Boxes: Lost Fragments by Big Loop Studios

Boxes: Lost Fragments is a game about solving highly intricate puzzles. Each titular box has a bunch of small mini-puzzles to solve, ranging from hidden switches, sequence puzzles, or pattern recognition.

There is a nice variety of puzzle types here to solve and keep you enthralled throughout. One had me repair a robot hand so that it would release a key. Another puzzle cleverly used a surreal perspective change to make the inside of the box feel like a long hallway.

Moments like these made me excited to see what else the game had up its sleeve. The puzzles shine, and it never felt like I was doing a similar puzzle over and over again. Sure, puzzle types repeat here and there, but they are smartly spread out to curve repetition.

Thinking outside the Box

So what makes a great puzzle game? A lot of people clamor for challenge, but some want a puzzle game that’s just difficult enough to make them feel smart once they solve it. Boxes game definitely falls into the latter category. I didn’t get stuck often.

Slide puzzles are often tricky for me, so those took me a bit longer to solve, but overall, the puzzles here aren’t very difficult, offering just enough of a dopamine hit to keep me playing.

Boxes does encourage – and require – exploration: rotating the camera to find a hidden switch or object, remembering where certain keys or items fit, and memorizing environmental clues like painted shapes to unlock doors. In this regard, Boxes feels more relaxing than frustrating, almost like a tablet game you could play in small stretches.

Thankfully, the game has a helpful hint system in place if you get stuck and even lets you automatically solve small puzzles if you need to.

What’s in the Box?

As mentioned before, there is a lot of variety when it comes to solving these boxes. I really liked it when the game played with scale, offering magical, more surreal boxes to solve. These boxes hint at an intriguing world that I wish the game had leaned heavier into.

The narrative in this game is sparse, though. Notes scattered here and there give hints about what’s going on, and while I like this approach, I did wish for more details to make the themes hit home harder. Don’t expect an involved narrative, especially since Boxes ends abruptly.

Visually, Boxes stuns in many places. Everything feels so buttery smooth to interact with. The atmosphere itself is dark and unsettling, steampunk alternative history style that’s pulled off so successfully! I really liked the mood and the way it added to the mystery surrounding the boxes themselves.

The Verdict

Boxes: Lost Fragments is a fantastic puzzle game. I may have small issues with its narrative, but the core experience is so well-executed and engaging, that it’s hard to fault it in that regard.

I highly recommend this game to those looking for a more relaxing style of puzzle game.

Boxes: Lost Fragments is available via Google Play and Steam.

Check out the official trailer for Boxes: Lost Fragments below: