and are well-optimized, many users report that custom content can cause severe lag and bugs, indicating a need for further optimization and quality of life improvements. Overall, while the game shows promise, it struggles with optimization, especially for players with mid-range systems.
- “Escape Simulator runs smoothly for the most part, with load times being reasonable.”
- “The official maps are well optimized and have a good variation in puzzle-logic.”
- “The graphics are great, the game is optimized so well it runs on our friend's PC that barely has a graphics card.”
- “This game is genuinely the most poorly optimized VR game I've ever played.”
- “It's currently extremely buggy and unoptimized, to the point of being nearly unplayable.”
- “The game claims it's running at 120 fps, but it's more like 20-30 fps, thanks to massive microstuttering.”
atmosphere
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
36%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and charming qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the attention to detail in level design and sound effects that enhance the overall experience. While some players noted a preference for different art styles, the relaxing and engaging environments, combined with a variety of community-created content, contribute to a satisfying puzzle-solving atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully balances a laid-back vibe with challenging puzzles, making it an enjoyable experience for players.
- “From the subtle flicker of candlelight to the creaking of wooden floorboards, the game's sound design contributes significantly to the overall atmosphere.”
- “The level design is absolutely gorgeous, with all sorts of little set dressings and atmospheric touches that bring each 'room' to life, just like an IRL escape room type experience.”
- “The immersive environments and atmospheric sound effects further enhance the experience, drawing you into the world of each escape room.”
- “While I’m not a huge fan of Escape Simulator’s art style, its graphics are well-done and create a fitting atmosphere for your puzzle adventures.”
- “Enter 'Escape Simulator', with simple aesthetics, minimal storytelling and atmosphere; the puzzles and Steam Workshop are where it truly shines.”
- “It doesn't have a dark atmosphere or fancy graphics like other games, but it has something else.”
grinding
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
55%
36%
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment to complete tasks and find collectibles, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some puzzles are engaging and challenging, the repetitive nature of searching for items and completing certain objectives can lead to frustration. Overall, players suggest that the game could benefit from clearer instructions and a reduction in grind-heavy elements to enhance the experience.
- “Puzzles are satisfying to complete and not tedious.”
- “Puzzles fun and challenging, not tedious and annoying.”
- “- fun achievements to hunt for 100% completion (no grindy achievements)”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It gets a little tedious to play over long stretches, though.”
- “Collectible tokens can be annoying to find because they're in the most obscure places and give you more of a headache, becoming tedious rather than fun.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment when solving puzzles, akin to the experience of an escape room. However, some also express discomfort, including motion sickness and germaphobia, which detracts from their overall enjoyment. The game effectively evokes a range of emotions, from joy and pride in problem-solving to moments of frustration and claustrophobia.
- “This game is the only game that has successfully made me feel the magic of doing an escape room in real life.”
- “I thoroughly enjoyed searching my mind for solutions and finding those solutions made me feel like a genius.”
- “Made me feel stupid but I love it.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
Reviews indicate a growing concern that the game's monetization strategy may be perceived as a cash grab, despite the absence of microtransactions or limited-time content, which some players view as a clever marketing tactic.
- “There are no microtransactions or limited-time content, which makes the game feel fair and enjoyable.”
- “I appreciate that the game doesn't pressure me into spending money with microtransactions.”
- “The absence of microtransactions allows me to fully enjoy the game without any distractions.”
- “It's starting to feel a bit like a cash grab.”
- “Genius sales pitch right there and free advertising.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that character development is a notable concern, with some users expressing dissatisfaction specifically with character design, suggesting it may detract from the overall experience.