Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School adds more campus life to the escape room formula

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In the year 2022, iam8bit Presents made its entrance as a game publisher with Coin Crew Games’ inaugural game, titled Escape Academy – an entertaining school-themed spin on escape rooms. This game was rich with puzzles requiring lateral thinking and logic. Now, three years have passed, and Coin Crew Games is back in the classroom with Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School. With the excitement brewing, Shacknews decided not to wait for the school bell but jumped at the opportunity to try it out during this year’s Summer Game Fest.

In its second installation, “Back 2 School” is set following the occurrences of the initial “Escape Academy”. Thankfully, a storyline centered around memory gas ensures that you won’t have to fret about completing any summer homework. Consequently, it seems that you can easily jump into “Back 2 School” without having played the original game.

Starting off, it’s clear that Back 2 School quickly establishes the pace for the academic term. The challenge commences instantly with a 20-minute time limit, where players must unravel a digital keycode to unlock a classroom before it gets crushed by a spiked ceiling. Time is of the essence when children are at stake, so solving this puzzle was a top priority.

The heart of the puzzle revolves around discovering the names of the school’s three founders, which are cleverly concealed within various riddles strewn across the classroom. Critical thinking and logic skills are essential in this game, but sometimes, a simple glance can offer helpful hints too. For instance, a poster warning me not to overlook what was right before my eyes actually held the solution in plain sight, though I won’t reveal exactly what that means to avoid giving away any spoilers. This is Escape Academy, not Clue School.

In contrast to the original Escape Academy, Coin Crew Games aims to distinguish the sequel, Back 2 School, by giving greater emphasis to the “Academy” aspect of the title. This implies that the game will offer a more expansive, open-world environment. After successfully escaping a dire situation in the first game, players are now given the freedom to roam within the school’s premises. Unlike the original, which followed a linear structure, Back 2 School provides players with the flexibility to navigate the escape curriculum at their own pace.

In this setting, there were main tasks to accomplish, but you could also interact with other students and embark on additional missions or side quests. One such mission was purchasing a soda for another student in the quad, which had an unexpected escape room-esque twist. Often, you might stumble upon a puzzle without actively seeking it, like when observing the cafeteria’s “Open ONLY at noon” sign, which held a concealed meaning. Essentially, everything in Escape Academy serves as a puzzle, even simple activities such as buying books.

Similar to Escape Academy, Back 2 School plans to provide two-player co-op play, both locally and online. What sets it apart is how it manages players pursuing separate campus adventures, which should be intriguing to observe. Keep in mind that the game is still in development, so more details will surface over time. Unlike a high-stakes escape room with a collapsing ceiling, there’s no tight deadline here.

Up until now, it seems that Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School will continue the engaging gameplay that Coin Crew Games introduced in 2022. As we approach the new academic year, there’s still plenty of leisure time during summer (and even fall, winter, and perhaps spring) before we return to school. Keep an eye out for Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School arriving on PC in 2026.

The content you see here is derived from an initial demonstration that was showcased during Summer Game Fest: Play Days. Please note that the finished item might undergo some modifications before its final release.

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2025-06-09 20:28