[GameSpot] - Escape Academy Brings Escape Room Challenge To Consoles, PC, And Game Pass This June

[343iBot]

Want to experience an escape room without having to put on pants or turn off your game console? Coin Crew Games has you covered with Escape Academy, a new virtual take on escape rooms from a team with experience in real-world immersive attractions. And just like with real escape rooms, you can play Escape Academy with a group of friends.

Escape Academy's premise is simple, replicating the tension and puzzle-solving adventure of a real escape room in a first-person perspective--think I Expect You To Die but with more roaming and without the VR. With a clock ticking down at the top of your screen, it's up to you to search for a way out, including solving classic puzzles like "which door will move this bookshelf." The game is framed as a training center for escape professionals to hone their skills, hence the title, and you'll notice in the trailer that it's quite a bit more technologically advanced than you're probably used to in real escape rooms. That's the power of video games.

Though it's playable in single-player mode, Escape Academy can also replicate the chaotic tension of escape room parties with cooperative multiplayer across both online and split-screen modes. Friendships may be tested if you can't agree on a solution to a puzzle, so you may want to burn some calming incense and have a camomile tea while you play.

Coin Crew Games was co-founded by Wyatt Bushnell and Mike Mohammed Salyh, both of whom have experience in attractions at companies like Dave & Busters and Disney. If Bushnell's name sounds familiar, it's because he's the son of Atari co-founder and Chuck E. Cheese's founder Nolan Bushnell.

Escape Academy releases in June 2022 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PS4, and PC. The Xbox versions will be free via Game Pass at that time.

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