Pandoras Box - The JAVE

Point-n-Click, Puzzle-Solving/Strategy

1999

Editor's note: the review excerpt below pertains to the original version of the game (as opposed to the Puzzle Game of the Year Edition, which features 400+ puzzles).

"Maybe you like "board" or "slider" puzzles, like I do...Well, Microsoft has...released an interesting puzzle game, called Pandora's Box, which offers the player some unusual variations that are nor typically found in this type of game. Developed by Alexey Pajitnov, the brilliantly creative mind that gave us Tetris, this game contains 350 puzzles, which fall into 10 categories:

Find and Fill--find a hidden object(s) among overlapping outlines and fill it with a single color.
Focus Point--swap pieces of a picture to reassemble the original image.
Image Hole--match the cutout shape of moving holes to the image underneath.
Interlock--fill the shape without letting the pieces overlap.
Jesse's Strips--compose the image from strips arranged on trays.
Lens Bender--use lenses to figure out where the pieces go.
Outer Layer--replace the surface of an object by attaching the pieces.
Overlap--reveal the image by placing overlapping fragments.
Rotascope--compose the picture by sliding tiles on concentric rings.
Slices--rebuild an object by rotating, flipping, and stacking the slices.

"The difference here is that there is actually a series of stories involved and the opportunity to travel to different locations where you can become familiar with representative architecture, photography, paintings, sculptures, and other artwork relating to each location.

"The game's interface is very easy to use and provides some excellent features that will be appreciated by players of all skill levels. The menu offers bonuses and options that can be useful during gameplay and has icons for hints, free puzzle solves (if you are really stuck), puzzles solved, and quick help (gives you a description of how to go about the working of the puzzle that you are currently on).

"In addition, there is a really nice feature that "pops up" the first time that you encounter a new puzzle type. It is an interactive tutorial that will walk you though a sample puzzle and give you tips on how to approach puzzle solutions logically and with instruction on how to manipulate the pieces of the puzzle, which may require rotating or flipping the pieces to get better views.

"If you might enjoy a puzzle-based game with a limited degree of storytelling, you will have fun and be challenged by Pandora's Box. Evaluating Pandora's Box strictly within a set of comparison criteria that would apply for puzzle-based games, my overall rating for Pandora's Box is A+."

A+

box front and back

Puzzle Game of the Year Edition
box front and jewel case front

Patches (English, French and Japanese Puzzle Game of the Year Editions)
Technical Support
Demo (PC - Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)
Cheats
Free Puzzles (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)
More Info - Official Game Website (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)
More Info - Microsoft Game Studios page (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)

Hints

PC REQUIREMENTS (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition):

Windows® 95/98/ME/XP
Multimedia PC with a Pentium 100 or higher processor
16 MB RAM for Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98/95 (32 recommended)
32 MB RAM for Windows NT and Windows 2000 (64 recommended)
120 MB of available hard disk space; 50 Mb of available hard disk space for swap file
Quad speed or faster CD-ROM drive
Super VGA video display (with 1 MB VRAM)

CD-ROM

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	Point-n-Click, Puzzle-Solving/Strategy
	1999
	Alexey Pajitnov Microsoft Game Studios
	Editor's note: the review excerpt below pertains to the original version of the game (as opposed to the Puzzle Game of the Year Edition, which features 400+ puzzles). "Maybe you like "board" or "slider" puzzles, like I do...Well, Microsoft has...released an interesting puzzle game, called Pandora's Box, which offers the player some unusual variations that are nor typically found in this type of game. Developed by Alexey Pajitnov, the brilliantly creative mind that gave us Tetris, this game contains 350 puzzles, which fall into 10 categories: Find and Fill--find a hidden object(s) among overlapping outlines and fill it with a single color. Focus Point--swap pieces of a picture to reassemble the original image. Image Hole--match the cutout shape of moving holes to the image underneath. Interlock--fill the shape without letting the pieces overlap. Jesse's Strips--compose the image from strips arranged on trays. Lens Bender--use lenses to figure out where the pieces go. Outer Layer--replace the surface of an object by attaching the pieces. Overlap--reveal the image by placing overlapping fragments. Rotascope--compose the picture by sliding tiles on concentric rings. Slices--rebuild an object by rotating, flipping, and stacking the slices. "The difference here is that there is actually a series of stories involved and the opportunity to travel to different locations where you can become familiar with representative architecture, photography, paintings, sculptures, and other artwork relating to each location. "The game's interface is very easy to use and provides some excellent features that will be appreciated by players of all skill levels. The menu offers bonuses and options that can be useful during gameplay and has icons for hints, free puzzle solves (if you are really stuck), puzzles solved, and quick help (gives you a description of how to go about the working of the puzzle that you are currently on). "In addition, there is a really nice feature that "pops up" the first time that you encounter a new puzzle type. It is an interactive tutorial that will walk you though a sample puzzle and give you tips on how to approach puzzle solutions logically and with instruction on how to manipulate the pieces of the puzzle, which may require rotating or flipping the pieces to get better views. *"If you might enjoy a puzzle-based game with a limited degree of storytelling, you will have fun and be challenged by Pandora's Box.* *Evaluating Pandora's Box* strictly within a set of comparison criteria that would apply for puzzle-based games, my overall rating for Pandora's Box is A+."** -
	A+
	box front and back
	Puzzle Game of the Year Edition box front and jewel case front


	*Patches (English, French and Japanese Puzzle Game of the Year Editions)* Technical Support *Demo (PC - Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)* Cheats *Free Puzzles (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)* *More Info - Official Game Website (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)* *More Info - Microsoft Game Studios page (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition)*
	Hints
	*PC REQUIREMENTS (Puzzle Game of the Year Edition):* Windows® 95/98/ME/XP Multimedia PC with a Pentium 100 or higher processor 16 MB RAM for Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98/95 (32 recommended) 32 MB RAM for Windows NT and Windows 2000 (64 recommended) 120 MB of available hard disk space; 50 Mb of available hard disk space for swap file Quad speed or faster CD-ROM drive Super VGA video display (with 1 MB VRAM)
	CD-ROM