Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Jul 13, 2022
    100
    Escape Academy is an awesome experience that turns escape room puzzles into short stories without sacrificing any mechanical depth. It sits in the Goldilocks zone of difficulty, making it rewarding for all ages, and doesn’t have a moment of dead weight in its four-hour runtime. With delightful characters, funny writing and charming art direction, it’s hard not to see this as an easy game of the year contender, and a freshman entry in a game series that should go all the way to grad school.
  2. Jul 20, 2022
    91
    Overall, I thought Escape Academy was a great game, and does what it wants to serve you very well. The puzzle design is excellent and the wide array of environments keeps things fresh. The only complaint I could give is saying I wish there we more, but the quality of what is here makes it hard to complain.
  3. Jul 13, 2022
    90
    Escape Academy offers a truly unique experience that provides the player with a sense of discovery that’s difficult to compare to any other game. I have a new itch to scratch, and now no other game can satisfy that. I’ll have to go book an escape room.
  4. Jul 28, 2022
    85
    A very pleasant surprise in the current summer indie offer. The game brings relaxation, logical challenges and adds tension in one package. If you like puzzle games or escape room games, you should not miss it.
  5. Jul 22, 2022
    80
    Escape Academy is more than just an escape room simulator. It’s a narrative-based puzzle adventure bursting with personality. There’s a fine balance of characterisation, story exposition and puzzle solving that creates a uniquely enthralling experience. It’s a delightful way to pass a few hours that left me hungry for more.
  6. Jul 14, 2022
    80
    Coming into Escape Academy, I was prepared for an exhilarating and mentally stimulating time. What I got did deliver on this to a great degree, but it had some points and facets that could use some improvement. I was in awe seeing the tangled web unfold as I kept solving question after question, pondering how the escape would go. The results were a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that I’m glad I got to experience.
  7. Jul 13, 2022
    80
    With any luck, Escape Academy will be successful enough to warrant a sequel, as its uniquely quirky academic world and its cast deserve to be fleshed out even further with even more meticulously-crafted escape rooms to solve. As is, though, Escape Academy is a fun jolt of great puzzle designs guaranteed to fire up your cortex, topped off with impressive aesthetics that make for some memorable escapes. It may not be complicated breakout one might hope for, but it’s still worth checking out.
  8. Jul 13, 2022
    80
    Ever wanted to try escape rooms but never got around to it? Well, Escape Academy is a real treat to tease your brain, especially in co-op. It's approachable with a great hint system, whilst providing a decent challenge for more seasoned puzzlers.
  9. Jul 13, 2022
    80
    Escape Academy is a fun, addictive puzzler that captures the escape room magic with plenty of detail and variety, you'll just wish it lasted a little longer.
  10. Jul 13, 2022
    80
    Escape Academy is a worthy escape room game with a lot of strong puzzles. It's on the short side, but there's a lot of quality on display.
  11. Jul 13, 2022
    80
    Escape Academy captures the spirit of escape rooms in excellent fashion, wrapping up a string of thoroughly enjoyable puzzle-filled levels in a light and quirky story. Puzzle aficionados might find it a little easy, but it's a commendable first effort that left me wanting more.
  12. Puzzle games have to manage a delicate balancing act: If solutions are too simple, players lose interest; too difficult, and they feel cheated, like the answer was never decipherable to begin with. “Escape Academy” was opaque at times, but the answer always felt like it was within my grasp, if I just tried out this one idea, or thought about the puzzle from this other angle. Giving players that sense of empowerment is hard, and games don’t always get it right. But “Escape Academy” walks that tightrope with finesse, joining the pantheon of frantic-but-fun co-op greats.
  13. Oct 11, 2022
    74
    Escape Academy is far from a stellar title, but it’s enjoyable if appreciated for what it is. The creators have released a “road map” for future updates and DLC, which is always nice to see. Would-be purchasers may take heart in knowing that there’s more life to be injected if escape room puzzle solving evokes an interest. As for me, I’ll quietly look forward to these updates, but I’m in no way chomping at the bit.
  14. Aug 4, 2022
    70
    Escape Academy achieves much of what it sets out to do. Giving players and whenever possible, their co-op partners, the authentic escape room experience, cutting away the frustrations of real-life escape attempts, and focusing our attention on finding connections and solving puzzles instead. There is much satisfaction to be had whenever a tough puzzle is cracked, and while the narrative is barely needed, the effort made to add more color to the world is much appreciated, creating an overall package that truly brings to life what escape rooms are all about.
  15. Jul 15, 2022
    70
    Escape Academy is fun and works as a puzzle game, but it fails to become some sort of escape room simulator.
  16. Jul 13, 2022
    70
    Escape Academy is an endearing puzzle game that just wants to share the unique pleasure of escape rooms with everyone. Each well-designed level brings a set of clever logic puzzles that are always satisfying to solve, especially with a pal. It has a harder time bringing players a meaningful sense of failure, as the meaningless time limits suck the tension out of the room. Despite its struggles to nail down the energy of real-world escape rooms, it’s one of the most fun ways you can spend a Saturday gaming night this summer.
  17. Jul 13, 2022
    70
    There's a lot of fun to be had in Escape Academy, especially if you have a friend willing to tackle its challenges with you. Much like real-world escape rooms, the levels of Escape Academy don't lend themselves very well to solo play or replayability, but, in the same vein, those inspirations have created a challenging puzzle game that's fulfilling to complete. The narrative isn't much to write home about, but the virtual escape rooms more than makeup for that, delivering a game that encapsulates why escape rooms are some of the most fun you can have with friends.
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  1. Jul 13, 2022
    Former GameMaster Jess geeks out way too hard at Jeff Grubb, teaching him the ropes of escape rooms! [Quick look]
  2. A fantastic co-op brainteaser that's perfect material for catch-ups and corporate days. Seriously, replace team-bonding sessions with a puzzle-tower and you're golden.
  3. Jul 18, 2022
    Escape Academy is short, and it is a touch too easy. But I think its presentation and attempt to tell a story is something special that other similar puzzle games haven’t tapped yet. And for a paltry $20, it’s definitely a great way to spend a summer afternoon.
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Mar 12, 2023
    8
    great puzzle game that you can solve as in single player mode as in coop. game offers huge amount of different types of puzzles so you don'tgreat puzzle game that you can solve as in single player mode as in coop. game offers huge amount of different types of puzzles so you don't meet identical one (at least on the one floor). interest art style and sound effects is also can be treated as small plus. The plot is not outstanding, but sometimes it can be fun enough. and probably that it, its good game in case that core feature is crafted very well (i mean puzzles) and you can solve with your friend so why dont try this one ? Full Review »
  2. Sep 5, 2022
    9
    Straight to the point: I LOVED this game, beginning to end. This is what video games SHOULD be. It's a game for a specific audience: PeopleStraight to the point: I LOVED this game, beginning to end. This is what video games SHOULD be. It's a game for a specific audience: People who like puzzles and "escape rooms". It is not for anyone else. There is no "good story", there are no "great graphics!", there is NOTHING to try to convince people outside it's audience to play the game. And because of that, it is all killer and zero filler. I had top fun from the beginning to the end.

    My ONLY complain that keeps it from being a perfect score is that it's NOT "Portal 2". It's not a game that goes the extra mile to be legendary. It's great. It's not legendary.

    Kudos to the developers.
    Full Review »