How is this different from Escapists 1?

[Vogelmeister]

So how exactly is it different from the original?
What's new? What's better? What's worse? Does it improve on any of the problems the original had?

[square ⬛]

I would say that The Escapists and The Escapists 2 only have the same theme/objective, escape from prison. I actually think TE1 and TE2 are two completely different games (just in the base game, there is no map editor yet for TE2).

[Vogelmeister]

Originally posted by YoshiMan:

I would say that The Escapists and The Escapists 2 only have the same theme/objective, escape from prison. I actually think TE1 and TE2 are two completely different games (just in the base game, there is no map editor yet for TE2).

So what makes them play differently? I, for example, never got into TE1 because of all the randomness. Are the levels in TE2 a bit more pre-designed?

[Finn]

The prisons are new, dogs and multiplayer. Not much is better, multiplayer and some scripted escapes, although they are debateable.

Most things are now worse. The controls are awful. You cannot pick up objects, interect with objects (job, exercise, chairs etc.), open desks, or talk to people with your inventory open. You cannot close your inventory, it closes itself after 3-4 seconds. Can you see a problem here? The developers didn't. Items in your inventory jump about as you use them, the 'used item' has to be in slot one. You no longer have a dedicated weapons slot, you you have to keep one in your inventory. There is no longer a dedicated combat mode. You can no longer have a gang or take over prisons. You don't lose your heat if you knock out a guard unnoticed, so all guard attacks are suicide runs unless you use cheesy methods. Guards notice slighly damaged vents or walls, so the wall block, real vent cover vs paper mache trade off no longer exists, just use mache. If you could be bothered because it still has durability... along with posters now too. Posters, fake vent covers etc. arnt worth using now because the items are harder to find and the faff about with the controls to use them. The themed prisons are just that, 'themed' you still have batteries, security cameras, blue hair and metal detectors in the old west and WW2, they just feel like re-enactments. There is no need to stay at roll call or showers etc. to chat to other prisoners and missions/merchants are so plentyful you don't need to worry about money, just do all the easy fetch missions, not that you ever need to buy anything anyway. Saving is also automatic, and seems to do so eveytime you mess up. So there is no longer the trade off of trying to make it to the end of the day to save your good progress, vs being able to try something tricky the next day and revert. Why on earth can't you just save your game ffs?! Also the new sounds effects mean it sounds like a walked into an 80s arcade.

Which brings us to the scripted escapes. All the previous things i've mention lead to such a feeling of boring futility and frustration that you basically just want to get to the next prison as quickly as possible in the hope its more fun (it isnt). So you end up rushing the scripted escapes which are so much easier than the normal breakouts that why would you even put yourself through it?

The only singleplayer improvement is the hidden compartment in your desk.I have not played multiplayer. Oh another thing is there are multiplayer only escapes which appear quite prominanly in the singleplayer, with many people trying to collect items for the escapes which they dont know are MP only until you pay $50 at the phone booth.

Its actually quite facinating how much developers can screw up an excellent game by changing so many small aspects that it loses its entire feel of 'worth playing' ie it feels pointless playing, like an arcade game. Its very disappointing because i loved the first one so much.

[Urist]

Originally posted by Finn:

At least stats don't degrade anymore.

[Pin Paladox]

Originally posted by MoMMI:

Originally posted by Finn:

At least stats don't degrade anymore.

And there are no more instabusts

[TommyFresh]

Originally posted by Finn:

The prisons are new, dogs and multiplayer. Not much is better, multiplayer and some scripted escapes, although they are debateable.

Most things are now worse. The controls are awful. You cannot pick up objects, interect with objects (job, exercise, chairs etc.)

I can do all of those things.... although I do agree that the controls are worse. They take some getting used to but it's not that big of a deal once you figure it out.

I'd say the bigest differences are. Multiplayer, crafting (now a lot more items to find and craft), different styles of prisons like the train and boat where you are time limited and have to escape from a moving vehicle. They added a floor layout blueprint that is pretty handy.

If you didn't enjoy the first then perhaps you won't enjoy this one. For me the first was super fun and the only thing that was missing for me was multilayer which is why I bought this.

[Vogelmeister]

Originally posted by Mr.Maniac:

Originally posted by MoMMI:

At least stats don't degrade anymore.

And there are no more instabusts

Wow. That's an important selling point here. Instabusts were probably the biggest misstep in TE1. Some could deal with them, but for me it was the main reason to quit playing.

[gabgab01]

well, combat is different, maps are a bit different, inventory system is... faster imo. it's mostly TE1 but upgraded, less clunky, better graphics and better physics and more content / features (like multi-level).