Cube Escape: Arles

Cube Escape: Arles is the third game in Rusty Lake’s Cube Escape series. It takes place in 1888, in the bedroom of the painter Vincent van Gogh. You are surrounded by art: explore the room, finish work on the paintings, find the colours and gather your painting materials.

How the game plays

• Controls: mouse only.
• Menu: the gear icon in the top right corner.
• Inventory: down the right-hand side of the screen.
• Saving: automatic. The save folder location differs by operating system and game version.

The seven painting fragments

Zoom in on the upper left painting and take PAINTING FRAGMENT 1/7 from behind it. Zoom out and look left.

Zoom in on the mirror on the wall, to the left of the window, and take FRAGMENT 2/7.

Zoom out and look at the pillows on the bed. Lift the right pillow and find a BOTTLE OF ABSINTHE. Zoom out and turn around.

Take FRAGMENT 3/7 from the hook the towel hangs on, and FRAGMENT 4/7 from behind the leg of the chair on the left. Look left.

Zoom in on the sunflowers and take FRAGMENT 5/7 from behind the jug, then take the SUGAR CUBE from the cabinet.

Zoom out and look at the table top on the left. Take FRAGMENT 6/7 from behind the table and take the ABSINTHE SPOON. Pour absinthe into the glass, rest the spoon on it and put the sugar cube on the spoon.

• Achievement 5/8.

Drink the glass of absinthe by clicking it, fill it again and click the sugar on the spoon. After a few repetitions you get FRAGMENT 7/7.

Zoom out and look left. Zoom in on the upper left painting and place the four matching fragments on it. Zoom out, turn to the upper right painting and place the remaining three.

The six symbols and their colours

Zoom out from the painting and look at the painting at the bottom right. Peel back the right corner of the canvas and note SYMBOL 1 on a green background. Zoom out.

Note SYMBOLS 2 on a grey background on the door.

Look left, then look at the pillows. Lift the left pillow and note SYMBOL 3 on a yellow background.

Zoom out and look left. Zoom in on the little table and take the BRUSH. Zoom out and look left. Note SYMBOL 4 on a white background, on the towel.

Look left. Zoom in on the table top and wipe the paint away with the brush. Note SYMBOL 5 on a light blue background.

Zoom out and note SYMBOL 6 on a turquoise background on the cabinet door.

Gathering the materials

Turn around and zoom in on the coat stand. Take the HAT from it. Pull at the jackets and notice something fall out of one. Zoom out and pick up the SMALL KEY from the floor.

Zoom in on the little table and take the JUG OF WATER. Pull out the drawer and take the PAINTBRUSH.

Zoom out, turn around and unlock the left cabinet with the small key, taking the BOTTLE OF WINE. Look left.

Zoom in on the upper left painting, click it three times and take the GOLD KEY.

Zoom out and turn to the upper right painting. Click it twelve times and take the SUNFLOWER.

Zoom out and look right. Zoom in on the vase of sunflowers. Put the sunflower into the vessel on the right and click the sunflowers on the left until the one on the right grows. Take the SMALL KEY.

Zoom out and unlock the right cabinet door with that small key, taking the KNIFE. Turn around.

Look in the mirror and cut off your EAR with the knife.

• Achievement 1/8.

Zoom out and look left. Unlock the front door with the gold key. Offer your neighbour Paul the absinthe.

• Achievement 6/8.

Give Paul the hat and take the PALETTE. Turn around.

Painting the picture

Zoom in on the lower left painting. Apply the palette to it and use the brush to colour the areas marked with symbols in the same colours as the backgrounds those symbols appeared on. Click the hexagon and take the BLACK CUBE.

• Achievement 3/8.

Zoom out and look left. Open the window casements, draw the curtains back and click the little boatman figure, the developer’s logo.

• Achievement 7/8.

Through the ear

Zoom in on the little table. Pour wine into the vase and into the second bottle. Pour water from the jug into the first bottle. Pour absinthe into the glass and into the third bottle.

Put the ear in the bowl, click it and climb inside. Move forward and pick up the REVOLVER.

Puzzle: the weights

Zoom in on the right-hand door and study the graphic instruction: the code is the weight of the objects shown.

Work it out on the scales:

• Hang the drum and the trumpet; they balance, so the trumpet weighs 1 unit, the same as the drum.
• Hang the trumpet and hammer on the right hook and the stirrup on the left; they balance, so the stirrup weighs 1 + 3 = 4.
• Hang the drum and stirrup on the left and the shell on the right; they balance, so the shell weighs 4 + 1 = 5.
• Hang the anvil on the left and the hammer and shell on the right; they balance, so the anvil weighs 3 + 5 = 8.

Substituting the numbers for the pictures gives the code 1458. Enter it and go through the right-hand door.

Entering 1853 here, Van Gogh’s year of birth, which can be found in the Collection’s Case 23, earns achievement 8/8.

Zoom in on the mirror, shoot your reflection with the revolver and take the WHITE CUBE.

• Achievement 2/8.

Zoom out and look right. Fit both cubes into the squares on the door.

The remaining achievements

Go to the window and click the lock that has appeared in it.

• Achievement 8/8.

Go to the little table, enter the ear and follow the tunnel. At the exit, go through the left door.

• Achievement 4/8.

Leave the room. The third game in the Collection is complete.