You're trapped. Water is literally hissing through a cracked valve, the lights are flickering a sickly orange, and your only lifeline is a person sitting on a couch next to you who can’t even see your screen. This is the stress dream that How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine sells. It isn’t just a puzzle game; it’s a communication stress test that makes Overcooked look like a spa day. Most people go into this thinking it’s a standard escape room simulator, but honestly, it’s closer to a digital version of Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, just with more rust and a lot more drowning.
The setup is pretty simple on paper. One person plays on a PC or console—they are the "trapped" player inside the sub. The second person uses a free companion app on their phone or tablet. They have the blueprints, the manuals, and the solutions. Neither of you can see what the other is looking at. If you don't talk, you die. It’s that blunt.
Why How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine Is Different From Other Escape Games
Most escape room titles, like the Escape Academy series or Escape Simulator, let you wander around and figure things out at your own pace. You see the lock, you find the key. Easy. How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine throws that out the window because the "key" isn't in the room with you. It’s in a PDF or a mini-game on your friend's phone. This creates a specific kind of psychological friction. You'll find yourself screaming "The thing with the red dial!" while your partner is looking at a chart that has four different red dials, none of which look like what you’re describing.
The game relies heavily on "Asymmetrical Gameplay." This isn't just a buzzword. It means the developer, Breakfirst Games, had to design two entirely different experiences that intersect perfectly. If the person on the phone is bored, the game fails. If the person in the submarine feels like they’re just a glorified remote control, the game fails. Fortunately, the pacing here is frantic enough that nobody has time to be bored. You are constantly fighting a ticking clock. As the air runs out, the screen starts to blur and the audio distorts. It's mean. I love it.
The "Companion App" Hurdle
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the app. To play How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine, the second player has to download a specific app from the iOS or Android store. It’s free, which is a massive plus. You don't need to buy two copies of the game. That’s a pro-consumer move that honestly more developers should copy. However, this is where a lot of technical hiccups happen.
I’ve seen reports of the app crashing on older hardware, or the sync between the PC and the phone getting wonky. If your Wi-Fi is spotty, you're going to have a bad time. You have to ensure both devices are updated. If the app version doesn't match the game version, the codes won't work. It’s a literal barrier to entry. But once it works? The tactile feel of flipping through digital pages on a tablet while your friend panics in your ear is genuinely immersive. It feels like you’re the tech support in a disaster movie.
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Breaking Down the Puzzle Logic
The puzzles themselves aren't just "find the hidden object." They are logic puzzles. You’ll deal with:
- Sequential Logic: Doing things in a very specific order based on manual instructions.
- Visual Interpretation: Describing weird symbols that look like alien hieroglyphics.
- Sound Cues: Sometimes the submarine player has to describe a rhythm or a pitch.
- Math: Yes, there is a bit of "quick math" involved. Don't panic, it’s not calculus, but under pressure, 7+5 can feel like rocket science.
The difficulty curve is steep. The first room is a "hand-holding" experience, but by the third room, the game stops being nice. You’ll face puzzles where the solution for the first player is hidden inside a mini-game the second player has to solve simultaneously. It’s "Co-op" in the truest, most aggressive sense of the word.
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Run
Most players fail How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine not because they aren't smart enough, but because they talk too much and listen too little. It’s a classic communication breakdown. The player in the sub starts narrating everything they see—"There's a pipe, there's a chair, there's a light"—and it just creates noise.
You have to be surgical. Instead of saying "I see a bunch of wires," you need to say "I have a panel with four wires: red, blue, blue, green. Tell me which one to cut." The "Hacker" (the person with the app) needs to be the leader. They have the information. The player in the sub is just the eyes and hands. If the sub player tries to lead, you’ll run out of oxygen every single time.
Another big mistake? Ignoring the environment. Sometimes the solution to a puzzle isn't on a control panel; it’s etched into the wall behind a locker or hidden in the flickering pattern of a lightbulb. The game rewards people who can stay calm while the literal "game over" music starts ramping up.
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Is It Actually "Human-Quality" Difficulty?
Some critics argue the game is too hard. I disagree. It’s just unforgiving. We’ve become used to games that give us a "hint" button every 30 seconds. In How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine, the hints are baked into the manual. If you can’t find the hint, it’s because you didn't read the manual carefully enough.
It’s a throwback to old-school PC adventure games where you actually had to take notes. Honestly, grab a pen and paper. If you try to do this purely from memory, you are going to lose. Writing down codes or drawing quick sketches of the symbols you see will save you about five minutes of redundant talking. In this game, five minutes is the difference between winning and a watery grave.
Technical Realities and Platforms
You can find this on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. The Steam version feels the most "natural" for this kind of game, mainly because having a keyboard for some of the input-heavy puzzles feels a bit faster than navigating a radial menu with a controller. But the Switch version is great for "couch co-op" because you can literally sit back-to-back.
One thing to note: This is not a long game. If you’re a puzzle god, you might blow through it in 3 to 5 hours. But for the average pair of humans? Expect about 6 to 8 hours of playtime, likely spread over a few sessions because the mental fatigue is real. Your brain will feel like mush after two hours of high-stakes communication.
Real-World Advice for New Players
If you’re about to jump in, do these three things first.
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First, check your audio. If you aren't in the same room, use a high-quality voice chat like Discord. Any lag in your voice will lead to failed puzzles.
Second, the person with the app should spend five minutes just looking through the menus before the PC player even hits "Start." Familiarize yourself with the UI. Know where the "Engine Room" section is versus the "Navigation" section.
Third, agree on a vocabulary. If there’s a symbol that looks like a triangle with a line through it, decide now if you're calling it "Stripped Triangle" or "Delta." Don't wait until the room is filling with water to have a debate about geometry.
The Actionable Protocol for Success
To actually beat the game without screaming at your partner, follow this workflow:
- The Intake Phase: The Submarine player describes the interactive elements only. Ignore the scenery. Find the things that move or have keypads.
- The Search Phase: The App player looks for those specific keywords in their digital manual.
- The Execution Phase: The App player gives one instruction at a time. Do not list five steps. Say "Turn the red valve." Wait for the confirmation. Then say "Now flip the third switch."
- The Reset: If a puzzle fails, stop. Don't keep clicking. Take ten seconds to breathe and re-verify the information. Rapid clicking in a panic is the fastest way to trigger a fail state.
How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine isn't a game you play to relax. It’s a game you play to see if your friendship or relationship can handle a crisis. It's claustrophobic, it's stressful, and the puzzles are genuinely clever. Just make sure your phone is charged and your patience is high before you seal the hatch.
Next Steps for Players:
- Download the Companion App early: Search for "How 2 Escape" on the App Store or Google Play to ensure your device is compatible before purchasing the full game.
- Establish a "No Blame" rule: This game is designed to cause mistakes. Decide beforehand that you won't get actually angry when someone misreads a symbol.
- Set up a "Note Station": Use a physical notepad or a tablet with a stylus. Documenting codes from previous rooms is sometimes necessary for later puzzles.