Cubes

Cubes are recurring items in the Rusty Lake games, especially in the appropriately named Cube Escape series, and have a key role in the overrunning story of the entire line. They appear in one variety or another in every game so far.

There are four varieties of Cube seen in the series, each with a different purpose relating to memories, souls and the flow of time.

Types of Cubes

Black Cube

Black cubes are the most commonly seen types of cube, appearing in every game. They are made from painful and negative memories. They can be extracted from dead bodies with the Extractor Machine, but this process can cause the bodies to turn into Corrupted Souls.

White Cube

White Cubes are less frequently seen in the series, but are still important in the games they appear in. As a counterpart to the black cubes, they represent positive memories. They are also extracted by the Extractor Machine, but do not cause noticeable side effects.

Blue Cube

Blue Cubes are far less seen in the series, appearing in only three games (Seasons, Birthday, and Cave). They are used to travel backwards in time, in order to change the past. The method of their creation is unknown.

Golden Cube

Golden Cubes are the rarest cubes. They have only appeared in two games (Cave and Paradox). They are created by combining the three other cubes in a machine. Their use is not entirely known, but these cubes are "the key to the future."

Appearances

Cube Escape: The Lake

A black cube is found at the very end of the game, if the player uses the code from Seasons to open the optional chest and find the alternative ending. It appears floating in the doorway after the Corrupted Soul disappears.

Cube Escape: Seasons

There are four cubes found in this game, each used to allow the player to travel between their memories.

A black cube is found in the Spring of 1964, after breaking open a black egg. This cube takes the player forward in time to the Summer of 1971.
The second black cube is found in the Summer of 1971, inside of the oven after attempting to cook the shrimp. When the oven is opened, the player sees the Lake inside, with the Woman standing in the middle. The Woman turns into a Corrupted Soul, which in turn disappears and leaves a black cube. This cube takes the player forward in time to the Fall of 1971.
The third black cube is found in the Fall of 1971, appearing inside of the TV screen. This cube takes the player forward in time to the Winter of 1981.
A blue cube can be found in the Winter of 1981, inside of the clock case. This cube allows the player to go back in time to the previous seasons, in order to dissipate the shadow from the Woman's Soul.

Cube Escape: Arles

This game features the first appearance of a white cube, found after the player character, van Gogh, shoots his corrupted reflection in the mirror at his bedroom in Arles. A black cube is pulled from the canvas, once it has been painted to completion. The player must use both cubes to open the door to the outside, the "Starry Night" painting.

Cube Escape: Harvey's Box

There is one black cube in this game, appearing after the Corrupted Soul at the end is dispelled by shooting three fireflies at it before the Soul can grab the player out of the box.

Cube Escape: Case 23

Cubes appear twice in this game in Chapter Two, when the player, as Dale Vandermeer, uses a black and white cube to travel to Rusty Lake.

The black cube is found in the corridor after using the correct code in the TV control. Bob is seen on the screen, hunched over. He reveals his Corrupted face, and his Soul shatters the window glass before disappearing, leaving the cube behind.
The white cube is found after using the correct code in the TV. The Woman appears on the screen, raising her hand through the top of the TV. After she is given an egg, she turns it into a white cube and gives it back to the player.

There is a second black cube found in a painting in Chapter Three, where it is used to break open a wall to escape the Chapel.

Cube Escape: The Mill

During this game, the nature of the black and white cubes are revealed. The player must create black and white cubes via the Memory Extractor, using the body of the Woman, and feed them into Rusty Lake. It is also shown that this process results in the creation of the Corrupted Souls, as creating black cubes corrupts the body.

Rusty Lake Hotel

Cubes appear briefly at the very end of the game. Mr. Owl has six cubes in various locations in his room, which he invites the player to look at. Five cubes are black, and are stored in five large tanks along with the Corrupted Souls of the Hotel guests. When the player interacts with them, the Souls attached to the cubes briefly appear.

The sixth cube is a white cube, hidden under a serving tray cover. It takes the player to the Forest, with the five Corrupted Souls wandering aimlessly, as well as a glimpse of Dale riding an elevator up to the Hotel. Mr. Owl claims that this cube is not only the key to the past, but also to the future.

Cubes are referenced in the room of Mrs. Pigeon, who has numerous depictions of cubes on her notes and small machines. She explores the connection of using electricity to the creation of cubes, as well as extracting both white and black cubes from dead bodies. As well, she keeps a large tank in her room that holds the Young Bird inside, This tank bears a strong resemblance to the tanks holding the black cubes.

Cube Escape: Birthday

Several cubes appear in the game, but only one is a collectable item.

Many black cubes are seen during Dale's ride in the elevator at the start and end of the game. He explains that he is seeing his memories trapped in the cubes. One of these cubes stops in front of him, and takes him back to his ninth birthday.
A blue cube is found after assembling the Birthday present, and is used to reverse time to stop the shooting and save his parents.
At the very end of the game, a black cube appears at the top of a tree which Mr. Rabbit is absorbed into, and it becomes a white cube due to Dale's actions.

Cube Escape: Theatre

Several cubes appear in this game, but only five of them are a collectable item.

Many black cubes are seen during Dale's ride in the elevator at the start of the game. He explains that the Lake is changing his memories, and that his past is not what it seems to be. He decides to let the cubes guide him, as one cube stops in front of him and takes him to the Rusty Lake Theatre.
There are four white cubes and one black cube in Bob's brain, which are needed to complete the fifth play, "Remember the Seasons", by placing them on photo frames to reveal an image of the Woman. When the black cube is placed on the frame, the Woman's throat is slit and she dies.

Rusty Lake: Roots

The symbol of a cube is used frequently throughout the game, though they have no effect on the gameplay. At the end of the game, in the secret level, white and black cubes can be created with alchemy. Mixing the fish and the gem forms the white cube, and mixing the white cube and the crow forms the black cube.

Cube Escape: The Cave

Four cubes appear in this game, one of each type.

The white cube is the first to be found. It is retrieved in the Forest under Rusty Lake by Mr. Crow using his submarine.
The black cube is the second one obtained. It is also found in the Forest, after its location is triangulated.
The blue cube is collected third, also in the Forest, when its location is given by a spilled ink blot.
The golden cube is created at the end of the game, when all three of the other cubes are placed onto the slots of a strange machine. It is given to Dale, who then reenters the elevator and continues his journey.

Rusty Lake Paradise

Caroline dies and becomes a Corrupted Soul, leaving behind ten black cubes and ten plagues. Her son Jakob collects the cubes and places them into a well, which stops the plagues. These cubes not only reveal the events leading to her death, but also reveal the elements needed to create the Elixir of Life. When the last black cube is placed into the well, Jakob's family burns him alive. With his mother's Corrupted Soul and all of the black cube's elements, Jakob ascends as Mr. Owl.

Cube Escape: Paradox

There are three cubes, a wooden, iron, and glass cube, used to unlock the cabinet with the vials. After Dale drinks the red vial, he spits out the key to open the door. He walks through the Forest until he reaches the Woman standing in the Lake. A Corrupted Soul slits her throat, and she disappears leaving behind a black cube. Looking into the cube, Dale sees himself in the room. When he drinks the blue vial, he becomes a Corrupted Soul and walks through the Forest again. He sneaks up behind the Woman and slits her throat. The black cube reappears, and looking into it Dale sees himself in the room, but he is more real.

If Dale drinks the green vial, he will die and sacrifice himself to save the Woman. Her black cube will change into a white cube. If Dale uses a secret code to open the combination-locked cabinet, he will be given the golden cube and gain access to the Elevator to continue his journey.

Trivia

Creating the Black and White Cubes in the Steam version of Rusty Lake: Roots will earn the player two Achievements.