Coming To VR – Escape Simulator

Highly interactive puzzle co-op Escape Simulator dropped a free VR update earlier this month, and we’re in love! Here’s everything you need to know about Escape Simulator VR.

Escape rooms and puzzles go hand in hand with VR gaming. There never seems to be a moment without another virtual reality puzzle game launching on Steam. That said, Pine Studio’s Escape Simulator is genuinely worth a play. Already a pretty successful non-VR title, the game has had countless updates since its 2021 launch, including a boatload of DLC that is actually worth picking up. Now, finally, thanks to the latest free update, we can play in VR!

Yes, it’s really free! If you already own Escape Simulator, you can now play a fully fleshed-out VR version of the game.

Gameplay

Set across a whole host of locations, Escape Simulator offers an exhilarating first-person puzzling experience from the labyrinth of ancient Egypt all the way to outer space. One of the game’s standout features is its emphasis on interactivity. From rearranging furniture to scrutinising every nook and cranny for clues, the level of detail goes well beyond the norm of VR puzzle games. Want to smash pots or break locks? You’re in luck – practically everything in these rooms is fair game.

When it comes to smashing pots and looking under every rock, you might want to enlist a few comrades. Escape Simulator’s co-op mode is as chaotic as it is fun. For this review, I teamed up with a couple of friends to check out the first few levels before continuing on my own. You might think having people along for the ride makes it easier… I can’t say that was the case for us, someone (and I’m not naming names) can’t read it seems. Once you get past any difficulties brought on by your smooth brain friends, there is a lot of fun to be had working together in this one.

While the recommended team size is 2-3 players for built-in rooms, the flexibility to accommodate larger groups, with community rooms tested for up to 10 participants, ensures there’s always room for everyone. There’s even some character customisation to be had in the main menu. I’d have loved to have seen just a few more crazy hats to try on, though.

Options & Accessibility

A lot of seasoned VR users will scoff at snap turning and vignetting, but these are useful features for a lot of gamers. Escape Simulator has a reasonably large selection of accessibility options built into the game. You would think in current year, we’d be past asking for things like toggleable snap-turning, teleportation, and VR blinking, but some recent VR games just haven’t had them. The attention to detail doesn’t stop there, either. Escape Simulator even includes a dark mode option!!! Finally, my tired, bloodshot eyes can have a small break. I’m just an eepy lil gamer, with a vitamin D deficiency and a concerning lack of any sleep schedule. 10/10

Escape Simulator PC Requirements

Component	Minimum Specs	Recommended Specs
Operating System	Windows 10	Windows 10/11
Processor	X64 architecture with SSE2 instruction set support	X64 architecture with SSE2 instruction set support
Memory	4 GB RAM	16 GB RAM
Graphics	DX10-capable GPU	GTX 1060 or better

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Let’s Escape

There has never been a better time to get into VR! Whether you’re looking for a standalone experience or a full PCVR setup, Overclockers UK has got your back. Make sure to check out the Coming To VR series below and comment any games we’ve missed.

Know a VR Game We Should Showcase?

2023 was chock-a-block with incredible VR titles, and 2024 is off to a great start! If there’s an upcoming VR game, you think we should cover, let us know in the comments section.