A Way Out Walkthrough | Part 1: Escape

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It’s a breakout! In the opening chapters of A Way Out, you’ll meet Leo and Vincent, a pair of convicts that join forces to escape a hardened prison. For a prison escape game, you really don’t spend that much time in prison — Vince and Leo hatch their plan early, and by the end of this act, you’ll be on the lamb, running from the cops.

If only escape was that easy. In A Way Out, you’ll have to work together every step of the way. This game requires coop, and there’s no challenge you can complete alone. It’s all about working together to solve just about any problem. If you encounter a puzzle, the answer usually involves your friend helping things along. Just incase you’re ever stuck, we’re putting together a complete walkthrough, with tips to solve every challenge in the game.

It’s worth noting here — just about everything can be done by Leo or Vincent, but some actions are exclusive to one or the other convict. We haven’t tried every combination, so try experimenting if one player can’t follow the steps listed below exactly. Try swapping places!

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A Way Out Walkthrough | Part 1: Escape

Beginnings

This is the prologue. Very straightforward — just follow the path and return Leo / Vincent to their cells and enjoy the cutscenes.

The Yard

The first real chance to explore. In this quick chapter, Leo and Vincent will convene in the basketball court.
- Leo needs to go to the basketball court first. When the action begins, Vincent should approach and wait near the crowd, then he’ll be throw into the fight.
The fight is a QTE sequence — press [Square / X] to attack, and [Triangle / Y] to counter.

Canteen Brawl

Another short chapter. Leo will be attacked when he approaches the canteen counter. Rush to help with Vincent, then you’ll split up and deal with two knife-wielding attackers.
- Back away from the prisoners with knives. Interact with the shelves and pans to your left and right to slow the attackers down as you back away.
Back all the way out of the canteen to escape this chapter.

Helping Hand

For this chapter, Leo can move freely while Vincent is stuck in bed. The goal is to collect a tool from the office in the medical ward — Vincent distracts while Leo sneaks.
First, call over the nurse with Vincent to distract her, allowing Leo to reach the hallway. If she sees you out of bed, you’ll fail the chapter.
Interact with the low wall to hide and stay low. Go around the hallway and wait for the guard to leave. When the guard returns to the desk with coffee, wait for Leo to reach the corner, then Vincent can knock on the glass, surprising the officer and distracting him so Leo can sneak by.
Sneak past the guard and take the tool from the table. After that, Vincent will need to talk to the nurse some more, distracting her so Leo can sneak back into bed.

Work Detail

On the way out of the medical ward, Leo ditched the tool on the roof through a window. To retrieve it, you’ll need to work together.
To get the chisel, pick up the mops in the corner. Vincent can snap his mop in half. Talk to the guard at the door, and he’ll leave.
Help Leo up the wall to the right of the door (the one the guard left through) so Leo can retrieve the chisel. The way back down isn’t so simple.
Leo needs to cross the scaffolding to reach the opposite rooftop, then open the skylight and drop into the room below.
- Talk to the guard with Vincent to distract him so Leo can cross the scaffolding.
The exit door for Leo is locked. Vincent can unlock it, and then Leo can pass the chisel to Fred.

Cell Breach

In this chapter, Leo and Vincent work together to create an escape route from their cells. Using the chisel, Leo (and then Vincent) will remove the toilet, remove the metal plate, and cut through the metal bars.
- While one character cuts through the various layers of wall behind the toilet, the other should keep watch. Two guards patrol — left and right — and they’ll always cross over both cells to check inside.
If a guard looks in a cell while one of you is chiseling an escape route, you’ll immediately fail the chapter and have to restart. Pay attention to the direction of the guards — cancel when a guard is coming.
- You can also talk to a guard to momentarily distract them. It only lasts a few seconds, so just enough to exit the chisel animation.
When Leo completes his task, interact with the corner of the cell to pass the chisel to Vincent. Repeat the process to escape.
After that, Leo and Vincent will wait until light’s out to sneak through the hidden background.
- Climb up the ladder and both characters can pull down a pipe from the wall.
- Jam the pipe into the fan, and the other can crawl through.
- To stop the fan, pull the power cord.
To complete the chapter, both characters will need to investigate the deep shaft and formulate a new plan — get laundry!

Laundry Smuggle

Leo and Vincent need to create a lengthy laundry rope. To do that, they’ll need to smuggle themselves into an off-limits area and stash sheets through a vent.
Go to the prisoner standing at the back room and talk to him. It doesn’t matter what you say — you’ll fight your way through and get a cart.
With the cart, one character can jump into the cart and hide. Place three or four sheets from the table (the one covered in sheets!) to the right.
- When there are enough sheets to keep your friend hidden, roll the cart past the guards at the checkpoint. Stay hidden!
Next, you’ll need to distract the guard near the orange door. To do that, go to the large dryer — place a canister inside and turn it on. The guard will rush to the orange door — your friend can unlock the door from the inside.
Near the vent, work together to lift one player up — from up high, grab sheets and pass them to your friend until you’ve got enough.

The Way Out

The sheet rope is finally complete, so you can both slide down to the bottom of the shaft.
Down below, remove the huge vent and Leo will drop down. It’s too dark! Take a flashlight from the shelves with Vincent and then you can hop down to join him.
In the sewers, use Vincent’s flashlight to help Leo see. Help him see the yellow valve. Turn it to lower the water level.
- Use the lowered water passage to reach another valve. Going up, use the barred gate to pass the flashlight from Vince to Leo.
Circle around the passage, and Leo can bust open the locked barred gate. Now Leo and Vince can work together to bust through a door.
Navigate the dark corridors until Leo turns out the flashlight. Find the sheet metal and pull it down to find a tall, tall shaft. To escape, Leo and Vince will go back-to-back and walk up the shaft.
- Press the button at the same time! If you miss, let your (lower) friend take another step to properly align yourself.
At the end of the path up, you’ll find another blocked gate. Vince and Leo need a wrench to actually escape.

Wrench Relay

In the machine shop, you’ll work together to smuggle a wrench back to your cell.
The wrench is guarded by a prisoner. Distract him by talking — while talking, the other player can grab the wrench.
Find the vent cover in the corner of the room. One character needs to pass through the security checkpoint — without the wrench — then the pair can kick open the vent cover and pass the wrench over. Move the dumpster on the other side.
- Now the second player can pass through the checkpoint, now that he’s no longer carrying the wrench.
To get through the pat-down checkpoint, pass the wrench through the open window past the guard.
Ahead, there’s another pair of guards blocking the path. Talk to them guards to distract them, allowing both players to return. Wait at the gate too reach the cell block.
Before you can hide the wrench, the warden appears and begins a cell check. Pass the wrench to your partner from the cell corner and hide it behind the toilet to complete the chapter.

Prison Escape

This is it. The real prison escape begins now. You’ll automatically begin at the grating — wrench both bolts, and pass to your partner, then lift and climb out.
Up above, grab the nearby cart and roll it to the vent cover. Climb onto the crates and remove the vent to crawl through — squeeze across the ledge and stick to cover to avoid the guards.
Ahead, you’ll be able to sneak past the guards playing poker and reach a locked door. Time your shoulder bashes — only bash then the lightning strikes. When you see the flash, hit the door together. Three hits will get you through.
Outside, you’ll get your first sneaking sequence. Stay low and stick to cover to avoid being seen. Sneak up behind guards to knock them out.
- Climb the ladder, and take out this patrolling guard.
The path leads to the work area rooftop from Chapter 5. Use the scaffolding to climb up and crawl through the warden’s office. Inside, you can go out to the balcony and release the bird to unlock the “Freedom” achievement / trophy.
Outside the office, go downstairs and into the medical ward. Sneak out through the window and watch out for the tower’s spotlight.
Stay in the shadows and the guard on the spotlight won’t see you. The spotlight moves in a predictable pattern, so hide or crouch when it passes by. Sprint to the ladder and knock out the guard, then disable the spotlight — if one player gets to the tower first, they can do this alone.
In the guard tower, grab a hanger and use it on the zip-line. This is it, you’re almost out! Just slide down the zip-line and you’re free.

Well, not quite free. Things go back fast. The zip-line snaps and you’ll have to sprint through the garage to escape sniper fire. Just keep running, and you’ll reach Act 2: Fugitives.

A Way Out Walkthrough | Part 1: Escape

A Way Out Walkthrough | Part 1: Escape

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