Developer: Pine Studio
Publisher: Pine Studio
Genre: First Person Adventure,
Price: $19.99
Release Date: Oct 27, 2025
Where to buy: Steam
Escape Simulator 2, the sequel to Pine Studio’s successful first-person puzzle game, successfully elevates the formula by providing a more expansive, atmospheric, and analytically demanding experience. While adhering to the core principle of translating real-world escape rooms into a digital format, the game introduces significant advancements in puzzle design, visual fidelity, and community tools, cementing its place as a premier offering in the genre.
The most notable improvement lies in the complexity and intricacy of the puzzle design. The initial content—spanning three themed environments, including Dracula’s Castle, the sci-fi setting of Starship EOS, and The Cursed Treasure—features challenges that are larger in scope and more deeply interconnected than those found in the original game. Puzzles demand meticulous observation, the skillful deciphering of environmental clues, and logical problem-solving, requiring players to synthesize information across multiple rooms. This thoughtful design ensures that solutions feel earned, offering a distinct sense of accomplishment upon cracking a code or unlocking a mechanism.
In contrast to its predecessor’s bright, cartoonish aesthetic, Escape Simulator 2 adopts a darker, higher-fidelity visual style. This shift enhances the overall atmosphere, providing a more immersive and thematic experience that draws the player deeper into the game’s scenarios. While this visual change may be divisive among longtime fans, it effectively allows the developers to explore more mature and mysterious settings. The detailed environments, impressive lighting, and enhanced interactivity—where players can manipulate and examine a vast array of objects—contribute significantly to the feeling of genuinely “being in the room.”
Crucially, the game excels as a cooperative experience, supporting up to eight players. The larger, more divergent puzzles are optimally suited for teamwork, allowing players to divide tasks, compare discovered clues, and collaborate in real-time. Furthermore, the inclusion of Room Editor 2.0 guarantees substantial longevity. This robust update to the level-creation tools provides the community with the power to construct multi-level, complex escape rooms, assuring a continuous flow of creative and challenging user-generated content for years to come.
In summary, Escape Simulator 2 is a superior sequel that refines every major element of the original. Despite minor concerns regarding occasional technical rough edges and a sometimes-sparse hint system, the game’s core offering—challenging, rewarding puzzle design, enhanced immersion, and powerful community tools—makes it an easy recommendation for anyone seeking a sophisticated digital puzzle experience. It truly captures the collaborative, brain-bending thrill of a real escape room.
