Escape Simulator 2 Review – A Smart, Social Escape Room Sequel
Escape Simulator 2 refines the original with richer visuals, deeper puzzles and a powerful Room Editor — perfect for co-op brainteasing, even if the launch roster feels a bit small and a few puzzles are oddly obscure.
I went in expecting a polished version of the first game — what I got was a more atmospheric, meatier escape-room simulator that nails the little interactions. It’s a natural sequel for fans of cozy co-op puzzlers and people who love building their own chaos in the Workshop.
Escape Simulator 2 plays as a first-person escape-room sandbox: you pick up items, examine clues, wipe dirt off surfaces, drive vehicles and move anything not bolted down. The official packs — Dracula’s Castle, Starship EOS and The Cursed Treasure — each offer multi-room scenarios with handcrafted logic and plenty of tactile fiddliness. Co-op supports up to 8 players with built-in voice/text chat, but I found 2-player sessions often hit the sweet spot. The Room Editor 2.0 is the real star for me: improved lighting, sequence animations and working stairs make community levels feel official, and Steam Workshop integration promises near-infinite replayability. Puzzle design trends toward clean, logical solutions, though a handful of final/meta puzzles lean into obscurity and community cooperation. Tech-wise the upgrade to the engine brings nicer visuals and better physics, but expect occasional bugs, softlocks or desyncs in multiplayer — mostly minor, but sometimes frustrating mid-room. If you loved the first game’s charm, ES2 keeps the spirit while adding depth for builders and serious puzzle fans.
Escape Simulator 2 is a lovingly made, social puzzle game with a robust editor and satisfying room design — just be ready for a short official campaign and a few rough edges. It’s an easy recommend for co-op puzzle fans and creators.
Pros
- Highly interactive, immersive rooms with satisfying object interactions
- Powerful Room Editor 2.0 and Workshop support — endless community content ahead
- Great co-op chemistry: 'aha' moments, shared laughs and genuine teamwork
Cons
- Launch content feels light (around a dozen official rooms), so you’ll be waiting on community maps
- Occasional bugs, softlocks and a few puzzles that rely on obscure or single-player-only interactions
Player Opinion
Players rave about the upgraded graphics, clever puzzle design and the social fun of solving things with friends or partners. Common complaints: the base game is short, multiplayer can sometimes leave players idle during specific puzzle sections, and a couple of meta puzzles feel too obscure (some folks even needed to Google or watch videos). If you liked Escape Simulator 1 or enjoy real-life escape rooms, you’ll probably love ES2 — and if you’re into creating, the editor + Workshop is a huge selling point.