Cuboid is a puzzle game based on the simplest of premises. You are given a rectangular box made up of two cubes that are secured together and placed on a square grid, whose tile size is equal to that of the cubes. The goal is to rotate your cuboid around the layout, without falling into any holes, and align the box in such a way that it can then be placed vertically on the exit tile. On paper it sounds somewhat simple and banal, but in reality it’s surprising quite how complex a task this can turn into. The rectangular box may be a relatively simple shape but place it in a series of highly constrained grids and things become very different.

The developers have eased the player in ever so gently, with a gradual, well-judged difficulty curve. None of the levels will ever make you feel like you‘ve hit an insurmountable obstacle and they build carefully on what’s come before, introducing slightly more complex and sophisticated sequences each time. What you’re then left with is a game that‘s both challenging and inherently rewarding, without ever becoming obtuse or frustrating. Admittedly there is the odd, unfortunate layout that you’ll breeze through due to a misjudged overuse of an earlier pattern, but for the most part the levels are interesting and stimulating throughout.

Over the course of the game, the player is gradually introduced to a selection of new hazards and tools to make life a little more varied. There are wooden tiles that are weaker than their stone counterparts (which make up the majority of the grids) and can only support a single cube’s weight. So, while they can support the box when laid flat if you were to stand it vertically on one, thereby placing the weight of both cubes on a single tile, it will collapse, causing you to fall into the abyss below. Early on, the player also comes across switches which can be used to raise and lower new paths. Some of these can only be activated by the extra weight incurred through standing the cuboid on them vertically and some will only remain active if the player avoids touching various trap tiles. Towards the later portions of the game, teleportation squares make an appearance, which will actually split the cuboid into its two constituent parts and position them in different parts of the level (forcing the player to then reunite the two halves before making their way to the exit).

The game doesn’t rely on just periodically throwing new elements into the mix to stay fresh. As the player progresses the designers continue to revisit old concepts from earlier in the game, adding new layers of depth and sophistication to their ideas. Whilst the initial levels that involve the wooden tiles have solutions which tend to leap out at you thanks to a very small number of stone tiles sticking out like a sore thumb, the later setups use the wooden squares far more sparingly, making the final solutions much harder to see. Furthermore, while earlier levels typically see the player move along a uni-directional path from the start point to the end, as you get further in it soon becomes necessary to perform all sorts of backtracking and looping in order to realign the box to deal with different obstacles. This constant refinement and improvement on what’s gone before demonstrates a great level of inventiveness and analysis on the part of Cuboid’s creators and is an excellent example of solid structure and pacing.

In terms of atmosphere, Cuboid has a lot going for it. The game is set against a 3D temple backdrop which borrows elements from all manner of Western faiths, modern and old. There’s flickering candlelight, a distant skyline and the soothing melody of a piano, accompanied by some simple strings and the wordless harmonies of some female singers. The box itself looks like a piece of beaten jade with various animals and celestial symbols embossed into it and then stained a dark black. With such strong game mechanics, the aesthetics aren’t the lynchpin of this release but they’ve been carried off with the same level of consummate professionalism, leaving the player with a feeling of calmness and serenity that lasts long after the controller has been put down.

The one minor niggle with Cuboid is that its 66 levels do go past a little fast. While there’s a lot of fun to be had from trying to complete the layouts in the fewest number of moves possible (no mean feat when the ideal solutions for some are in the high double digits) even then the game can be cleared over the course of a couple of afternoons, whilst still obtaining fairly decent ratings. Although, returning after a break is a great way to re-assess each puzzle from a fresh perspective and they are sized such that a level or two can be a great way to fill shorter gaming sessions. Thankfully, there are dozens of user-generated levels available for free online, although many players will likely be a little irked by the fact that access to the level editor itself is only available through a paid-for, downloadable expansion.

What makes Cuboid stand out so much is that it is such a strikingly simple idea that has been handled with such a high degree of sophistication. The level of effort and creativity the developers have put into the game’s layouts is truly outstanding. This is a game that remains intellectually stimulating without ever becoming confounding or frustrating. You’re left to move at your own pace with no penalty for failure and no time limits, but the level rankings work as an effective method to encourage players to experiment and refine their solutions. Combine this with the game’s superb presentation and you’ve got an excellent, albeit somewhat brief, puzzle title that really will appeal to players of all levels, whilst simultaneously bringing some refreshingly new ideas to the table.