Box Two is the highly anticipated follow-up to the critically acclaimed Box One. Masters of mystery Theory11 and Neil Patrick Harris promise a deeper and more challenging experience than before. Puzzles, codes and challenges await as you seek to uncover hidden secrets. Are you up for the challenge?
Players: 1-2 // Age: 14+ // Playtime: 2 hours
What you need: An internet-connected device.
Synopsis
“Your very first choice will set you on a unique path, and there’s no going back. Box TWO isn’t just bigger; it’s deeper, smarter, and packed with twists only someone like Sir Eriick Planhart—one of the world’s most acclaimed pioneers in mathematics and physics—could dream up.
Expect layers within layers that’ll make your brain do somersaults, and challenges that demand you lean on your fellow playing partners for answers. Think you have what it takes to beat Box TWO? Time will tell, but let’s just say that the ultimate puzzle experience awaits those brave enough to try. Let the game…begin!”
First impressions
Box Two shares the benefits and the risks of being the follow-up to a hugely popular debut game. Box One is generally heralded as one of the best solo puzzle games around. It is no surprise then that the anticipation for Box Two has been palpable. Box One pulled off some incredible reveals and ah-ha moments which can’t be replayed, so I was intrigued to see how they might capture that same magic here.
I should make clear right away that this is a standalone game. It isn’t Box One: Part Two. The narrative is completely self-contained, which makes it accessible to all. I would highly recommend playing Box One first, but it isn’t essential to do so. Like its predecessor, Box Two is also designed to be played solo. That doesn’t mean you have to play it solo and it is possible to play with someone else. For the optimum experience, I really wouldn’t recommend this for more than two players.
Presentation
Theory11 is known for its premium design and high-quality components and they have excelled themselves again. The box is beautifully designed with embossed gold elements that look and feel great. I love the colour palette that runs throughout the box and all of the visual flourishes. Everything has been honed to perfection.
The briefing letter is printed on a quality paper stock that feels pleasing to touch. The key and pocket watch, as pictured, are expertly crafted with exquisite details. A focus on the tactile elements is very important to me and it’s clear they’ve been a key focus here.
Aside from the visual design, I was blown away by the technical aspects. I won’t spoil any surprises, but I was very impressed with how fully the whole box was utilised. If you thought that Box One showcased every twist and turn you could employ in a game, you’d be wrong.
Gameplay
Getting started
The first challenge is literally opening the box. There are a couple of steps to get to the main starting point of the game. Inside is a rather ornate-looking key and a letter with a beautiful red ‘Theory 11’ stamp on it. I won’t go into what happens with these items – spoilers! I will say that a decision you make at this point is said to shape the course of the game. I’ll also say that in reality, I’m not sure how true that is. Be careful when using the key as it has been reported to break if you aren’t careful with it.
Puzzles
Where Box One took a more linear approach to gameplay, Box Two allows more freedom to choose between puzzles. You’ll need to solve them all eventually, but it allows you to do this in whichever order you like. A selection of mysterious components holds the key to solving the puzzles. Each of these holds at least one secret, but possibly more. Be careful not to play around with these unless you are instructed to, or you may end up confused. I opened a particular item before I should have which resulted in my trying to solve two puzzles at once. This led to needing a hint and then being annoyed with myself…
I’d say that ‘puzzles’ in this game definitely lean more towards magic and illusion, rather than logic puzzles and ciphers. This will be a relief for some, but for others, it may be less appealing.
The box is also fully utilised during gameplay in unique and interesting ways. I was impressed with some of the technical wizardry that played out in front of me at several points. Surprises are a big part of these games and they still have tricks up their sleeves! Overall the puzzles are varied and engaging. Some may be less impressive to enthusiasts, who will have seen a trick or two in other games.
Player Two
Fairly early in the game, you will be ‘randomly’ linked up with a second player. They hold some additional information you’ll need to solve the puzzles. For practical reasons, this other player can’t be real as you’d be stuck waiting for hours or days. So a chatbot system is used to simulate the connection to another person.
I have to say that this was my biggest issue with this game. I found that Player Two was too quick to send unsolicited hints and robbed me of working out the answer myself. If I happened to type in something slightly unexpected, I was practically handed the answer. It didn’t destroy my enjoyment of the game overall, but it did lower it. I feel that over-reliance on Player Two in solving the puzzles made it feel like I wasn’t actually solving them. I do appreciate the team’s attempt at making a more interactive experience; it wasn’t all bad.
Hints & Difficulty
Box Two isn’t hard in the traditional sense, I’d say it is easy-standard difficulty depending on experience. The puzzles you have to solve aren’t too taxing but may require out-of-the-box thinking. One minor annoyance is that Player Two often gave out hints before I was ready for them. Some felt more scripted as if I was supposed to take a wrong turn and be guided. It did feel a bit jarring though, as I tend to steer clear of hints if I can.
Traditional hints are easily accessible throughout the game. How they are accessed is slightly different depending on where you are in the game.
Game Over
The game is fully resettable with no destruction of components. It’s also reset in a very fun and clever way. You’ll receive an email once you’ve completed the game that includes the full reset instructions. The box can then be displayed on your game shelf, gifted or sold!
Verdict
Box Two
Summary
Box Two is full of hidden mechanisms, magical puzzles and exquisitely crafted components. The DNA of Neil Patrick Harris runs through the whole box and beyond, to great effect. The non-linear gameplay, however, doesn’t feel as slick as Box One and the story itself is less compelling.
I’d go into this game expecting something completely different from Box One, which I preferred, to avoid being disappointed. It is still an enjoyable experience full of mystery and technical wizardry but feels like it could have used some more time to refine.
If you do pick up a copy, I’d suggest playing solo or as a pair for optimum enjoyment!
About Theory11 & Neil Patrick Harris
Theory11 is “the world’s finest producer of playing cards, puzzles, games and magic”. They have crafted and released many premium products including licensed products from many big movie and television properties.
Box One & Box Two were created in collaboration with Neil Patrick Harris, who has also worked on other projects with the company.
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