When comparing Pokkén Tournament DX vs The Escapists 2, the Slant community recommends The Escapists 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best couch/local co-op games for the Nintendo Switch?” The Escapists 2 is ranked 14th while Pokkén Tournament DX is ranked 50th. The most important reason people chose The Escapists 2 is:
There is no right or wrong way to do anything, and it's entirely a risk vs reward scenario for anything you want to try. You are only limited by your creativity in escaping, as each prison has almost endless possibilities and encourages the player to make the best use of their inventory and be creative in handling every situation. Bed sheets can be used to cover cell windows from the prying eyes of guards, desks can be moved to reach out of reach vents, crafted tools can be used for various purposes such as breaking through walls or doors, and shovels can be used to dig holes. You can try to sneak around guards, or opt to hide in vents until they're out of sight. If you're feeling especially brave, you can even attempt to fight the guards and take their keys allowing easier access around the prison.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Simple to pick up and play
It's really easy to learn how to play Pokkén Tournament DX. New players who aren't familiar with fighting games should be able to get the hang of the controls in no time. You don't have to memorize long strings of complex combos or anything like that; the basics are enough for you to get by without worrying. The tutorial is straight-forward as well, gradually teaching you the ropes without overwhelming you. This is a great game for anyone looking to get started with the fighting genre, or even for veterans who want to figure out the more high-level gameplay styles at their own pace.
Pro Great for Pokémon fans
Pokkén Tournament DX is a fine game to pick up if you're into the Pokémon anime and video games. The range of available fighters spans across the many generations of different Pokémon, going all the way back to the original GameBoy games with long-time favorites like Pikachu and Charizard. This is perfect for fans of the series who maybe don't normally play fighting games, since you get the chance to try something new.
Pro Local and online multiplayer makes the game more fun
All the excitement and dynamic gameplay from single-player gets amped up while playing against a friend through co-op or against another player online. This is a ton of fun to play with someone sitting right beside you via splitscreen co-op for some friendly competition. Connecting online to face off against random players is great for challenging yourself and reaching that next level of expert play. With the ability to play on the go with the handheld dock, this is a pretty good game for co-op when you're away from home.
Pro The gameplay changes itself up in cool ways
Playing matches feels dynamic thanks to the ways the game constantly changes things up. There are two different "modes" during every battle: field mode where you play in a 3D view with full directional control of your Pokémon, and duel mode where you play in a traditional 2D view. Starting off in field mode lets you gauge your opponent's style to make out any patterns, while duel mode opens up more skills and combos for you to punish your foe. This constant switching between field mode and duel mode is a great way to make sure gameplay doesn't get stale, as you have to adjust your playstyle on the fly with each change.
Pro Encourages experimentation and creativity
There is no right or wrong way to do anything, and it's entirely a risk vs reward scenario for anything you want to try. You are only limited by your creativity in escaping, as each prison has almost endless possibilities and encourages the player to make the best use of their inventory and be creative in handling every situation.
Bed sheets can be used to cover cell windows from the prying eyes of guards, desks can be moved to reach out of reach vents, crafted tools can be used for various purposes such as breaking through walls or doors, and shovels can be used to dig holes. You can try to sneak around guards, or opt to hide in vents until they're out of sight. If you're feeling especially brave, you can even attempt to fight the guards and take their keys allowing easier access around the prison.
Pro Good balance of game systems make for a rewarding simulation
Taking action in the game uses up your stamina, so you'll still have to make time for things like eating and sleeping if you want to have energy for things like digging through walls, fighting other inmates, or cutting through vents and gates.
Items such as shovels and cutters have limited durability, so they can't be used endlessly. Raw materials can be found around the prison to craft items, or you can buy items from fences using money earned by running fetch quests for other inmates. No matter how you acquire them, crafting materials and finished goods are limited so you'll have to use your items wisely.
Time is an important factor that has to be managed too, with certain activities having to be done at certain times. This limits the amount of time you have to roam the prison, since you have to show up for meal times and roll calls. Free time can be used to craft, roam the prison to determine the guard patterns, or finally put your ultimate escape plan into action.
Juggling each and every one of the various aspects of the game results in a very deep and rewarding simulation experience.
Pro Solid progression of difficulty
The difficulty increases as you progress, with each prison becoming just a little more intricate and more challenging to escape from than the previous. The prisons themselves get more complex with more obstacles to overcome such as tougher guards which results in more ways things can go wrong. The progress feels good and natural, as you're always building on what you learned in previous prisons to escape from the newest one.
Pro Great pixel art style for retro fans
If you enjoy a more retro style, then this game is pure eye candy. Simple but charming, the pixel art is colorful, with the sprites having a nice variety in animations when they're shoveling, searching, running around, fighting, or partaking in any kind of activity that would require movement. The tile sets for the game world are nicely detailed, colored and shaded. You won't get tired of looking at the same tiles over and over due to the sheer amount and variety of the art assets created for the game.
Pro Lots of replayability
No two games will play out alike. Each prison is an open sandbox, so it's definitely not a linear experience with a defined escape blueprint. Prisons can be replayed over and over to beat your previous time, measured in how many in-game days it took you to escape, which leaves plenty of room for trying new things on each successive playthrough.
Pro Co-Op multiplayer mode adds a new depth to gameplay
Working together creates a whole new experience with loads of possibilities. In co-op mode, you play with up to 3 teammates either online or locally as you work towards escaping the prison together. This adds a whole new dynamic to gameplay as working together creates experiences that just aren't possible when playing solo. Someone could distract the guards, while another searches rooms for crafting materials. One player could run around collecting items, while another scopes out the guard's patrol patterns. Some can complete quests to collect money while others are working on digging tunnels.
Pro A couple of alternative prisons add a change of scenery
Tired of bricks, cold floors, and cement cells? For those who want a change of scenery, there is a prison set in the wild west, and even a futuristic space prison. This adds a little bit of variety to the look of the game while keeping the same gameplay mechanics. It's a nice touch and gives your eyes a break from staring at the same tilesets over and over.
Cons
Con Not many incentives to pick this up if you have the original
If you already own the Wii U version of Pokkén Tournament, then this DX port might not be worth another purchase. Sure, there are a few more characters, ranked online matches, 3v3 team battles, and quality of life improvements to the controls for local co-op, but this may not be enough for some players. For anyone on the fence about picking this up at full price, you can get away with waiting for a price drop without missing out on much.
Con Bland voice acting
The voice acting in this game is pretty unremarkable. Everyone sounds so stilted and robotic, with no emotion whatsoever. If it grates on your nerves too much, there's an option to turn the voices off altogether.
Con Getting caught by guards can be overly punishing
It's frustrating when you spend several hours grinding quests for other inmates, collecting items, crafting, and carefully planning your escape, only to get caught by guards and lose all your items or killed. This effectively means you have to start over, wasting hours of your own time and days of in-game time.
Con Can feel grindy at times
Running around doing fetch quests for other inmates, or searching for crafting materials for hours on end can get stale after a while.
Con Tutorial doesn't cover much
The tutorial will only walk you through the barest of basics, resulting in the player having to learn the game's various mechanics on their own.