

These favors usually revolve around getting an item that the inmate is looking for, or beating up an inmate who is picking on another. You can get a job or you can perform favors for the other inmates. Of course to purchase items you’ll need some money.Įarning a living in The Escapists 2 can be done in two ways. You can find most of these items by rummaging through the other inmates’ desks while they are out of their cell, or you can simply purchase certain items from prisoners who have a coin icon above their head. These usually revolve around crafting items that are needed for your escape. Each of the 10 prisons has multiple clever ways to break out of them. Prison life is grand, but eventually, you’ll want to escape. Want some more energy, just make sure to hit the cafeteria for your meals and you’ll be re-energized. He needs energy to continue throughout his day, so exercising and reading can only be done in spurts. You’d think this could all be done quickly, but like you, your criminal will become tired. In order to perform certain tasks or craft certain items, you’ll need to raise your strength, fitness, and intellect. That’s where The Escapists 2’s mandatory grinding comes in. I didn’t even realize it, but doing these small tasks actually increased my criminal’s abilities. These small tasks all were all accompanied by very simplistic mini-games that I mindlessly played during my sentence. I got a good job in the waste disposal unit, exercised at the gym, and read books in the rec center. The choice is yours! I found that the game started to become relaxing in a way. You can even follow a film crew around as they make a documentary about prison life. Bored? Go for a lovely stroll around the prison’s perimeter. Get cozy and spend some time talking to the other inmates, or better yet, get in good with the guards and chat them up a bit. You can take your time and see what prison life has to offer. Your hand is let go of directly after the tutorial. There are no guides or waypoints to help you. You must figure out what to do on your own. This is where you’ll either enjoy the game or start to wonder if your purchase of The Escapists 2 was a good investment. After a few days of following the rules and getting to know the layout of the prison you’ll probably start to wonder what you should be doing to start your escape. This will keep you out of trouble, and more importantly, out of the minds of the guards. You’ll be attending roll call, eating two square meals, and other various everyday activities around the prison. At first you’ll feel the need to follow the rules of the tutorial, which basically means that you’ll be following a yellow arrow and reporting to different parts of the prison throughout the day. Starting the game is a bit of an eye-opener. Once the tutorial ends you’ll get to pick your criminal, and before you know it you’ll be behind bars and living your first day in your new home. It’s also a good introduction to the retro-inspired visuals you’ll be experiencing throughout your playthrough. The tutorial only takes a few minutes, but it’ll teach you the bare basics and at least get you ready for your life in prison. It’s a cute little story that’s told by a prisoner that has escaped from his confines and is now soaking in the rays on a quiet beach. The Escapists 2 begins by asking you if you’d like to play the tutorial level, and I strongly suggest that you do. Is that a file in your pocket, or are you happy to see me? “Grinding in a game that requires you to break out of a prison?” Yes, but it’s not what you think.

What is needed is your brainpower and some heavy grinding if you plan on escaping from the game’s heavily guarded prisons. Well, I’m here to tell you that I never played the first game, but thankfully it’s not needed. Obviously, this is a sequel, hence the “2” in the title. The Escapists 2 puts you in the shoes of a hardened criminal and tasks you with escaping ten different prisons. What caused them to do whatever it was that they did? What kind of life did they live before being thrown into a cell? And the question I wonder most is – What are they doing now that they are incarcerated? Are they planning an escape? Are they watching Prison Break and taking notes? Are they even allowed to watch Prison Break? Come on, you know you’ve done it too! There is just something strangely interesting about reading up on your unlawful neighbors. I personally love checking out public arrest record websites whenever I run out of video game news to read. Let’s face it, criminals are entertaining.
