Team17's The Escapists 2 is available on PCs, consoles, and mobile devices. No matter what platform you are playing it on, you are in for a fun time. Like in the first game, you have been incarcerated and must find a way to escape the fortress-like prisons you are sent to. But in the sequel, there are more challenges to face, with more elaborate systems to deal with.
There is a lot of exciting content to enjoy in this series of games. There are about ten prisons to explore and six other DLC prisons to download. Each prison is unique. The Escapists 2 can be a little overwhelming at first because of this. Each prison has its challenges and quirks, but no matter what jail you are locked up in, here are a few tips and tricks that will help you escape regardless.
10 Get A Lay Of The Land First
The first thing you should do in every jail you encounter in this prison simulation game is get a lay of the land. You will notice right away that there is a routine for each prison. You must make sure you attend these different events, or you will draw attention to yourself.
Fortunately, you just need to appear briefly at each key event, such as Roll Call, and then you are free to run off and explore. Use this time to figure out where everything is, especially the exits and the guard routes. This Intel is vital for figuring out your first steps to escape.
9 Raise Your Stats
In each prison, there will be ways to raise your main stats. There will be exercise equipment to boost your strength and fitness. You can also read books to increase your intellect. You will not get very far without raising these stats to at least 60 or 70, so focus on this before attempting your escape.
Strength will help you with any fights you are in during your stay by increasing how much damage you do. Fitness is great for getting more hits during combat. Intellect is the most crucial stat; the higher it is, the more items you can craft.
8 Search All Desks
You always need a strategy when planning an escape in The Escapists 2. The best approach to start with is scavenging. Each prisoner has a desk in their cell, so be sure to snoop and steal when you can. Duct tape, in particular, is handy to swipe, as it is used for many crafting recipes. Look at what you can craft, and search for the needed items. Just avoid being spotted by guards or other prisoners, or you will get in trouble.
There are also shopkeepers if you are struggling to find a specific item you need. These unique prisoners will offer items that are less common for a price.
7 Get A Job And Do Favors
There are plenty of mundane, ordinary jobs for you to do during your stay. Some are universal to every prison, such as Mail Sorting. Each job requires a certain level of stats, but once you get one, you'll be able to earn a wage. This is great for buying more items from the shopkeepers. The jobs will also give you access to areas you might not be able to reach otherwise. If someone has the job you want, just ensure they do not make it to their shift so that they get fired.
Alongside jobs, another way to earn cash and items is to fulfill the favors of other inmates. These tasks often involve beating someone up or stealing an item. The more favors you do for a prisoner, the higher their opinion will be of you. If they like you enough, they might even help you when you get caught in fights. This is invaluable if you are planning a more violent escape path.
6 Craft Or Find A Pickaxe, Cutter, And A Shovel
Crafting is vital in many games, which is undoubtedly true with The Escapists 2. There are three essential items that are valuable in almost every prison you visit: Pickaxe, cutter, and shovel. No matter your plan, you usually need a way out of your cell initially during lights out. These three items are great for achieving that.
The pickaxe will help you destroy walls. The shovel will let you dig tunnels. The cutters will help with fences and vents. Remember that all these items are contraband, so avoid carrying them around with you near guards. Also, the more intellect you have, the higher you can upgrade these tools to have more extended durability.
5 Don't Be Afraid To Fight The Guards
Sometimes it is necessary to fight the guards. If one catches you in the act of escaping, you might be able to take them down before more arrive at the scene. They'll not be down for long, so do not stick around. If you are overwhelmed, it isn't the end of the game. You'll have contraband confiscated and might be put in solitary confinement for a while, but you can keep planning your escape after that.
Swiping a guard uniform from them while they are unconscious is advantageous. This, combined with grabbing a key, will allow you to sneak into restricted areas. Other guards will slowly get more suspicious over time, so only wear this outfit when necessary, such as during your final escape.
4 Craft A Bed Dummy
One of the best times to escape is at night, but if a guard checks your cell and you are not there, the prison will go into lockdown. So, before you attempt any escape, you need to craft a Bed Dummy.
This is easy to do. You only require 40 intellect, a bed sheet, and two pillows. Just grab these from other cells, and you will have your own decoy to use at night. It is one of the most essential items to craft. Place it in your bed, and you can slip away. You still need to avoid being seen unless you have a guard uniform.
3 Conceal Any Tunnels
Escaping your cell and the entire compound is an elaborate process, no matter what prison you are in. This is especially true when your fitness is low. You will not have enough energy to complete an underground tunnel in one night.
You need to make sure that you are covering your tracks at all times. If you have destroyed a wall, cover it up with a poster. This can be crafted with just a magazine and some duct tape. For holes, you will need to move your desk to cover them. Keeping these escape routes hidden is vital, as if you are sent to solitary, the guards will reset all of your progress.
2 Trial And Error
The Escapists 2 is full of unique prison breaks for you to experience. The standard escape route is just to reach the map's perimeter and flee that way, but that doesn't need to be your only option. You can see before each level a list of the more notable escape routes you can take. For example, at Center Perks 2.0, you can escape by blending in as one of the film crew.
If you fail with one route, just try and try again. No matter how perfect your escape plan is, sometimes your luck will not pan out. Part of the fun of this game is seeing how many ways you can escape prison. So never give up. Just keep trying and learn from your mistakes.
1 Play With A Friend
Unlike the first game, The Escapists 2 allows you to play with up to three friends. You will all have your own cells and can work together to escape. This is a wonderful way to play the game, allowing you to have multiple places to hide contraband. You can team up to take on other prisoners or guards. It also means you have more energy to dig tunnels.
Multiplayer mode also gives you unique ways to escape each prison, so be sure to check them out. For example, at Rattlesnake Springs, you can work together to hide in trash bags and be lifted out of prison undetected.