Chaos & Confetti

Box Two is the sequel to Neil Patrick Harris and theory11’s Box One.  Like the previous adventure, this experience looks to test players’ problem solving skills and trivia knowledge.  Unlike the previous box which claimed to be a “Game for One,” this time players will be paired with a partner to conquer this challenge.

An internet enabled device is required for this experience for narrative progression and answer entry. 

The game is suggested for ages 14+.  As a duo, taking on this game built for one, we took about 90-120 minutes.

OUR THOUGHTS:

Puzzles: Fun puzzles, which skew a bit easier with plenty of help

As experienced puzzlers, we found the puzzles in Box Two to be on the easier side.  The game really holds players’ hands as they navigate the experience.  Though we still had to solve challenges and figure pieces out, the game’s cluing tended to be a bit heavy handed.  This makes some sense for a game that is mass produced and will probably end up with plenty of non-puzzlers and younger players.  The intention is clearly set on getting players through the challenges successfully, while still making them think a little.  

In many ways, this experience feels like a good way of getting younger or non-puzzlers interested in the hobby.

With all that said, the puzzle chains are well designed.  A handful of quality components are used well across multiple puzzles. The interconnected/criss crossing paths are neat and show a lot of thought. Overall, we would consider the puzzles of Box Two solid but hampered by being presented on super easy mode.  

Narrative: A solid story that is both helped and hindered by a chatbot.

Box Two serves a narrative that is solid enough and sets players on a path towards a clear goal.  The puzzles are sensibly connected to the narrative and everything fits together well.  Some may even enjoy the story’s twists and turns along the way.

To enhance the gameplay and narrative delivery, Box Two uses online elements.  This works well with its use of videos and images.  Expect to see some acting and story pieces from Neil Patrick Harris himself. All of this adds up to good additions to the experience.  

The game also implements a chatbot, which may divide users.  The chatbot works as both a system for inputting answers and a delivery system for story beats.  When working, the chatbot does its job well (even if it may give too many clues).  However, it can be a bit frustrating when the chatbot refuses to take answers because they are not worded correctly.  Or, in one case, our answer caused the chatbot to skip a few steps, so we had to figure out how to get it to go back to previous prompts since it missed giving us a vital clue or two.  The chatbot is manageable but it does hurt the experience when players need to pause to figure out the correct way to get the bot working.

Overall Fun:  A memorable experience that brings the wow-factor, if not the puzzling experience many might be hoping to get.

Box Two packs a lot of neat tricks and surprises in its one (two?) box packaging.  While we can’t go into too much detail due to spoilers, there were plenty of moments that had us laughing at the ridiculousness of what we were doing or marveling at the neatness of props and components.  A lot of care and craftsmanship went into the design of the experience.

While the puzzles themselves are easier, they are still neat to play out and we do still applaud the actual quality of the puzzle chains. We definitely enjoyed getting to handle and explore the game’s pieces. Sadly though, the game sometimes felt more like following directions rather than truly exploring and experimenting with puzzles.  

Sadly, Box Two doesn’t live up to the reputation of Box One.  We left feeling like Box Two was more of a cool box of wow-moments created by components that were strung together by easy puzzles.

WRAP UP:

Puzzles:  Fun puzzles, which skew a bit easier with plenty of help

Narrative: A solid story that is both helped and hindered by an AI chatbot.

Overall Fun: A memorable experience that brings the wow-factor, if not the puzzling experience many might be hoping to get.

Recommended for: 

Box Two is best for those looking for an easy or light night of puzzling, and care more about the cool moments rather than the hard mental challenges.    

Disclaimer: we purchased the game with our own money, this review is not sponsored. All thoughts are our own.