The Escapists 2

The scope is impressive, though, as a large amount of variables make The Escapists 2 a dense, packed game. That all becomes too overwhelming, sadly. It just feels like a niche product that a small group of people that adore the concept are going to sink a ton of hours into while many others just bounce off of it. For an open sandbox game that relies on the user to enjoy the experience utilizing their imagination, the journey to the goal just isn’t enjoyable enough.

All in all, The Escapists 2 does a decent enough job in providing that Shawshank Redemption fix you’ve always dreamed of. So much so that when you do finally make it out, you will probably fall to your knees while staring at the stormy sky in relief. Naturally, this game isn’t going to be for everyone as it can be quite intimidating for beginners. It may also test the patience for those who lack it or are initially looking for a quick fix. In all fairness, it is prison after all. It was never going to be a walk in the park. Now shut up and eat your porridge.

Ranging from the simplistic to the absurd, the Escapist 2 offers a great variety of ways one could escape from prison. Scoping out a new prison for its vulnerabilities and formulating a plan to carry out is a great time, but getting to those thrilling moments of misadventures are often plagued with days of scavenging, looking for those one or two materials I desperately needed and as the tedium began to set in, I wasn’t looking for a way to escape from the prison but rather from this cycle of boring, repetitive gameplay.