Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School Review: A Whole World Of Puzzles To Solve

Published Nov 3, 2026, 10:00 AM EST If you're looking for a new game to scratch your puzzle-solving itch, you've come to the right place. Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School Is Well Worth The Cost Of Tuition While I’ve played plenty of puzzle, detective, and escape simulator games out there with their own takes on the genre, Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School still managed to stand out thanks to its unique premise and satisfying gameplay loop, perfectly blending three of those genres together. Living up to its predecessor, while also drastically improving on it in several key ways, Escape Academy 2 adds entirely new mechanics like open-world exploration and side-quests, giving both newcomers and fans of the original plenty to sink their teeth into. After coming off another Blue Prince kick myself, I was especially eager for another game that would put my puzzle skills to the test, and I’m happy to say that Coin Crew Games’ latest offering scratched that itch. Although the mix of puzzles on their own will be satisfying to fans of the genre, there’s plenty more under the surface that helps make the family-friendly indie sequel stand out. An Incredibly Satisfying Puzzle-Solving Experience Rather than taking players by the hand and explaining each puzzle mechanic or how to explore the school, Escape Academy 2 throws you in while also letting you figure out how the game works at your own pace, outside of the timed escape rooms, at least. Split between open-world progression challenges, shorter puzzles where you help out other students, and the large escape rooms that serve as the main draw of Escape Academy 2, there was plenty of gameplay variety to help keep things fresh as I progressed. That variety meant the most valuable skill was having a pen and plenty of paper ready to help work through all of the puzzles scattered across the game. After completing my first enrollment challenge, I was able to start earning credits to unlock more areas of the Academy, while also finding Escape Bucks. The currency is needed to get through progression roadblocks and purchase zip lines that allow for travel across campus quickly rather than simply teleporting between locations. Each of the escape rooms also serves a purpose in advancing the story. From attending classes, helping professors with their studies, and even defusing life-threatening situations, all of these lead to trying to uncover the conspiracy lying beneath the school and the darker truths about the world waiting to be revealed. Although there were times when I was frustratingly interrupted and forced to go out and search for the Escape Bucks I needed to buy story-specific items, more often than not, the satisfaction of completing the optional puzzles scattered throughout the world was enough reward on its own, scratching just the right itch each time I was finally able to figure out the solution. The only downside to the puzzles themselves is that all the letter codes spell out context-related words, meaning you can often guess what the solution is halfway through them. An Engaging World For Puzzle Fans While I was having a great time with the first few escape rooms after the introduction, Escape Academy 2 had me hooked the minute I got to see the full scope of its world. Although the experience starts off fairly linear, the school quickly opens up with plenty of secrets and side-quests, albeit in a way that can be tricky to navigate at times. Even after thinking I had seen most of what the academy had to offer, I was still surprised at just how many new rooms continued to unlock as I progressed. It kept me genuinely excited to reach a new area to see what kind of new creative environments and unique puzzles were waiting. Unfortunately, while the open-world premise is excellent for helping to flesh out the puzzle-solving gameplay loop, the students filling the academy felt a little underbaked. Although I enjoyed having a cast of characters that are actually recognizable through their repeated encounters, the models themselves were more than a little stiff, especially when compared to their expressive 2D character portraits. This became even more noticeable when NPCs or other players would run by sliding along the floor, or when textures and foliage popped in when I got closer. While the character models and animations are one of Escape Academy 2’s weaker elements, it didn’t take me out of the experience too much overall, especially when I was busy being distracted by the constant stream of clever puns and puzzle-based jokes that the well-voiced classmates, teachers, and PA system like to shout at regular intervals. What’s A School Trip Without A Few Friends After playing through most of Escape Academy 2 on my own, I wanted to try out the co-op mode alongside another puzzle lover. I was initially worried about how the open-world exploration would actually play out in multiplayer, but I found it even more enjoyable than simply solving the challenges on my own. Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School also offers vertical split-screen co-op for up to 2 players and online multiplayer for up to 4. Aside from making the experience feel more like you’re a student in a school rather than a genius solo escape artist, having another player means you can split up tasks to avoid some of the more tedious aspects of puzzle solving. One person can read the solution out loud while the other inputs the required code rather than constantly running back and forth. Unfortunately, Escape Academy 2’s multiplayer experience is exactly the same as when played alone, so you’ll have to decide if you want to play the story in co-op or not, since knowing the solutions defeats the purpose of replaying it. There has already been mention of a season pass with more challenges to come at least, but there aren’t many reasons to go back and play more just yet besides replaying past levels to try and get faster times. Plenty Of Challenges For Players Of All Skill Levels I personally enjoyed the added tension of trying to piece together each escape room under a time limit, especially during one particular puzzle where I came down to mere seconds before solving it. However, the controversial feature from the original game is now entirely optional, as you can toggle the escape timer at any time. The only downside to the new system is that if you run out of time and ask for an extension on classic, it automatically swaps to the casual mode, so you have to manually re-enable it. Speaking of stakes, the setting and premise of the Escape Academy series often lend themselves to some more death-defying scenarios that make for more memorable experiences than if they were just isolated challenges. That helped me get immersed in each appropriately themed room. If you can look past some of the visual aspects or difficulty spikes between some challenges and are looking for a moderately challenging puzzle game to play that won’t have you ripping your hair out by the end, Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School is a solid choice that rarely disappoints. I can also confirm that you can still play Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School even if you have never touched the original before. There are several dialogue options that help fill in the story gaps for anyone who is visiting the campus for the first time, although there are still plenty of nods and character arcs continued in the sequel that returning fans will appreciate in this colorful puzzle-solving sequel. Systems ESRB Everyone 10+ / Mild Fantasy Violence, Alcohol Reference, Mild Language, Comic Mischief, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases Developer(s) Coin Crew Games Publisher(s) iam8bit Presents Multiplayer Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op Prequel(s) Escape Academy Pros & Cons Incredibly charming atmosphere and cast Satisfying open-world exploration Unique and memorable puzzle designs Visual quality is inconsistent Weak hint system and directional guides