How 2 Escape
- August 31, 2023
- Breakfirst Games
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"How 2 Escape" is a cooperative escape-simulation game where two players work together to escape a trapped train. The first player on PC explores the environment and interacts with objects, while the second player uses a free companion app to provide information and help solve puzzles. Communication, observation, and quick thinking are crucial as time is limited and the puzzles require logic, coordination, and listening skills.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game offers a unique asymmetrical co-op experience that requires strong communication between players, making it engaging and fun.
- Puzzles are well-designed and challenging, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment when solved.
- The art style and atmosphere of the game are visually appealing, enhancing the overall experience.
- The hint system is often vague and unhelpful, leading to frustration when players are stuck on puzzles.
- Technical issues, such as glitches and problems with the companion app, can disrupt gameplay and diminish enjoyment.
- Some puzzles are poorly designed or overly complicated, resulting in confusion and a lack of clarity in solving them.
- story15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it lacking depth and coherence, often describing it as nonsensical or overly dramatic. While a few appreciate the mystery and immersive elements, many express a desire for more backstory and character development, suggesting that the narrative feels secondary to gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point, with a formulaic delivery that leaves players confused about motivations.
“Then you'll love the story of this game.”
“The idea of 2 different gameplays and experiences really ties it together, making the story quite immersive.”
“The story seems interesting and full of mystery too, so I can't wait to find out more!”
“The story is lacking a bit.”
“Least consequentially, the story is pretty nonsensical.”
“There's a story, but it's kind of delivered in an extremely formulaic way.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally praised for their charming and unique art style, which enhances the overall aesthetic experience. However, some players have noted issues with graphical settings, resolution, and the impact of visual effects on puzzle-solving, leading to frustration in gameplay. While the visuals are appealing, the lack of customization options and occasional graphical disturbances detract from the overall experience.
“The audio and visual artwork is really nice and a great fit, and I enjoyed the overall style.”
“This game is great, especially in terms of its cooperative gameplay and unique graphics.”
“Visually, the art style is very charming and refreshing.”
“There are a few puzzles that become very, very difficult with the game's art style.”
“You can turn off a lot of the effects to make it easier, but... maybe don't put puzzles where the default graphical effects make it impossible to solve?”
“However, there are zero graphics settings I was able to find, and the resolution of the game is not good.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its challenging and immersive cooperative mechanics, requiring strong collaboration between players. While the asymmetrical gameplay offers unique experiences on different devices, some users find the companion app's puzzles less engaging and overly reliant on communication rather than active problem-solving. Overall, the game successfully utilizes escape room mechanics, though it can sometimes lead to prolonged and tedious search processes.
“This is really challenging and involved cooperative gameplay and only works with two committed riddle-solvers.”
“The idea of two different gameplays and experiences really ties it together, making the story quite immersive.”
“The asymmetrical gameplay is pleasant and fun; the second player actually has puzzles to solve with the PC player and is not left alone!”
“A lot of the time, you have a lot of additional steps, so searching for things—even if you already understood what to do—leads to a much longer experience than necessary, which simply bores.”
“The gameplay from the companion app is lacking and minimal compared to the regular game; many of the puzzles start to become not fun to solve, and the wording used in the game often makes them even more confusing.”
“Most gameplay on the app is merely reading information to the other player.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as fun and complemented by surprisingly strong voice acting. Overall, players appreciate the quality of the audio elements, contributing positively to the game's experience.
“The music is kind of fun, and the voice acting was surprisingly well done.”
“Many thanks to all the parties who participated in developing this game; everything is so good, I love the music as well!”
“The existing music feels repetitive and uninspired, making it hard to enjoy the new content.”
“The soundtrack lacks variety and fails to enhance the overall gaming experience.”
“The music is forgettable and doesn't contribute to the atmosphere of the game.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its artistic direction, featuring a well-crafted blend of colors that create a gloomy and eerie environment, enhancing the enigmatic experience. Additionally, the atmosphere is complemented by thoughtfully designed riddles and a focus on asymmetrical cooperation, which challenges players' communication skills.
“Good atmosphere, well-thought-out riddles, and original asymmetrical cooperation... just beware, your communication skills will definitely be put to the test.”
“The main thing that did it for me is the artistic direction; a nice choice of colors mixed with a gloomy and eerie atmosphere really blends well with the enigmatic feeling the game wants to convey.”
“The artistic direction is a nice choice of colors mixed with a gloomy and eerie atmosphere, which really blends well with the enigmatic feeling the game wants to convey.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion that I expected.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, particularly with the game restarting levels unexpectedly when backing out to the main screen, leading to frustration over lost progress. This has raised concerns about the game's reliability during extended play sessions.
“I've been playing for 6 hours and it keeps glitching. I backed out to the main screen and when I went back in, the entire level restarted. I lost all my progress and I'm extremely frustrated. Why would you design it so that backing out restarts the whole level? What if I needed to take a break? My timer keeps running because I can't back out and resume!”
“The game crashes frequently, making it impossible to enjoy. I lost my progress multiple times due to these stability issues, and it's incredibly frustrating.”
“Every time I try to load my save, the game freezes. It's disappointing to see such poor stability in a game that has so much potential.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a negative emotional response to the game, feeling frustrated and diminished in intelligence as a result of their experience.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly in the early puzzles, leading some to refund the game shortly after starting.
“The early puzzles were tedious, and I refunded the game after an hour of play.”
“Grinding feels like a chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay invested in the game.”
