There’s nothing more worrisome than being in a room alone and How 2 Escape makes sure that the PC player has a lifeline.
Escape rooms can be a thrilling experience. But they can also be chaotic and nerve-wracking. How 2 Escape changes up the ‘mystery room experience’ by adding another soul to the mix. Once, clues and keys could be handled solo, but here, one must rely on someone they can’t even see. Will it be enough? From Breakfirst games comes a mystery game that emphasizes teamwork between two individuals.
Ema, a seemingly random woman, has been targeted. She is now imprisoned on a train with only two lifelines. One is the faceless individual responsible for her predicament. Like so many villains in mystery and horror, this individual expresses their love for the game they created. In How 2 Escape, Ema’s only other help comes from her brother Johann.
While he may not be stuck on the train, his help will ensure that Ema can get out alive. But time is limited, and every second that ticks away, Ema is closer to never leaving the train. Failure in How 2 Escape will guarantee the young lady’s demise. Will the siblings Ema and Johann be able to solve the mystery in time? Or will ‘Mr. Unknown’ lose his playthings?
How 2 Escape has the basic controls on PC that everyone is familiar with. W, A, S, and D, of course, dictated which directions Ema would travel in. The mouse, like most First-Person perspective titles, changes the player character’s point of view. Clicking the left mouse button allows Ema to pick and/or interact with certain objects. As a PC player who loves any game with inventory slots, not being able to access the inventory is a little worrisome. Rest assured, though, it is likely a way to streamline the PC player’s experience.
How 2 Escape is most assuredly a two-player game. That realization will hit anyone like a brick once they are in the storage cart of the runaway train. Playing as Ema was an interesting experience, as I had to rely heavily on my game partner L, because the mobile companion app provides certainly clues for her that I cannot access.
After enlisting L’s help, it was time to get to work and get the answer on How 2 Escape. It becomes clear from the beginning only teamwork will help either person get to the end of the game. To even first get L’s help, an unlock pattern must be described. Only then is L granted access to important documents and possible clues for a stage. Playing through the first car in How 2 Escape is a little easier than expected.
Once I provided the number for the codex located in storage, L was granted information with substantial clues. Interacting with certain objects will sometimes prompt Mr. Unknown or Mr. Hindis to send Johann/L a text message. It is certainly not an exaggeration to say it felt a little weird, especially since one doesn’t need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Without being in the same room, it was my job to describe the room Ema was in. By communicating, we finally note what the differences are, and a new clue is given. Once the symbols are placed on the cabinet lock, one is finally granted access to the key that allows one to leave the storage car. How 2 Escape really challenges one’s ability to be as descriptive as possible.
The second stage of How 2 Escape is a little less forgiving when it comes to clues. But it is only slightly harder than the first. Where the first storage is a tutorial stage, the Lounge Car gives no clues, except for the ones that come from the clue dispenser that sits in the hallway. In the storage room, it honestly feels like the clues floated like water. But here, the clues that are given once the special coins are used in the dispenser don’t help much.
For the piano, which houses one of the three keys, there were clues like ‘strings, wood, melody.” As a former piano player, I understand that pianos are often string instruments made of wood. But these clues help solve the overall puzzle of the second car.
Looking at the piano in How 2 Escape, it’s obvious it has something to do with the puzzle. Seeing the symbols, I can already surmise that I need to play a melody on the wood/string instrument. That, personally, is why I feel those clues don’t make any sense. Only by having L’s help could I even figure out the piano. With her clues, I can play a specific melody. My clues did nothing for the puzzles, but L’s help is almost always necessary throughout this stage.
Another issue I found in the lounge car is opening the suitcase. The blue suitcase, which sits on the couch across from the small grandfather clock, has another one of the three keys. I only mention this part being an issue because of two things. Firstly, finding the code requires learning Morse Code before the timer on the locked door ticks from 40 minutes to zero.
And secondly, having hearing problems in one ear makes it hard to be certain that I was even remotely correct about the dots and dashes. As fun as learning Morse Code can be for some people, I found it to be frustrating that I couldn’t personally see the Morse Code Legend in L’s files.
One of the biggest problems L and I found with How 2 Escape is the flavor text. Occasionally, the mobile player will receive messages that describe certain things. Most of the stories in those clue entries are likely meant to throw people off. It is insanely nerve-wracking to have to wait for my How 2 Escape partner to read through something and not know if any clue is contained within the story.
Aside from the suitcase and piano, another key is hidden inside the model train. From Johann/L’s end, she is to use ultraviolet light to see invisible numbers and letters in the picture. After hearing from her the five letters and the invisible number of +15, it’s time to use the special dial sitting on the table. One clue L receives after finding out more info on a former train guest is that they hid and coded their messages in the way Julius Cesar hid his correspondence.
This information spurred an idea in my head. Get to the dial, turn it till it hits +15, and write down letters that line up with the ones L informed me existed hidden in the picture. It is a very rewarding experience to learn how decoders work. What snapped things into perspective was hearing L say the words, “I used to have a decoder like that.” I liked the idea behind the decoder, but revealing the word that unlocked the key was painfully obvious.
It had us both giving How 2 Escape a major side-eye. Once we had the word, we couldn’t stop laughing at how simple the answer was. After we got ourselves together and had the final key, it was time to move to the third car, the Bunk car, where passengers live during their stay on the locomotive.
Walking into the Bunk car can be overwhelming. I knew as soon as I scanned this car in How 2 Escape this set of puzzles was going to be four times the difficulty of the first two cars combined. In this room, nothing mattered unless L’s voice was right in my ear. After communicating the right information, we were able to conclude that the identities of the passengers were of great importance.
L’s task was to place them in their respective rooms based on their preferences as passengers. Using the info surrounding two of the female passengers, I was able to find one of three punch cards used on the locked door of this stage. As big as the second car was, the Bunk car felt exponentially bigger.
After a certain point, my only reaction was panic. In this car, as far as I remember, it only afforded the PC player 30 minutes before their demise. I knew a handful of clues, and despite that, both L and I struggled to find the second set of clues. I did get close to solving the second riddle, but unfortunately for Emma and Johann, the timer ran all the way down. It was difficult, and our brains had to take a break after spending so much time trying to communicate where everyone went.
How 2 Escape is a fantastic visual experience. Using cel-shading, developers use visual clues for a great deal of the PC player’s side of things. Simple decorative objects were covered in what looked to be scribbled lines. Approaching anything with these lines will change based on where Ema is standing. It’s a very nice detail to add to the environment. It can show visual people that they’re looking at different angles.
Certain angles can be deceptive, though. As the angle can sometimes make the lines appear a bit wonky. It isn’t a huge detail that will affect anyone’s enjoyment of the game. But it is worth noting that it can happen. It is simply fascinating to see how the use of cel-shading can bring the environment to life. And unfortunately, for those wondering, one cannot see Ema’s feet in the game. And yes, I agree that games should have more visible feet in first-person view.
The audio for How 2 Escape is fine. It is very crisp and clear to hear most of the noises within How 2 Escape. While the environmental sounds are nice and clear, Emma and Johann only ever speak in the cinematics of the game itself. For the mobile player, the sounds they are given come in the form of either melodic clues or audio files that describe other characters within the story of the game.
Looking back on How 2 Escape overall, it becomes a little weird to think about the other passengers who had been on the train before. The unknown face talks about games he likes to play. So, I am fairly certain that one of the games he played involved moving the other passengers without their consent. It’s hard to tell whether the previous occupants of the runaway locomotive ever exited of their own accord.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get frustrated throughout How 2 Escape. That is probably from constantly looking at the timer and thinking, “Yep. Ema’s not going to make it.” That being said, my advice to anyone interested in solving the mystery with a partner is to stay calm, be very clear with your clues, and not look at the clock unless necessary.
How 2 Escape is a wild ride as far as mystery games go. Requiring the help of another person, according to L, is innovative, considering many titles in the same genre don’t do anything similar. Nothing about this game is easy, and that includes even the first car. Some of the clues are painfully obvious once they are revealed. Others, like me, may or may not find certain clues to be nothing more than reminders of what to do. If you’re a hardcore Sherlock Holmes fan, How 2 Escape is definitely up your alley.
