Escape from the Living Room 2
My, how time flies when you're having fun. It seems like only yesterday that I took over Weekday Escape and featured my first Tesshi-e room escape. Why the nostalgic turn? Partly because I'm getting old and that's what we old folks do, reminisce. And grouch about...well, everything. Mostly I'm being nostalgic because Tesshi-e has finally created a sequel to that first game we featured, way back almost two years ago. Welcome to Escape from the Living Room 2!
Some of you may remember the original Escape from the Living Room as it was a bit controversial back in the day. Some folks didn't like the fuzzy logic of constructing a toy car out of a cell phone, corks, sticks, and tape to retrieve a key from under a couch when all you had to do in real life was move the [bleeping] couch! Others hated the wall of DVDs that you had to plow through to find the few that actually pertained to the game and the puzzles. However, despite all of the complaints, as well as the more obvious design flaws of early Tesshi-e (lack of changing cursor, lack of English Translation) the game was still rather popular. Let's see how the sequel measures up, shall we?
To begin with, Escape from the Living Room 2 does not feature one of the most prominent puzzles in Tesshi-e's oeuvre, construction. There are a couple of disks to go through (Blue Rays instead of DVDs this time around, technology has moved on), but nothing near as many as the original game. And of course this time around we have Idahhh's lovely English translation to tell us exactly what is going on, although it is once again a variation on the "my friend invited me over and locked me in this room" scenario that is so prevalent in Tesshi-e's strange, surreal little world filled with friends, acquaintances, relatives, employers, and even total strangers who ambush the player into a locked room scenario (and that's not counting the times the player manages to wander into places they shouldn't be and locks themselves in). The rest is a series of logic puzzles and use of found objects and the return of another Tesshi-e constant, the wobbly picture frame. So is Escape from the Living Room 2 the better escape? Mostly yes.
The improvements in Tesshi-e's design (controls, visual, and puzzle-wise) are obvious immediately. The new interface with the easy inventory control, the great English translation (available as a separate game, remember to change the language when you start), the ability to mute the music and sounds, and the ability to save are a notch above earlier games. The puzzles flow together with a lot more logic, removing one of the criticisms of the earlier game (how were we supposed to even know we needed to make a car?). The visuals are, quite frankly, stunning. When you look back at the original you see some pretty good three dimensional design, but it's a very generic, sterile room. Escape from the Living Room 2 features a place so realistic it looks like something you'd really like to live in, or a place that someone already does inhabit.
On the downside, though, is the fact that the puzzles in Tesshi-e games are beginning to feel a bit...samey. That wobbly picture puzzle, for instance, is getting extremely old. The original Escape from the Living Room featured a really cool three-layer totem that was fun to solve but there's nothing quite so original this time around. Heck, it might have even been nice to have a bit of construction (although nothing so intricate as creating the toy car) to hark back to the first game. And I cannot say it enough, Tesshi-e needs to learn how to code a changing cursor to eliminate the pixel hunting.
Despite a few minor complaints, though, Escape from the Living Room 2 is a fun stand-alone room escape, a bit of a nostalgic nod to the past while incorporating all of the elements that make the more current Tesshi-e games much more fun and playable. Whether you are young and new to the genre or an old, old veteran like myself, Escape from the Living Room 2 is quite a fun classic room escape game, perfect for the mid-week break.
Walkthrough Guide
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Walkthrough
My first, but I was pretty happy to have solved this escape so early with no hints!
Exploring the room:
You start out facing the balcony. Notice a funny statue of a man in the left corner.
Straight forward, to the left, there's a locked balcony door.
To the right of the door is another set of windows. You can see another funny statue of a man.
Turning right, you can see a funky shelf. That shelf has a rocket statue on it that needs a number clue, and soemthing behind a panel in the front.
There's a TV on this wall, but it doesn't seem to turn on.
There's also a painting of a girl, and it seems loose!
Turning right again, there's a locked door with a keypad next to it, and a set of shelves.
Turning right one more time, there's a wall with some windows, a couch, and a coffee table with some art on it.
Inspect the leftmost window next the shelves. It's dirty!
Inspect the art in front of the couch (large circle). The inscription says 300.
Exploring the shelves:
In the upper left are some CD cases.
Below that is an aquarium with an electric eel in it. There's also a key that you probably want, but the eel is posing a problem with that right now.
Next to the CD cases is an octopus statue.
Below the octopus is a funny sculpture that has two feet on it, the happy coin visibly taunting you, and requires a four-digit code to open, and has a star on the front.
On the rightmost shelf, at the top are three cat statues.
In the middle, there is a clocklike mechanism that has a card slot on the bottom and three buttons that move the hands of the clock.
Below that clock is a tea set.
Across the bottom are three locked doors. The first requires a code with three roman numerals, the second is locked withtout a visible mechanism, and the third requires a key.
Gathering things:
Return to the view facing the balcony. Head straight forward toward the switch between the windows on the balcony window wall. Press the switch to turn on the A/C.
Notice the card falling out of the vent.
Back up, click in the left corner of the room, and pick up the card. It says "Cat Octopus Man" in front of a star.
Go back to the wall with the painting on it and click left of the funky shelves to discover a keycard. Take it.
Also take the hook it was hanging on.
On the shelves, where the tea set is, take the tea cup.
Also on the shelves, open each of the CD cases. They contain:
Nothing
A Blu-ray disc
A code: (+14253)
Find the couch and click on the leftmost side of it. Note the equation (+614=) and pick up the batteries.
Opening the Foot Statue:
This wants a four digit number.
It has a star on it... What else has a star?
The card in your inventory from the A/C vent.
How many of each of those animals have we seen?
3 Cats, 1 Octopus, 2 Men
312 isn't enough digits.
Remember, the statue has feet
How many feet do each of those animals have?
482 still isn't enough digits.
What about the total number of feet?
Try 12-8-4, since there are 3 cats with 4 feet (12), 1 octopus with 8 feet, and 2 men with 2 feet (1284 is the code). Take the screwdriver.
Opening the Middle Cabinet:
Use the screwdriver to release the screws near the foot statue.
The cabinet is now open.
Take the stick, and note the word "Girl" and numbers around it.
Moving the Painting:
Click the painting. The corners move!
Where have we seen reference to a girl?
Use the numbers from the middle cabinet to click the corners in order.
The answer is lower left, lower right, upper left, lower right, upper left, upper right. Take the rag.
Cleaning the Window:
We need cleaning supplies!
We have a rag.
It doesn't work!
Maybe we need to wet the rag.
The eel prevents us from wetting the rag directly.
If only we could get water out without touching it.
Do we have a vessel for water?
Put the teacup in the aquarium.
Examine the rag in your inventory, then use the teacup on it to get a wet rag.
Go back to the window and clean it with the wet rag. Get the code VII III IX.
Opening the Left Cabinet:
Use the code from the dirty window
You find a triangle with a 60 in it. Take the remote control.
Operating the TV:
Examine the remote control and put the batteries in it.
Turn on the TV to some colored bars.
Change to the Bluray player (TV/BD button) and click the eject button (the upward facing triangle on the remote).
Put the disc in the Bluray player, and hit eject to close the tray.
Note the image of the square with a 150.
Setting the Clock Device:
Return to the shelves and check the contraption under the cats that looks like a clock. It has a card slot.
Examine the keycard and click on it to flip it over to get a clue for the clock.
The clue is 12=0, 3=90
If 12 is 0, and 3 is 90, and the hands have a triangle, circle, and square...
Remember that the triangle is 60, the circle is 300, and the square is 150.
Think angles and degrees...
Each number on the clock is 30 degress. Consequently, you need to put the triangle hand on the 2, the circle hand on the 10, and the square hand on the 5. Use the white buttons on the clock to set
the hands.
Now insert the card. Take it back out. It changed!
Opening the Right Cabinet:
It needs a key.
There's one in the aquarium!
How to get it out... What's in the inventory that can help?
The stick isn't good enough... can you combine it with something to make it better?
Put the hook on the stick.
Use the hook/stick to get the clover key from the aquarium.
Use the clover key to unlock the rightmost cabinet under the shelves. Note the equation (+311) and the strange device.
The device has a card slot and two symbols that match your card.
Put the card in and get the spade key.
The Balcony:
Use the spade key to unlock the balcony door.
Go out on the balcony. Turn to the left. There is an ornamental unit with a shutter door. The door won't open.
Look left of the unit.
There's something there you can't reach.
What can you use to fish that thing out?
Use the hook/stick to get the paper. It has a clue with colored numbers 3142.
Back up and turn right.
Another equation! (+7819)
Opening the Funky Shelf:
Look at the right half of the shelves. Look familiar?
The numbers match the paper you just got from the balcony.
The colors on the paper match bars on the TV.
How can you get a number for each of the colors to enter on the rocket?
Enter the number of each corresponding color bar in the rocket as dictated by the clue.
The answer is 1654 (1 green, 6 red, 5 white, 4 blue)
The front opened. Take the handle.
Opening the Ornamental Unit:
Go out on the balcony and use the handle on the ornamental unit's shutter door. Take the heart key.
Unlocking the Main Door:
Examine the keypad left of the shelves and right of the door.
It is inactive, but it has a keyhole.
Use the heart key to activate the keypad.
Where can you get a five digit code?
What about all of those equations you've been collecting?
The sum of all four equations is 22997. Enter it and press the enter (lower right) key.
The door is unlocked! You can leave now, or get the happy coin.
Getting the Happy Coin:
Check out the TV again.
Turn on the power and notice the bars are gone and there's another clue
Man Cat Octopus
Use the same logic as before to enter a new code on the foot statue.
The answer is 4128
The coin is free! Take it and leave through the door.
Posted by: Captain_Dingo
|
April 20, 2011 2:56 AM
Escape from the Living Room 2 Walkthrough
General Information
Remember to change the language to English before you begin the game (if you don't read Japanese).
There will be directions for the colorblind.
Remember, it always pays to look at the sides of furniture in a Tesshi-e game.
There are two scenarios, the regular and the happy coin.
Good luck!
Exploration
You begin facing a large bank of windows overlooking a balcony. The windows on the left are actually doors to the balcony. On the right are three narrow windows also overlooking the balcony.
Between the doors and the three narrow windows there is a small switch on the concrete wall, click on it for a close up.
When the switch is in close up click on it to turn on the air conditioning. You will see something drop out of the ceiling vent.
Back up.
Click on the plant to the left of the glass doors.
On the floor, behind the plant, is the thing that fell out of the vent. Pick it up.
It's a note! It says "cat-octopus-man" against the backdrop of a star.
There's also a creepy man doll on the table here.
Back up.
Click on the glass doors for a close up and you will see that they are locked. Back up.
Click on the three narrow windows on the right for a close up. There's another creepy man doll out on the patio. Back up.
Turn left.
You are now facing a pinkish/purple couch, with four windows in the background.
Click on the couch for a close up.
There's a sculpture of a circle on the coffee table, with the number 300 on it. Back up.
Click on the left side of the couch to see the side.
There's a number here, +614 = and (4-4).
On the floor is a small blue object, take it (batteries).
Back up.
Click on the far left window for a close up and you will see a small dirty patch in the lower right corner. Back up.
Turn left.
There's a lot to see here. On the left is the door that leads out. To the right of the door, on the wall, is a number keypad that needs a key.
To the right of the door is a large shelf/cabinet affair.
On the far right is a set of three smaller shelves. Click on the upper shelf that appears to have three objects on it.
Okay, that's three cat statues. Back up.
Click on the middle of the three smaller shelves to see a weird clock mechanism with three hands. Each hand has a symbol (circle, triangle, square) and there is a star of David on the machine as well as a slot for a swipe card. Back up.
Click on the bottom of the smaller shelves (top of the cabinet) to see a tea set. Take the left cup and saucer and back up.
To the left of the three smaller shelves are three longer shelves. The middle shelf has two sets of objects, on the left three small objects and on the right a purple/pink object.
Click on the purple/pink object on the right of the middle shelf for a close up and see that it is a glass octopus. Back up.
Click on the three objects on the left of the middle shelf for a close up. Blue rays!
If you click on each Blue ray holder you will find that the middle one (the sunflowers) has a blue ray disk on it. The holder on the right has a clue, +14253 (2-4). Back up.
On the bottom of the long shelves (on top of the cabinet) are two objects. The one on the left looks like an aquarium of some sort. Click on it for a close up.
There's a key in the aquarium, but it's guarded by an electric eel. Ouch! Back up.
Click on the object to the right of the aquarium.
Okay, that's one of the stranger things I've ever seen in a Tesshi-e game. A statue of feet. Notice that it needs a four digit clue. Also notice that it is decorated with a star. There are also screws on the cabinet top in front of the statue.
If you click on the top of the strange statue you will see the happy coin, but it is trapped in the figurine.
Back up twice.
Now for the cabinets below. Click on the far right cabinet and you will see that it needs a key. Back up.
Click on the middle cabinet and it will not open, although there is no visible key hole. Back up.
On the left cabinet you need a three digit number in Roman Numerals. Back up.
Turn left.
On this wall there are three things: a picture on the right, a large screen TV in the middle, and a tall cabinet with what looks like a spaceship on the left.
Click on the picture for a close up. Gee, a wobbly picture, surprise! Back up.
Click on the TV for a close up.
Well, there's a blue ray player, but it's not on. Back up.
Click on the cabinet on the left for a close up.
Click on the spaceship for a close up.
Looks like we need a four digit code. Maybe to open that shelf below the spaceship?
Back up.
Click on the cabinet again for a close up, then click on the left side of the cabinet to see the side.
There's a swipe card hanging from a hook here. Take the card (it has a star of David on it). While you're there, might as well take the hook as well.
Back up twice and turn left.
Time to solve some puzzles!
The Foot Statue
Turn left (or right) twice to face the door leading out (the place with the cabinet and all of the glass shelves).
Click on the foot statue for a close up.
Notice the star on the pedestal? Where have we seen a star before?
How about the note that fell out of the air conditioning vents?
The note clue was cat-octopus-man against a star background, so it's the clue for the foot statue.
It could refer to the number of figurines in the room, but that doesn't make a four digit number.
The clue is the statue itself, which is feet. So you are looking at the number of feet on the figurines to make the clue.
There were three cat statues, so that is 12 (3 cats x 4 feet).
There was one octopus figurine, so that is 8 (1 octopus x 8 "feet").
There were two man dolls (one in the room, one on the balcony) so that is 4 (2 men x 2 feet).
The clue for the foot statue is 1284.
Enter the code into the pedestal and a door pops open. Yay, a screwdriver! Take the screwdriver.
The Middle Cabinet
You should still be in a close up of the foot statue.
Use the screwdriver on the screws in front of the statue then back up.
Now click on the middle cabinet below and click on the doors to open them.
Inside is a stick and a clue. Take the stick.
The clue is the word "Girl", surrounded by numbers. Upper left 3, 5, upper right 6, lower left 1, and lower right 2, 4.
Back up.
Turn left.
The Wobbly Picture
You should now be facing the wall with the TV.
Click on the picture of the girl for a close up.
Now you just need to click on the corners of the picture in order.
The order is given in the clue in the middle cabinet.
Click on the corners in this order: lower left, lower right, upper left, lower right, upper left, upper right.
Once you click on the corners in the correct order the picture will slide up revealing a small niche.
Take the object from the niche (rag) and back up.
Turn right.
The Right Cabinet
You should now be facing the door out.
Click on the aquarium for a close up.
We need that key. But how to get it without getting shocked?
Pull up the stick from your inventory.
Attach the hook to the left end of the stick, then close it down into your inventory.
Use the stick/hook combination on the key in the aquarium.
We have a club key! Back up.
Now click on the lower right cabinet.
Use the club key on the cabinet.
Inside the cabinet you will find an odd device with a card slot and two stars of David, as well as a number clue. +311 (1-4).
You can try the swipe card, but it doesn't work. Maybe because it only has one star of David on it?
Back up.
The Left Cabinet
We need a three digit Roman Numeral code for the left cabinet.
Click on the aquarium for a close up.
Use the tea cup on the aquarium to get some water.
Back up and turn right.
Click on the far left window, the one with the stain.
We need to clean off that stain.
Pull up the rag from your inventory.
Once the rag is in close up, use the cup of water on it.
Use the now wet rag on the stain.
A clue! VII, III, IX.
Back up and turn left.
Click on the lower left cabinet for a close up.
Enter the code you just learned from the window.
Click on the cabinet doors to open them.
There's a triangle here with the number 60 in it, as well as a remote control (it's hard to see against the black background). Take the remote and back up.
Turn left.
The TV
You should be facing the wall with the TV.
Pull up the remote from your inventory. Click on the bottom of the remote and place the batteries inside. Note: do not attempt this while in a close up of the TV.
Once the batteries are in the remote, then click on the TV for a close up.
The remote will appear in the lower left of your screen. Click on the "on" button (upper left) to turn the system on.
Hmmm, that's an interesting color bar pattern on the screen, it might be important later.
Now click on the lower right button on the remote to open the blue ray machine.
Place the blue ray disk in the machine and click on the open/close button again (lower right button).
Now click on the TV/BD button (upper right of the remote).
On the screen a new clue comes up, a square with the number 150 on it.
Back up and turn right.
The Odd Clock
Click on the odd clock (middle of the smaller shelves on the right) for a close up.
We have now seen clues that correspond to all three of the hands, a circle, a square, and a triangle.
Before we do anything, though, let's look at the swipe card. Pull up the swipe card from your inventory.
The card only has one star of David on it. That weird machine in the cabinet below has two stars.
Click on the upper left corner of the card to turn it over. A clue! 12 = 0 and 3 = 90.
Close the card back into your inventory.
Now, time to set the hands.
Think of the face of the clock as a giant compass. Each number is 30 degrees. So starting at the top, 12 = 0, 1 = 30, 2 = 60, 3 = 90, etc.
You need to set the hands to the degrees indicated in the clues. So the hand with a circle on it needs to be on the 10 (300 degrees). Use the left button to set the circle hand.
The square needs to be set on the 5 (150 degrees). Use the right button to set the square hand.
Use the middle button to set the triangle hand on the 2 (60 degrees).
Once you have the hands properly set, place the card in the slot below, then remove it.
Hey, it has two stars of David on it now!
Back up.
Click on the lower right cabinet for a close up and click on the doors to open it.
Insert the card into the slot on the weird robot-machine thing. Does that look a little like a Tachikoma?
A key will pop out of the top of the machine, take the key (spade key) and back up.
Turn left (or right) twice.
The Balcony
You should now be facing the windows and the glass doors that overlook the balcony.
Click on the doors on the left for a close up.
Use the spade key on the lock which will open the doors.
Click on the open doorway to go onto the balcony.
Once on the balcony, turn left.
There's a metal door here, but it is missing a handle.
Click to the left of the metal door to see the side.
There's something way back there, but we can't reach.
Use the stick with the hook to get the object, a clue.
The clue has some vertical numbers, from the top: 3 (in green), 1 (in red), 2 (white), and 4 (blue).
Close down the clue and back up twice.
Now turn right.
There's a clue on the back of the chair, +7819 (3-4).
Back up three times and turn right.
The Rocket
Let's solve the rocket puzzle, shall we?
The clue we picked up on the balcony with the vertical numbers seems to be a clue for the rocket and its vertical code.
But there are colors involved. Where have we seen those colors before?
Click on the TV for a close up.
Click on the power button on the remote.
Notice the colored bars?
Count the number of bars for each color. There are 6 red bars, 5 white bars, 4 blue bars, and 1 green bar.
Go back to the note. The numbers on the note are a red herring, they don't indicate an order or anything. All you need to know are the colors.
The colors on the note, from top to bottom, are green, red, white, and blue. That would make the code 1654.
Back up from the TV and click on the rocket twice for a close up.
Enter the code in the rocket and the shelf below will open.
Take the object from the shelf (handle) and back up.
Turn left.
Regular Escape
Click on the balcony doors for a close up.
Click on the door to open it and go through.
Turn left.
Place the handle on the metal door.
Click on the door to open it and take the heart key. Now we're cooking with gas!
Back up three times until you are back in the room.
Turn left (or right) twice until you are facing the door.
Click on the keypad to the right of the door twice for a close up.
Use the heart key on the keypad to activate it.
Now we just need the code!
The clues for the code have been scattered around the room.
The number clues that have parentheses after them indicate that they are four clues (1-4, 2-4, 3-4, and 4-4).
You simply need to add the numbers 311 (1-4), 14253 (2-4), 7819 (3-4), and 614 (4-4) together to get the code.
The code is 311 + 14253 + 7819 + 614 = 22997.
Enter the code into the keypad and press the enter button (lower right button).
Back up and click on the door to escape.
Enjoy the beautiful view and the tea.
Happy Coin Escape
Follow the regular escape to the point you enter the code and unlock the door.
Back up twice from the keypad and turn left to face the TV.
Click on the TV for a close up and turn it on.
You now have a new clue, Man Cat Octopus.
Back up and turn right.
Remember where you saw the happy coin in the beginning?
Click on the foot statue for a close up.
The TV gave you the new code for the foot statue.
Once again, count the feet and put them in the new order.
Man (4), Cat (12), and Octopus (8).
The new code is 4128.
When you enter the new code the statue will release the happy coin.
Take the happy coin and back up twice.
Click on the door for a close up and click on it again to escape.
Enjoy drinking the night away!
Happy Coin will bring happiness to you!!
Posted by: grinnyp
|
April 20, 2011 3:05 AM