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The Escapists 2 similar games & best alternatives

The Escapists 2

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Linux • 2017

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Quick resume

Craft, Steal, Brawl and Escape! It’s time to bust out of the toughest prisons in the world as you return to the life of an inmate in The Escapists 2, now with multiplayer! Have you got what it takes to escape?

Global score

91/100

Genres

Indie, Simulator, Strategy, Adventure, Role-playing (RPG), Puzzle, Tactical

Similar games

    Pros

    • High player autonomy and creativity
    • Engaging cooperative multiplayer
    • Strategic and challenging gameplay
    • Good replayability with multiple prisons and workshop content
    • Strong social bonding and community

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve for new players
    • Some repetitiveness in gameplay
    • Multiplayer servers sometimes inactive
    • Limited prison editor customization
    • Punitive ai and harsh guard detection

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Status, Competition, Creativity.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      5

      "Players have freedom to choose their own escape strategies and actions, including crafting, planning, and multiple escape methods."

    • Competence
      4

      "The game requires skillful planning, problem solving, and overcoming challenges with a significant learning curve and strategic depth."

    • Competition
      1

      "Some leaderboard and ranking elements exist but the focus is mostly on cooperative or solo play rather than direct competition."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Players report long play sessions, replayability through multiple prisons and multiplayer, and habitual play with friends."

    • Cooperation
      5

      "Strong emphasis on multiplayer co-op play, coordinating with friends to escape, and collaborative problem solving."

    • Creativity
      5

      "High creativity encouraged through crafting, multiple escape routes, prison editor, and player-driven strategies."

    • Domination
      -2

      "While players can fight guards and inmates, the game emphasizes shared experiences and cooperation over domination."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as a fun distraction and stress relief, immersing themselves in imaginative prison escape scenarios."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment, with no indication of obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      5

      "Players try various escape methods, experiment with crafting and strategies, and explore different prisons and mods."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Players explore diverse prison environments, search for items, and discover multiple escape routes and secrets."

    • Expression
      3

      "Customization of characters and escape plans allows for some personal expression, though limited cosmetic focus."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "The game features imaginative and humorous prison scenarios, including unrealistic elements like alien containment and spaceships."

    • Fellowship
      4

      "Strong community and social bonding reported, especially between family members and friends playing together."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players develop strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and learn game mechanics through trial and error."

    • Health
      -5

      "The game is sedentary with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and continuous engagement due to strategic planning and timing."

    • Intimacy
      2

      "Some emotional bonding and close relationships form through cooperative play and shared experiences."

    • Leadership
      2

      "Players sometimes lead group escape plans in multiplayer but mostly share decision-making cooperatively."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate items, craft tools, and unlock new prisons and DLC content as progression."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Some players find the game relaxing and stress-relieving, though it also involves tension and challenge."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Enjoyable pixel art and sound design provide moderate sensory stimulation and fun."

    • Status
      1

      "Leaderboards and achievements provide some recognition, but social status is not a primary focus."

    • Story
      2

      "The game has light narrative elements and lore, but story is not the main focus."

    • Strategy
      5

      "Strong emphasis on strategic planning, problem solving, and tactical decision-making."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Players experience suspense and excitement during escape attempts and unexpected events."

    • Value
      3

      "Players generally feel the game offers good value for price, especially with multiplayer and workshop content."

    • Violence
      3

      "Combat and fighting guards/inmates is a common and enjoyable gameplay element."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players must avoid detection, manage resources, and survive prison routines to succeed."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026