Outside the Box is the gold puzzle in the Verdant Canyon area of The Talos Principle 2.
Puzzle elements
Overview
As you enter the puzzle, you find a swapper with an inverter in it, and a gravshifter available to you. There is an area of the puzzle walled off with a purple barrier with a hexahedron. There are a couple of surfaces where the gravshifter can create a gravity well, and two blue doors that control access to a little area. The progress wheel is above that area.
Hints
A basic hint:
[ hint ]
Although the name of the puzzle is Outside the Box, that is not much of a hint. Instead try exploring the area inside the room blocked off by the purple barrier. What equipment will you need to bring with you to make progress in that room?
If you're having trouble getting started:
[ hint ]
The first thing to do is to get the hexahedron on this side of the forcefield. Use the gravshifter.
If you're having trouble moving the gravshifter:
[ hint ]
The gravshifter typically does not move itself. However it moves other objects. What if the gravshifter was sitting not on the ground, but on top of another object?
If you're having trouble figuring out what to feed the swapper:
[ hint ]
You don't need the inverter until you're ready to pass the two plasma doors. By that point, all your equipment should already be on the correct side of the purple barrier.
If you crossed the two plasma doors but can't find the progress wheel:
[ hint ]
After you cross the plasma doors, the progress wheel is still a level above you. There is a grav-shiftable ceiling above you.
Solution
[ solution ]
-
Take the
hexahedron and bring in to the upper platform. Place it down in front of the opposite metal surface.
-
Use the
gravshifter to bring the
hexahedron over.
-
Place the
hexahedron in front of the opposite surface. Place the
gravshifter on the Hexahedron: both items will fly to the other side.
-
]]s and send the
hexahedron to the other side one more time.
-
Swap the
hexahedron for the
inverter and place it down in front of the metal surface.
-
Use the
gravshifter to bring the
inverter over.
-
Connect the
inverter to the red
emitter and the blue
receiver and place it down in front of the opposite metal surface. The laser is blocked for now.
-
Use the
gravshifter to send the
inverter to the other side. The laser connects.
-
Use the
gravshifter on the metal ceiling and finish the puzzle.
Story
Upon completion of the puzzle, the player hears another message from Cornelius Noema Messages. That is, if this is the eighth gold puzzle that the player solved, they will hear the eighth message.