At first, I didn’t think this game would be challenging. I have played other games that weren’t challenging because either the questions weren’t hard or I have already seen the questions on another app, but this app is different and unique. I have to admit though, some of the levels are going to take a while to accomplish. I have a few ideas for Ryan, the person who makes the game. So I think you should add an icon that allows us to design our own levels to give to you. There are some creative people who have ideas and also it would help if we don’t want to type a comment. Also, I think that if we want to buy the extension pack we should get to know what kind of levels there are. Obviously you can’t give us like a few levels to try because you aren’t making money. The only reason I say this is because I have gotten a free app before and paid to get the extension but it wasn’t much different from the free part. It wasn’t worth the money I paid. One last thing, you should add, which you might’ve already added I just haven’t gotten to it, but you should add maybe timed or memory activities. Maybe every 3 seconds there will be an object in one of the boxes and a new one will show up every 3 seconds. Then, after the sequence is over, you have to choose what was shown. Maybe a symbol would stand for whatever was shown. These are just some ideas to extend the game because I would definitely be disappointed if you didn’t add anymore levels.
This is the best MOBILE game i have ever played not joking i have had the best time playing this it is hard but thats why its so fun because i can feel play it and laugh too instead of being frustrated cause you can buy the developer coffee and a burrito and it has reasonable prices like only 40 cent for like 100 hint credits im SO surprised that the ratings are not a complete 5 star rating it has a 4.8 so close to 5 but i think it should be 5 cause this game is a MOBILE game that is amazing this is like one of the first mobile games to pass the line of me throwing up after downloading all the way to me LOVING the game it is so amazing and i dont even like puzzles so if you do this game will DEFINITELY hit the spot and if it doesn’t your WEIRD (jk) and its free so you can download it so you know im not lying no adds so by downloading this game the only way your helping the developers is popularity so please download this and try it out please cause i seen this and thought it would be bad bbbbuuuuuttttt its NOT EVEN CLOSE to bad its amazing so if yous see this you have to download it cause remember i hate puzzles and puzzle games but i love this one so please download this the reason im adding SO much urgency is because i skipped a comment on this game and decided not to download it but then changed my mind and im so glad i did you please download this its got funny stuff puzzling stuff (duh) and fun stuff
I’ve only had the game installed for a few days but this has been the source of some of my most frustrating moments, as well as the best feeling of accomplishment, all from a seemingly simple puzzle game. This really threw me for a loop after the first few levels, it looked pretty on the App Store and that’s why I downloaded it but this game is so much more than a pretty face. Ryan manages to use every aspect of the technology we have in our pockets in seriously creative ways and (I’m not sure if this was his goal from the beginning, but) it made me really think and appreciate how much tech really is in our phones. I only have two gripes with the app and no ether of them really are the apps fault, but the time based level(s) are bothersome because I know I’ll forget to open the level at the right time (I understand that’s a me thing). The only other issue I have is while our phones are amazing pieces of technology, they’re fragile, I’ve got a life proof case of mine and I still can manage to cause some sensor or mic to work good enough for every day use but it’s not up to spec with a phone out of the box. Other than that it’s an amazing game and I’m upset I hadn’t heard about it until now. P.s. Ryan, this is my first ever App Store review so kudos for making something really worth gushing over! P.p.s. Ryan if you end up reading this, I’m blaming you for my grades on my finals!
It is definitely not your average "mind game". This game might actually help people to find out some extra features of their device (although, I already know all the features used by the game) Edit: If the App Store supported crossing out words, then that last in parentheses would be. This game receives regular updates and more challenges. I wish games of this level of quality, care and character were more abundant on the App Store and elsewhere. I don’t like spending money on in-game purchases just for a game, but I do like using my money to support developers that deserve money for awesome and thoughtful games like Black box. I try to make sure that developers like the creator of Blackbox can keep developing games like this and I hope that more developers with similar levels of care, creativity, and outside the box thinking (pun partially intended) start to come out into the light. Also, I think helping people discover the functions of our high-tech phones along with just having this game use every facet of things built into them to solve these challenges is awesome. Especially since this game is not necessarily designed as a discovery game for phone functions but as instead an “everything goes” (within the physical possibilities of our phone) type puzzle. And I love every bit of it.
Im a puzzle girl. I like a good puzzle, where i have to use my head. when i have to think out side the box. this game is a great game for thinking outside the box. but there a few things. first off it's HARD!!! now i'm not talking about "oh just do this" or "use ur head for this" no no no. i'm talking like it gives u a puzzle that just has a square. you can't touch it, you can't shake the phone. it's very difficult. now i know what you thinking, "dude, just use the hints" I would but it's expensive! if you want the first hint it's one "token". "alright? not bad" but if you still don't understand you can get another hint for two tokens. then the next ones three. "why does that matter" because you get seven tokens for free. once you use them all. that's it. no more. if ur stuck. pay. no ads. no way to get more free tokens. you gotta pay. and sure they cheap. 100 tokens for, what, 70 cents? that's not bad but what if your a broke person! not calling myself out but dude! there's gotta be another way to get tokens! and that not the only thing you have to pay for. Lets go down memory lane for a sec. i finished i believe five boxes. then it gives me so many more. so far so good. BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM. you have to PAY for basically MORE THAN HALF the game. and it's like 6-9 dollars! again broke dude. so there are some things that u wish that they could work on. but it's a good game overall.
I like the concept behind this game. I feel like it could help me navigate my new phone. But I’m frustrated because I spent quite some time and my limited free hint tokens trying to figure out a puzzle only to realize that it wanted me to plug in headphones— I don’t have wireless headphones or an adapter to use wired headphones because it didn’t come with the phone and I almost never use headphones with my phone, and I’m not about to spend money on stuff I don’t really need. I don’t think an app like this should require any hardware that doesn’t come with the most basic/barebones model on the market. I will probably continue to work on the other puzzles and I may even buy the full game. I’m just frustrated right now because I know the solution to the puzzle I wanted to solve, but I don’t have the means. (On the other hand, I really like that the hint tokens are reasonably priced— I’m unlikely to buy just because I feel like it’s a slippery slope to overspending and because I would be afraid to spend money only to find that the puzzle was physically prohibitive in some way, but I don’t feel like the developer is trying to take advantage of me. And of course I’m all for financially supporting a good game.) EDIT: I did pay for full version, I do think it was worth it. I’m still concerned about overall accessibility when it comes to needing anything external to the phone.
When I first saw this game I was confused about what it was, so I read about it, and got hooked even before I downloaded it😀, and after taking a look at the reviews I saw this game isn’t a ripoff like much other games. When I downloaded it I was immediately introduced to the creative game design and levels, and I was so excited to keep trying to beat this game (which I’m still working on :D). I have to say I LOVE how I can hop on this app and play without the annoyance of ads popping up every 2 seconds, and it’s even cooler how cheap the “Full Version” is, instead of being $50-$100 like some other apps, it’s mere dollars, and the app isn’t pushy towards buying it either. I also can’t get enough on how creative this game is! I mean all the small jokes, comments and idiotic statements, it’s just amazing! Along with the insanely hard and mind boggling puzzles it’s just amazing. I read a review on another app awhile back and it said “Nothing good comes with free” and I thought I agreed with that until I got this app. Thank you for putting a bit of amazing ness and creativity into the App Store, I truly think this work from one person can do a lot. See ya 😏😄😎
Okay, absolutely obsessed with this concept. The difficulty is there, the humor is there, the design is all there. This game has a lot to offer with it’s unique gameplay and I am all for supporting small teams on creations like this. I truly believe that anyone should try it at least once and it’s super fun to have others try and figure it out with you. The only real downside, is in one particular puzzle which I think may benefit from a modification and that is needing headphones to solve it. I truly think it would benefit from being changed to having to plug your charger in instead to make it more accessible for others. Otherwise, great game. I recommend it to everyone due to the way it encourages you to use all your senses in a fun way all on one game. I also think pricing is more than fair and despite it only costing so little on our side I do hope that it still helps the creators in some way. I pray the price for us ended up working out great for you guys cause honestly…take my money lol. I just hope that this puzzle can be changed and other puzzles that may be built in a similar fashion can be changed accordingly to make it more easily accessible for all players who want the challenge of playing this beautiful game. Thanks.
Absolutely beautiful design choices combined with oftentimes difficult puzzles creates one of the best apps on the store. Each puzzle utilizes a different function of the phone such as the light level the camera sees, the accessibility settings are heavily used, a feature that many people wouldn’t have known about until playing. The simple art style adds to the experience of the game by reducing the distractions in each level. There are no buttons, tapping on the screen in any level will bring up the exit, but if you have trouble and can’t make much progress, you can press down on the boxes in each level to bring up a very helpful hint menu. I haven’t even scratched the surface of this game, and there’s already so much to do. The first handful of levels are great introduction to the rest of the game. After those levels, you can either buy the rest of the game for a very reasonable $4.99 USD or just quit after you finish the free levels. I chose to continue, and I am glad I did. Truly an innovative game and I’m glad I could play it.
I would download this if I was anyone else who loved puzzles this is pretty cool. This would help boost people, (each box level should come with a hint,) so you’re not struggling the whole way through and you can pick like from the levels in that box (idea)>>You can pick the hint you want for it for the box inside of the level that would be a great help. I would expect that the levels were a little bit easier and wouldn’t rank up the IQ amount that quickly because that makes it harder and harder and harder. You should be able to get to know the game before you get into an extreme level like when I’m on right now. I would say it is an awesome game. Otherwise I want this to be seen because this can actually make the game better, and that’s just my thoughts. If it’s not a good thought then it doesn’t need to be added to the game anyways I hope you beat the game. I hope you passed the level before me, it’s pretty difficult and I don’t think I’m gonna be able to pass in time before new player does and that’s all, bye-bye!
I can't tell if my changes are going through or not. This game is clever and almost completely compatible with VoiceOver. Ryan I see your response but now it's not letting me click back in to respond back. There are a few challenges, and I do mean a few as in like three, where the thing that makes it look different from other challenges isn't described or reads weird, but this game is more accessible than both my high school's and my college's websites. Which is pretty sad, but still good for Blackbox. I also have a weird problem with the teal-colored challenge where the screen is covered with shifting black and white squares. I know what makes the squares change size, but I ac't seem to get enough of it ato activate the challenge. There's no specific reason why I didn't rate the game five stars. I've just always kind of felt weird rating things five stars because there's always room for improvement. The game is fun, challenging, humorous and clever and I will definitely tell my blind and sighted friends about it.
Blackbox is my favorite game that is currently on my phone. It's innovative, challenging, and funny. I think that some of the levels are a little bit too difficult, for example the level where you have to go a certain distance to turn on each of the four lights. I would prefer it if the distance was not so far, because I drove about 54 miles (~1 hour 15 mins) and only reached the second light. The speed at which the distance indicator advances only gets slower as well. I also live at a fairly high elevation, and I have not even reached the first light yet on the erudite pack level in which you must increase your phone's elevation to turn on the lights. I understand that these levels are meant to be challenging, but many people don't have the funds to travel such long distances or to travel to where there are very high elevations. Other than those two levels, I have found this game very enjoyable (although frustrating at times) and I get excited every time I see a new meta challenge has come out. Thank you Mr. McLeod for this wonderful game!
Very satisfying and fun but not as challenging as you’d expect
Yes I recommend this app. I’ve done 66 puzzles so far and really enjoyed the game. Originally I’d rate this 5 stars, but after a bit, the puzzles became less challenging and more tedious, I guess? As in, they just require time to solve or opening the puzzle at a certain time of day, walking a far distance, and climbing in height, etc. After the first two like this, I was a little dissatisfied and some I have left undone because I can’t be bothered after I figured out the solution. The others felt more like trying to make you share the game on socials/to friends to solve the puzzle. (Like free promo which is smart but I can’t be bothered 😭) The game itself is very satisfying and pleasing to the eye, but it also crashes semi often and at one point I had to offload and re-download the app after I used the hints and it implied something I already tried… the same solution worked this time. I was a bit frustrated after wasting so much time—thinking the solution must be super creative… overall I recommend just for the several fun puzzles, haha.
Honestly, at first I was skeptical. I was browsing through the app store looking for games to play since I became bored of the ones I had, and I stumbled across BlackBox. Let me tell you. This will probably be one of the most if not hardest puzzle game you will ever play. This is not like any other game that I have seen or played before, and let me tell you, it’s a breath of fresh air. This has helped me think outside of the box, trying to come up with different solutions, some of which included me looking like a complete weirdo with their phone. I also greatly enjoy the social aspect of this, it doesn’t force you to play with others, but it does give you a chance to be more social, which is another thing that I like about this game. Most games want your time and to be constantly on it most times of your day, however it encourages you to put your phone away and walk away from the puzzle to come back to it another time. Here’s your chance, challenge yourself and test your wits against others! Have fun and remember, think outside of the box!~
When I saw this I thought I was up for a fun challenge. What I got was one of the most grueling experiences I’ve ever had. The first challenges are easy enough but then things get more difficult and extreme. You may start with tilting your phone, but then you get to waiting hours for a challenge to finish or walking what seems to be a pretty far distance (haven’t finished that one yet). This game is will break you. If you thought you were smart, clever, a genius or anything in between, this game will prove you wrong. You could give in and buy hints, but that’s the easy way out. Instead take that money you would spend on hints (you also get free hints) and buy more levels, and buy Ryan the burrito he deserves. Also, quick thing you might want to know, you don’t need to tap or swipe in this app to complete the problems. You may have to dig around your setting but that’s the only touching of your phone screen. Get this game and realize how you aren’t that clever. Good luck (it’s the only thing you’ll have playing this).
Playing iPhone games can be frustrating when part of the screen is broken and won’t respond to your taps. So when I heard about a free game that you didn’t really have to tap to play, I thought “What the heck? Let’s try it.” I love it. I think it’s brilliant. In spite of advertising that “Many start, few finish,” Blackbox rarely feel threatening. In fact, it sometimes feels a little more like a toy you have to use your imagination to play with. You’ll find yourself shaking the phone, moving it around like your trying to take a picture of something invisible, asking for a charger while your phone is at 80% battery, and laughing and thinking to yourself, “Wow, I bet I look like a lunatic.” But most of all, the game embodies the kind of quirky outside-the-box thinking that sets puzzle games apart from every other kind of game. Be warned: There’s not really a clear tutorial so you will have to experiment quite a bit, but as far as I’m concerned, that just makes it better. I can’t wait to see what Blackbox has in store for me next.
Normally I hate puzzle games but this game I don’t know what it is but the puzzles that make you think outside the box the creativity the devs put in this game. Like do I stand up spin around circles? Tilt my screen? Yell into the Microphone . This game is not plain not bitter but it is a sweet game the controls are awesome getting threw levels doing something you think would not work and it works you are speechless when that happens. To me it’s not plain not bitter but sweet and if it was plain it would be just plain good. This game can make me spend hours on. By the way I HATE most mobile games but this game is “just plain good”. This just is mind boiling that this game is free (in app purchases are in tho) like that’s crazy! I would pay 5 bucks just to have 30 levels because their so hard. This game is great download it just give it a shot. Trust me you’ll love it... Make more mobile games like this man we need good mobile like this. Keep up the good work. And keep thinking outside the box . The black box.
Blackbox is a beautifully designed simplistic puzzle game, with a twist. You pretty much never have to touch the game to solve the puzzles instead you have to go to the top of mountains, wait days and moon cycles, work with friends near or far, find a peaceful and quiet place, explore the safari and think outside the blackbox. I’ve tried for months to find a game as satisfying and with as many “Ah ha!” moments as blackbox. I think blackbox has set an impossible standard for indie puzzle games that I hope is one day met. Now I’m no game critic I’m just a kid who loved this game so much that I actually wanted to write about how good it is (I hate writing). The only games that have even come close are Maginary, Secret Signs, and Axium. If you know of any other mind bending puzzle games please let me know (including pc games or even a game you reading this might have made). I still haven’t beaten this game because I missed the full moon last time and I need to find something to play afterwards.
I have to say this is a very interesting little game and it certainly makes you think. It makes you use your device in ways you wouldn't normally think to use it. My only big issue with this game is that some of the challenges are incredibly difficult. I won't spoil any of the game (you can find many walkthroughs online if you'd rather cheat your way through) but for some of the challenges you have to do things you would never think to even attempt trying. You know it's hard when even a walkthrough has to write two paragraphs on how to solve one of the problems. All that said, I do enjoy this game and wish there were many more free puzzles available at once. It is a big creepy, though, seeing just how much an application knows about what you do on your phone/tablet without giving it permission, like viewing your notes, homescreen, etc. This game would earn a solid 5 stars if not for the insanely difficult puzzles, which, thankfully, don't make up all of them. I'd definitely recommend this to a friend.
Either I’m stupid or this game is stupid; OK, maybe we’re both stupid but the point is there’s no point. I downloaded the app and the screen came on. There was cool noise and by tilting my phone I actually could create melodies. When I was done soon around and wanted to find out more I look for a table of contents or somewhere to click or some explanation on how to get the different visuals that we see in the App Store. Couldn’t figure it out. Tried to find information online. No dice. Don’t get me wrong, even being used as a theremin like musical instrument, the app is beautiful and the sounds are lovely. It’s one thing however to sell mystery in the challenge people by asking them if you are you good enough for you clever enough? But if somebody downloads your game and is clueless on how to figure it out then what’s the point? Sure it says you can solve puzzles without touching the phone but I would expect that would be a landing pageFrom which you could sign up, or have a table of contents, or some explanation of what’s going on. If I had to guess, maybe the idea is to hold the phone so that it no longer makes noise? I don’t know…I’m clueless
Ok this is definitely the hardest puzzle game I’ve ever downloaded. And I think this is actually the first time I’ve written an app review. I like this game a lot - I want to love it, but some of the challenges are straight up just too hard. Many of them I ended up looking them up online even after the hints. I feel like maybe the first hint should be free and then the token system. I feel like if its so hard that people are constantly looking stuff up and cheating, then we’re not really getting the fun of solving it. I also want more but I’m cheap! I 100% understand the developer needs money to keep it going and what not, but I wish there was also an add option, like many other games have (Ex: Watch this 2 min video for 5 hint tokens). That way people could really use their brains and solve it without feeling like they have to pay. I know it’s only like $10 but it would be nice if there were options. Overall, really like the game - just wish there was a teensy bit more support and options for the users.
This app is extremely sketchy. I immediately turned off all allowances to mic/camera/notifications and deleted the app once I got to the puzzle that I realized was making me say “Hello” in every language. There was no asking for permission or disclaimer that my information could be/would be sold (that I saw). One of the QR camera puzzles was flipped to my face and the hint said “Let me see”. Just red flags everywhere. Know what you’re putting your money into before you do it. EDIT: Look, I’m just going to say it… The creator, Ryan, acts like a total baby when some people give him anything other than a “5 star” review. I read A LOT of the reviews on his app and he even told someone who gave him a 1 star, “…It doesn’t matter because yours will get lost in all the 5 star reviews” Like, dude… it didn’t. He literally had an entire argument over the review section with a customer who was unsatisfied with his app. People are going to hate it, dude. You are asking for their opinion and they are giving it to you. You can’t sass them just because you don’t like their response 😂 …a whole year later and you’re still a cry baby. Hope you didn’t think too hard on that response. 🤘🏼
I love this app! It challenges you in ways I never thought were possible on my phone! I love the developers humor ( I love any clever humor) The challenges are extremely clever and fun but I have one tiny issue: some of the challenges are just too hard. I have to look it up online and I would have never thought to do that had I not looked it up. I also feel like the app wants you to spend a lot of time on it because on one of the challenges, you have to be on the app one time every hour of the day. I am not staying up until three a.m. just because of that challenge! I also think the app should give you 5 free hint credits just to try out if you get stuck on a level. You have to pay for the hint credits and you have to pay just to unlock some levels! I don’t want to pay for an app if it is just some game. I just don’t think it’s worth it. However overall, BlackBox is an amazing app and I have been recommending it to everyone who will listen! I absolutely love BlackBox and don’t regret downloading it!
Review: Amazing game 4/5 stars. The puzzles are complex and fulfilling when solved (with no help from the internet). This is a game can be played over and over again, and still some of the challenges leave you baffled as to how you solved it. All of the aspects of the app are very thought out and programmed to perfection. I highly recommended it to anyone who enjoys problem solving or anything related to it. The in app purchases of extra levels are worth it if you think you can solve them and have a couple of extra dollars. On the other hand it’s only downfall is it’s hints. While it is one of the most creative and interesting games I have played, you have to pay for tokens to pay for hints in game (granted there are a few given to you for free). Black box’s hints should be accessible without payment, because it’s like solving a riddle, without the riddle. Other than that Black Box is a solid game. Note: I have thoroughly played through black box, and it has been an eye opening experience to what is possible. With companies wanting proliferations of data, data-mining will become more common until it’s a common place occurrence. If an application asks to access to location, or contacts, or notifications, they are actually getting access to more than you would initially think. Black box makes you think twice about mindlessly tapping through prompts that ask if an app can access a function of your iPhone.
THIS GAME IS AMAZING I CANT EXPRESS HOW GOOD THIS GAME IS WITH WORDS! ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IT IS THE BEST PUZZLE GAME OUT THERE!!!!!!!!! but one word to the developer real quick umm i would just like to say i love this game but it can get a bit boring if you can’t figure out a puzzle, and i feel like the hint tokens are a bit of a cash grab no offense to the developer btw. so i guess what im saying is basically if you’re good enough at puzzles or clever enough to figure all these puzzles out, then you are going to have a BLAST and i guess it fits this game super well because in the description it says “think you are clever?” and if you are you will have fun but if you don’t it will just sit here forever on you’re phone as you endlessly ponder how to complete it or you wait for the right time in the day to finish a puzzle. but anyways this game is 11/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars as long as you can take on the challenge of the blackbox and there is more puzzles to solve.
This is an absolutely brilliant game! It is so intricate in such a simple, satisfying way, I can not even express it in words. I generally forget about most games and then delete them, but Blackbox is not that kind of game. I have had it since the beginning and it is unlike any puzzle game I have ever played, quickly becoming my favorite app. I adore the simplicity of the graphics and the creativity of the game in general. The humor in Blackbox just adds to it all the more. It always makes my day when I get another funny comment from The Developer. I have recommended this game to almost everyone I know, and I still think this game could be for anyone! It gets you thinking, and even if you aren't that fond of puzzle games, try it! The only thing that I dislike about Blackbox is the wait until the next update. I always look forward to it! Thank you Ryan for taking the time to make such a brilliant game!
I must say, this apps incredibly well designed and the first few puzzles are great! I got suckered in and bought the rest of the levels for $5. It’s at this point with the new levels that the level structure itself changes. The free puzzles are all things you can accomplish immediately. A lot of the paid puzzles require you to check in at certain times of the day, check in once every hour for 12 hours, during a new or full moon, travel a ridiculous 650 miles. Some of these have ways they can be cheated, and others don’t. I don’t like games like this where the puzzle is entirely out of my control until a very specific moment arises, or when you have to constantly check back at the app to see if it does anything. Like I said, the beginning levels are great because they’re out of he box, accomplishable tasks. The paid levels in comparison are just a lot of waiting and it’s really not worth keeping this app installed for the next time I take a plane trip just to complete all the levels, so at this point I’ve decided to quit early and delete the game 😕
Alright listen here, there are many puzzle games out there that are simply great and amazing. They have good art style, challenging puzzles and maybe even a deep well hidden story. But, they don’t compare to Blackbox’s level of creativity and innovation. It’s simplistic design makes the player become deceived when deep down there is a large level of complexity. There’s no big story, no impressive graphics. But it goes back to what puzzle games where always about. Solving the puzzle itself and nothing else. These puzzles really made me think outside the box and show us how much an app can have access to. I have bought both expansion packs because I loved this game so much. It brought me joy to complete a puzzle and turn on a “light.” This game will make you frustrated, make you cry tears of joy. But you keep solving puzzles because of how great they are and the cleverness that goes into each challenge. Amazing game, 5 stars.
This is possibly one of the best games I’ve ever played.
And yes, before anyone asks, I do consider this a game. I got pretty bored of all the rip offs and games with obnoxious ads and I stumbled upon this game. With my dying breath, I downloaded it and I was instantly revived. The amount of effort put into the coding of this is absolutely award winning. The game itself is quite confusing at first, but once you get the general feel of it, you start to know what to do for all of the puzzles. I’ve had to look a few of them up because my small brain can’t handle the amount of awesomeness this has to offer. If you ever find yourself looking for a game changing app, please, download this. You won’t only be supporting Ryan (the creator of the game), you will be helping yourself. Every time you complete a puzzle, your brain just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Thank you for reading my review and good luck with the puzzles :D
This game, although I’ve only been playing for a few hours (yes, most of that time is spent scratching your head), my mental horizons have already been expanded. I knew a couple of the features already and enjoyed puzzles growing up, so the first few challenges were fairly easy. I bought the full game, and am now scratching my head even more, and the solutions are super simple. The only problem is finding them. If you like (or dislike) puzzles, this is definitely the app for you! It’s super sleek, and isn’t trying to rob you. There are no ads, no privacy invasion, and the game encourages connection and referral to improve its experience. Totally worth playing. Definitely worth the mental pain. I’ve never encountered something so innovative, crisp, and fresh. This game is quite simply more worthy than others I’ve played. So, check it out.
This game is cool, I won’t deny that. It makes you play around with the functions of the phone in ways that you might not expect but ultimately I found myself more frustrated with the minimalistic approach of the game. I wish there was more to at least get your started rather than blinding messing with systems that don’t matter to the puzzle. For me it’s just not the type of game I’m looking for when it comes to a puzzle game; and it says there is not touching the screen for swiping but the third puzzle I encounter required you touching at swiping so it’s not necessarily the game it claims to be either. Again, a cool idea but the puzzles don’t even begin to be noticeable in any way and all really have to go off of is pure luck of finding what you’re supposed to do and that’s not a puzzle in my opinion, that’s just a gamble. If there was a bit more direction then maybe but there isn’t any consistency in the puzzles and that overrides the fun that might be had. Because of that I give it 2 stars out of 5
I absolutely love Blackbox, and after a few days of playing it I decided to take a look at the 'most critical' reviews out of curiosity. To anyone reading these reviews in search of a fun puzzle app, Blackbox may be the best puzzle app I've ever come across! The one-star reviews are misleading and largely untrue. One of these reviews said that "The game forces you to write a review," which is not true in the slightest. Another said something about "sad this game is too difficult, not everyone goes to college." 🤨 If Blackbox is not enjoyable for you, you can delete it- and you certainly do NOT have to go to college to play this game! I digress- Blackbox is a wonderful app, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a game to stretch your creative and outside-the-box thinking skills, no matter if you go to college or don't!
At first, when i saw this game, i figures it was like every other puzzle game (not to many mechanics and fairly easy), but as it turns out, this game actually uses everything your phone can do and pushes it to the limit. I first saw this game as a game like any other, just something i would do if i had nothing better, and now here i am trying to figure out all the puzzles (and there are plenty!). Most games get dull and repetitive pretty fast, and it’s usually game finished within five minutes, but i can see that this game isn’t going to run out of ideas any time soon. All that i would want out of this game is if you could do more puzzles and get more hints without having to pay, since i don’t really have the time or money for it. Overall a great game, and would support the developers as soon as possible (and just might buy ryan a burrito at some point ;-)).
I love puzzle games. I love working out the solutions to even very difficult or frustrating ones. I take notes. I look for patterns. I observe. None of this helps at all with this game (for most puzzles). Some of my puzzles solve segments on their own and I have no clue why. I can’t even undo or start over to observe why it may have happened. It’s impossible to know what caused it and to use that info for reference. This is maddening to me, but it does keep me coming back more often to check things. I have to admit, I am completely lost most of the time. I don’t know if this is wise marketing by the developer though, because it doesn’t exactly make me want to buy the other locked puzzles. If I figure something out and start to recognize a pattern, I may buy them, but I certainly will not while I’m just stabbing in the dark.
My biggest problem with the game is that the description is kinda lying. There are multiple puzzles that involve digging through settings on your phone, and interacting with menus in weird ways. That would be fine if everyone knew every function of their phones, but I’m not super tech savvy. Because of that every other puzzle is me just frustratedly digging through phone settings. Also, there are only so many ways you can interact with your phone without appearing crazy. It’s to the point where I’ve seen reviews where people can’t finish puzzles because they don’t own stuff like headphones or a plug in charger. fun interactions, that bystanders will love, include; screaming into your mic, moving your phone all over the place like you’re filming a bee, plugging in and unplugging peripherals, accidentally taking multiple screenshots (very fun having camera sounds come from your phone on a bus), turning your phones volume to max, and much much more.
I absolutely love this game, it’s so fun and challenging. I keep aggravating myself by stupidly wasting my hint credits on puzzles that feel like common sense after I figure them out. I don’t think I’m a very smart person so this game automatically feels very complicated over all, but I don’t think the complexity of the game for me is all about my brain. It’s definitely very complicated on its own, personally I think that’s a good and a bad thing. It’s just hard enough to be so fun and intriguing, the more times I fail to complete a puzzle, the more I want to keep playing and trying to figure it out. Honestly I can, and have spent hours playing it and trying to figure out different ways to complete puzzles. If you enjoy a good challenge or hard games, Blackbox is worth downloading.
Where did the last five hours go? They got sucked into the Blackbox hole. I love/hate Blackbox. I’m engaged. I’m frustrated. I’m clever, I’m stupid. I solved a challenge. My chores aren’t done. What’s wrong with me? …to Aha! Oh, that Aha moment. That’s what’s been missing from other apps. I have learned a lot about my phone that I never would have bothered to learn otherwise. I guess that makes Blackbox my teacher. My sensei that called me out and reminded me that Patience is a virtue when I tried to rush a challenge. Yes, I can hear that!! Blackbox knows what you’re thinking before you do. The interaction from this app is intelligent and amusing. I begged for a puzzle game that wasn’t made for fifth graders. I desired an app that could challenge me, engage me. I got one. Boy, did I get one!! Thank you Blackbox. ….Hey, Ryan, think you could design a word game app?
Just got it today. Playing so quickly although I’m stuck on a couple of things. Regardless it’s a ton a of fun. Mad respect to the dev, the amount of Easter eggs and thought that had to go into this is nothing if not impressive. Not to mention the overall aesthetic, the look and feel of the game, is absolutely enthralling, i don’t think there’s a name for the style but it feels akin to “Flow Free” a game used to play all the time on my iPod touch when I was younger, only this feels more suited for modern software and hardware alike. Completely recommend. I’ve probably already spent $5 on hints but the dev deserves it haha. I’m just captivated by making progress in this game! It is somehow so effective at making you want to keep going. The game does a great job of making progress fun, and rewarding you with more of itself. Genius haha.
This is probably the greatest puzzle game on mobile devices, it makes you really think where the rules start and end. The thinking is not restricted to the game like most other games even on computers, but it encourages out-of-box thinking that you won’t get in many other games. When you complete a puzzle you really feel accomplished, and it makes you think about the other puzzles more thoroughly. There was a time where I couldn’t get a puzzle for months, didn’t touch the game for I don’t know how long, then just booted up the game and got it on the first try. It can seem too cryptic at times but that makes completing the puzzle all the more rewarding. I give this 5 stars only because of its uniqueness and lack of competition, I would want to see this sort of thing expanded upon for the pc.
I have to say I didn't enjoy this game very much, but I can tell it had a lot of work put into it and it has some really neat tricks in the puzzles. I'm a huge fan of puzzle games but I didn't really feel like the puzzles were hard in a way that made you feel super smart when you solve them. In games like the room, myst, and even the witness, the puzzles are made so that they're difficult because you have a lot you have to think about at once, and to figure out the puzzles you have to use Logic. In this game, it's more guessing, and then once you figure it out, you say: "oh wow, I had no idea the phone could detect that". The main puzzle side of it is using the clues to figure out what you have to do, but a lot of them are very vague, which is fine, but for a puzzle game where each puzzle really only has one step, it's kind of annoying. I'd say everyone should try it out though, maybe I just don't like these types of puzzles, because it seems like a lot of people do like them.
Okay so in this comment I’m going to address some of the things others are talking about. 1: “There being no instructions” This game is made to test the limits of the brain and challenge you. There has been a study that more and more, people are Challenged less and less. This game is a good way to bring make that Challenge and find out what you need to do. It’s similar to life in that regard, you weren’t born knowing what job you’ll get, so find out as you journey 2: “The game is creepy and asks for too much control” To start off with, I’m still alive, writing this comment. The game needs these to help challenge you. An example would be the voice level. It’s one of the harder levels and gives a slight change and the game makes you think more, without the permissions the game has lost the ability to become as great as it could be! Even if you aren’t comfortable giving them permissions there are still base levels you can play. If the game were trying to steal your money (or whatever) all the levels would have these limitations. Please get this amazing game! The creator clearly has worked hard on this awesome app and the game is fun (sometimes frustrating) and challenging.
I actually stumbled across this app when I got my iPod touch 5gen and remembered it the other day only to not remember the name only that it had to do with box and last night I looked up puzzle box apps and after some searching I found it and got it on my phone played laughing at all the funny notes after figuring something out and finding things But it all soon ends when you can’t unlock the ones you need to pay for as well as the ones you just can’t figure out what you need to do but you know you’ve seen the symbol before or you need to wait and you just want to get it done cause your very impatient It’s so fun playing it and figuring things out as well as finding things you didn’t know you could do with your phone or just relearning things you forgot you could do Looking forward to figuring out more of these challenges
Five furious stars, I have a mostly love, but surrounded by hate relationship with this game.
The quests (yes, these are quests, NOT TASKS/PROBLEMS) given to you are split 30-70, some have a clear and satisfying answer that is obvious and isn’t enraging, and other 70% are ENRAGING, I had to DRIVE IN MY CAR TO ACHIEVE A DOT ON MY PHONE, *A PHONE GAME MADE ME LEAVE MY HOUSE AND DRIVE SPENDING GAS TO GET A FULL CUBE WITH A DOT*. Now on the flip side, the feeling you get from figuring it out is addicting, especially when you refused to spend hint points on it, it is just not for the faint of heart, it requires brain power with the Will to try things right or wrong, and to accept the wrong answer and then find the right one after it kicked you in your face hole with a digital boot. 7 out of five, ran out of stars, I love this rage filled game of dopamine release accomplishment.
(I'm not one to really write reviews, especially not long or in-depth ones, so don't expect an immaculate review), but I really just wanted to say that this is so clever and so much fun, whenever I solve a puzzle, I can't help but smile and think "That was super clever, I liked that one." Some are quite challenging, but I actually want to try and avoid using hints, (no not because I don't want to give the developer money, trust me, they deserve every penny they get with this extremely unique and fun collection of puzzles). I am up for and excited for every challenge that's thrown at me, and I love how it forces me to think outside the box and use essentially every aspect of my phone besides the use of touch! All in all, it's an amazing puzzle game backed by an amazing developer and small team!
This game is stunning. It has a fun style and design, and challenges you to extremes to think outside the box. I previously had no idea about some of the features of this game, and even some of the features on my iPad. (Side note: Although this game is not designed for full iPad support yet, I have experienced no issues thus far.) I have spent days and hours and still have not completed half the puzzles, plus, new ones continue to appear. I believe this game is worth every cent, and have highly recommended it to others. Please show this app some love, because I would love to see more. Signed, Me.
This is my first and only game I have ever bought in app purchases for, and they were definitely worth it. Unlike other games, this has no ads, but solely relies on donations in order to support the developer, who’s genuinely a really cool person. Also, even without purchasing more puzzles, the base game is still a delight. One minor nitpick, when resetting your progress, you lose all alternate app icons you may have unlocked. It would be nice to have an option to keep them, as sometimes they’re only available during holiday updates, but again, that’s only a minor issue. The game is constantly being updated with bug fixes and new puzzles even after 5 years, and it’s always fun to make new discoveries and find out new things!
I love that this game uses both literal solutions and some unexpected approaches to solve puzzles. Sometimes you just need to think literally in order to solve, that’s the last thing you expect from a puzzle. Most other puzzle games follow a very generic formula to reach a solution. You search for items, look at images or listen to audio, move things around on your screen. Predictable and eventually boring gameplay. Black Box is refreshing, this game challenges you to abandon the problem solving methods you’ve grown comfortable with. That in and of itself is just another part of the puzzle. Oftentimes a simplistic approach is how you’ll get the answer, all the while you’ve been avoiding it for minutes looking for a difficult solution... Great concept, exceptional execution.
I came here to write a review but honestly, I can’t even begin to think of the words that do this game justice. Is amazing really, It doesn’t even feel like a game, it feels like a teaching tool almost, like I’m getting something out of it and making myself better. Lot of deep mental thoughts for an App Store game I know, but it deserves it. I was on the App Store looking for a new game to try and this one caught my eye immediately. The quick witted one liners through the levels when you’re trying to figure things out is a nice touch. (Woah there cowboy was prob my fav so far.) I normally don’t put money into a mobile game, but I had no choice but to get more levels and send my support for this team. Excellent game, easy 10/10. I feel better off by playing it and I hope many more can feel that way too.
Blackbox is the first puzzle game that I’ve played in a long time that I think is actually worth playing. The puzzles are challenging and creatively designed, and they maintain that simplicity and beauty that makes you keep coming back for more. The developer frequently updates the game, adding new puzzles and special events. Blackbox is not your average puzzle game. I was confused at first when I read that you don’t touch the screen, but I was shocked after solving the first puzzle, and even more so as I continued to solve them. There are so many things I did not know my phone was capable of that I do now. This developer has restored my faith in humanity because they really have made something special. Please, world, make more games with the level of creativity and ingenuity as Blackbox.
I love the concept of this game and i think that it is very good but it took me w while to get past the first puzzle and i know that it’s supposed to take a long time to get past puzzles like that, but i am very dumb so it took me a while. Other then that i love how this game is made, even though it took me a while to get past the first puzzle i love this game, it relieves a lot of stress that i have, and i love how creative the game is as well. I have never written a review on a game before but i knew that i had to write a review on this game because i love the game so much, and i just the game today! I hope that you keep making creative games just like this one and i will be sure to check them out and maybe write another review on that game, that’s all! Keep up the good work!!
So you think you understand this thing you’re holding? Think again. Stop tapping. Stop swiping. In fact, stop touching the screen at all. To crack Blackbox’s puzzles you’ll need to find solitude and stillness, climb mountains, call on friends, get in tune with the cosmos, and think outside the box. Minimalistic visual clues make for incredibly satisfying “Aha!” moments, while sonic interfaces provide an extra level of guidance and nuance that makes Blackbox accessible with or without vision. Thoughtful haptic feedback, Easter eggs on Easter eggs, and solutions that can’t be found beneath the glass of your screen redefine what a puzzle can be. You’ll never see your device the same way again. Think you’re clever? Prove it. (Blackbox is a living game under active development by Ryan McLeod. When not eating burritos or drinking coffee, he’s busy designing and developing new Blackbox challenges.) ■