Q.U.B.E. 2

Released by Toxic Games in 2018, it is a first-person puzzle game where you play as Amelia Cross, an archaeologist stranded on an alien planet. The game features a much stronger, fully voice-acted narrative compared to the original Q.U.B.E. Players must manipulate the environment to uncover the truth behind their character's awakening.

The game was developed and published by Toxic Games, an independent studio founded by former university students. They originally created the first Q.U.B.E. as a student project before expanding into a full studio for the sequel. The 2018 release was their most ambitious title to date.

The gameplay revolves around first-person block-manipulation mechanics, expanding significantly on the original game's ideas. Players wear special gloves that allow them to extrude, shape, and change the physical properties of specific blocks in the environment. These manipulations are used to solve complex spatial challenges and progress through ancient ruins.

While it is a first-person puzzle game set in a sterile, test-chamber-like environment like Portal, Q.U.B.E. 2 focuses entirely on spatial block manipulation rather than momentum and physics portals. The 2018 title also leans much heavier into mysticism and narrative ambiguity. The core puzzle tools are distinctly different from Valve's franchise.