When comparing A Way Out vs The Escapists 2, the Slant community recommends A Way Out for most people. In the question“What are the best indie games on PS4?” A Way Out is ranked 21st while The Escapists 2 is ranked 22nd. The most important reason people chose A Way Out is:
This game has some fun on the side which doesn't contribute to the story but is fun anyways, its optional to do. The story about these two characters is very well planned and is kick in the balls over and over kind of game because when one shocker comes another hits even harder.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Has side fun if you want to + good story
This game has some fun on the side which doesn't contribute to the story but is fun anyways, its optional to do. The story about these two characters is very well planned and is kick in the balls over and over kind of game because when one shocker comes another hits even harder.
Pro Extremely immersive by focusing solely on the two main characters
Jumping into the roles of Vincent and Leo with a friend, and forming a bond with these characters is an easy and painless experience. The game goes out of it's way to make sure almost everything is focused on Vincent and Leo, the dynamics of their relationship, and how their story plays out. The growth and development of the duo is always center stage. There's no unnecessary side plots or needless filler characters. The entire adventure takes place as one seamless journey with no detours. Since you and your friend have full control over each and every decision made by the duo, and will be working together at all times, it can truly feel like stepping into a role.
Pro The team based action gameplay is just plain fun
Everything in the game is structured to be one big cooperative experience that will have you and friend relying on one another to get things done. Since the game relies on mostly simple mechanics, there's very little frustration involved, and that leaves a whole lot of room for fun. Sitting next to each other on the couch as you plan and coordinate each and every move between the two playable characters can be a really enjoyable gaming session.
In one section, you'll be climbing up an elevator shaft together by coordinating quicktime button presses. In another, one player will be driving while the other is shooting from the back of the vehicle. Some sections will involve one player watching for guards while the other carries out objectives like unscrewing wall panels or sneaking around. You can boost each other up ledges and even row a boat together down a raging river.
In all of this, there is a huge emphasis on simple teamwork and simply "talking it out" as opposed to bloated or tricky mechanics. Most of the actions in the game involve only a few quick button presses, but the level of teamwork and communication involved in playing out each and every scenario is where this co-op experience truly shines.
Pro Encourages making decisions together as a couch co-op team
Many parts of the game will require you to make a story decision as a team, which results in some really engaging co-op choices. The two main characters, Vincent and Leo, will oftentimes have very different ideas about how to accomplish certain tasks.
For instance, when sneaking past a police blockade, Vincent wants to plow through the patrol with brute force, while Leo prefers to sneak under the bridge. Since Vincent and Leo have to stick together for gameplay reasons, it will most likely spark a lively discussion with your friend as how to best proceed.
These kind of choices are prevalent throughout the whole game, which results in some seriously fun chats with your friend as you weigh the pros of cons of each decision.
Pro Every purchase comes with a free friend pass
After buying the game, you can send your friend a free game pass so they can play with you online without having to purchase the game themself.
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 Some boring QTEs
While the game does have a wide variety of different quicktime events with varying mechanics, a few are nothing more than mashing a single button as fast as you can. During activities such as arm wrestling, there's nothing too exciting about smashing the same button over and over.
Con A particular portion of the game can be disappointing
There's a section in the latter part of the game that devolves into a drawn-out action shooter devoid of story or much plot development. It doesn't have the fun cooperative gameplay puzzles that the rest of the game has, so it can feel like a weak point in otherwise enjoyable adventure.
Con Split screen dialogue overlaps
If your friend is having a dialogue in his section of the split screen while you're having a conversation in yours, the dialogue will overlap resulting in a confusing vocal mess.
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.