Don't Judge a Book...

You all know the saying "don't judge a book by it's cover." In this case, it should be "don't judge a game by its genre." That's exactly what I did. I went into Escape the Museum 2 with rock-bottom expectations. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fantastic hidden object games out there, but the majority of them are sloppy, cheap attempts to make a buck. I haven't played the first game, so I just assumed that this game would be like all the other sorry attempts to cash in on the hidden object craze and I braced myself for a terrible experience.

I've never been more wrong.

This product is incredibly fun and gut-bustingly hilarious. When I wasn't laughing by butt off, I was deeply involved with whatever puzzle I was currently solving. This game doesn't actually break free of any of the staples of the genre, but it uses them to great effect, and is a fine example of what a hidden object game should be.

Heading to the Museum

The game's relation to its predecessor is a unique one. This isn't a standard follow up, but it instead takes place at the same time as the original Escape the Museum. In the first game, Susan and her daughter Caitlin were trapped in the museum after an earthquake nearly destroyed the city. This time around, you play as the husband who was at home dozing on the couch when the quake hit. With the whole city in shambles, you need to find your way to your wife and daughter.

Your Wise Friend

One of the funniest aspects of the game is the homeless man that you meet the second you leave your house. He's clearly off his rocker, but he's also pretty smart, and he'll always help you out in a pinch. When you click the hint button, he'll find an item for you - by throwing a bottle at it. I can't remember the last time I laughed this often while playing a game.

A Difficult Journey

With the city in its current state, it's not easy to get across it. You'll have to solve a lot of puzzles along the way in your quest to get from A to B. You'll spend a good amount of time saving people who were hurt in the quake and sometimes those people will help you get further. The game also has side quests for you to complete, such as returning a little lost puppy to its owner.

Definitely Recommended

Escape the Museum 2 is an amazing title and it ranks among the best hidden object games that I've ever played. It's loads of fun and it'll have you in stitches throughout, and I'm not a person who laughs easily. The puzzles are clever and you'll be relying on your homeless friend quite a bit, but it never comes close to getting frustrating. I wasn't lucky enough to play the first game in the series, but that's a problem I'm hoping to rectify as soon as possible.