Loading ...
PUZZLE
Fragments of Euclid Review: An Escher Tribute That Actually Earned My Respect
I've played enough 'mind-bending' puzzle games to know most are just corridors with portals. Fragments of Euclid is different—it's 45 minutes of genuine spatial confusion that reminded me why I fell in love with first-person puzzlers back when Myst didn't hold your hand.
Paul
February 6, 2026
7.2
Overall Score
"Fragments of Euclid is what happens when a developer understands their concept, executes it competently, and doesn't try to turn a 45-minute idea into a 10-hour slog."
First Impressions (Or: When Free Games Don't Scream 'Asset Flip')
I clicked on Fragments of Euclid expecting another wannabe Portal clone with impossible geometry slapped on as a gimmick. What I got was something that actually understands what made M.C. Escher's work fascinating—it's not just about stairs that go nowhere, it's about challenging your brain's spatial assumptions. The game opens in a stark white geometric space that immediately sets the tone: this isn't here to coddle you with tutorial pop-ups or glowing objective markers. You're in a world that doesn't follow normal rules, figure it out. The visual style is bold—almost aggressively minimalist with high-contrast black and white geometry that some players will find too intense. Thankfully, NuSan added options to tone it down because they apparently playtested this with actual humans. The fact that this started as a Ludum Dare prototype and evolved into something this polished gives me hope that some developers still care about iteration and refinement instead of just launching whatever half-baked idea they had on a weekend.
Spatial Puzzles That Respect Your Intelligence
Here's what Fragments of Euclid gets right: it trusts you to be smart enough to understand its rules without spelling everything out. The puzzles revolve around navigating spaces that connect in impossible ways—walk through one door and you're somewhere that shouldn't physically exist relative to where you just were. This is genuinely disorienting at first, which is the entire point. The game doesn't resort to cheap tricks or arbitrary solutions. Every puzzle has internal logic once you understand how this world works. The 1.4 update reworked puzzles to be less frustrating, which shows the developer actually played their own game and listened to feedback instead of dismissing criticism as 'skill issues.' I got stuck a few times, but it always felt like my fault for not paying attention rather than the game being obtuse. That's increasingly rare. The checkpoint system works well enough, though I still think games should autosave more aggressively in 2024. The 45-minute runtime is perfect—it doesn't overstay its welcome or pad itself with filler puzzles. I actually finished it in one sitting, which hasn't happened since... I genuinely can't remember the last time that happened.
Visuals and Audio: Stark Beauty or Migraine Fuel?
The visual design is divisive by necessity. NuSan went all-in on a high-contrast geometric aesthetic that perfectly captures the Escher inspiration but will absolutely give some people headaches. The option to adjust the visual intensity in the menu is crucial—I wish more developers understood that accessibility options aren't admissions of failure, they're acknowledgments that humans have different sensory tolerances. I played with the default settings and found it striking rather than painful, but your mileage will vary. The geometry shifts and impossible spaces are rendered clearly enough that you can actually parse what you're looking at, which sounds like a low bar but you'd be surprised how many 'mind-bending' games just make everything muddy and call it artistic. The audio is appropriately minimal—peaceful ambient tones that don't distract from the puzzle-solving. No annoying music loops that make you want to mute the game after ten minutes. The sound design supports the atmosphere without trying to be the star of the show, which is exactly what a puzzle game needs. I have no complaints here, which is notable because I always have complaints about indie game audio.
What It Needs (And What It Surprisingly Doesn't)
The developer mentioned plans for more content, new mechanics, and additional story. I'm torn on this. The current 45-minute experience feels complete—it makes its point and ends before becoming tedious. Adding more could either enhance it or dilute what works. If NuSan can maintain the quality and introduce genuinely new spatial concepts rather than just 'more of the same,' I'm cautiously optimistic. The game doesn't need a complex narrative—the environmental storytelling through architecture is enough. Where it could improve is in hinting systems for players who get completely stuck. Not hand-holding, but maybe subtle environmental cues that guide attention without solving puzzles outright. The checkpoint renaming in update 1.1 suggests the developer understands players need gentle direction sometimes. What surprised me is how little this game needs fixing. It's not trying to be a 40-hour epic or revolutionize gaming. It's a focused, polished experience that does exactly what it set out to do. That's shockingly rare in the indie scene where scope creep kills most projects.
The Reluctant Praise Section
Fine. I'll say it. Fragments of Euclid is good. Actually good. Not 'good for a free game' or 'good considering it's made by one person'—just genuinely good. It reminded me why I loved first-person puzzle games before they all became physics sandbox collectathons. The non-Euclidean geometry is used for actual puzzle-solving rather than just visual spectacle. The difficulty curve respects your time and intelligence. The runtime is perfect for the content provided. The developer clearly iterated based on feedback and improved the experience post-launch. The fact that it's free is almost insulting—I would have paid ten dollars for this without complaint, which is perhaps the highest praise I can give in an era where developers charge twenty dollars for three hours of mediocre content. NuSan built something focused, polished, and thoughtful. If the promised future updates maintain this quality, we might actually have something special here. I hate admitting when developers get it right, but credit where it's due.
Rating Breakdown
Quality
8
For a free itch.io game, the polish here is genuinely impressive—no crashes, smooth movement, and they even added FOV options after launch because they actually listen.
Innovation
7
Non-Euclidean spaces aren't new, but the way this commits to pure spatial puzzles without gimmicks feels refreshing in 2024's hand-holding landscape.
Value
9
It's free, it's 45 minutes of quality content, and they're planning more—I haven't seen value this good since indie devs remembered generosity exists.
Gameplay
7
The puzzles made me stop and think without making me want to punch my monitor, which is a delicate balance most developers fail at.
Audio/Visual
8
The stark geometric aesthetic commits fully to the Escher vibe, and the peaceful ambient audio doesn't assault my ears like most indie soundtracks do.
Replayability
4
Once you've solved it, you've solved it—there's no reason to return unless you want to feel smart again, which, fair enough.
What Didn't Annoy Me
Free and polished enough to shame most paid puzzle games I've suffered through recently
45-minute runtime that doesn't waste a single minute—rare and appreciated
Non-Euclidean spaces used for actual puzzles instead of just YouTube thumbnail bait
Developer actually updated and refined puzzles based on feedback like a responsible human
Visual intensity options acknowledge that not everyone's eyes work the same way
Started as a game jam prototype and evolved properly instead of staying half-baked
What Made Me Sigh
Replayability is basically nonexistent once you've solved everything—it's a one-and-done experience
The stark visual style will genuinely give some players headaches despite the adjustment options
Could use slightly more gentle guidance for players who get completely stuck without resorting to walkthroughs
Final Verdict
Fragments of Euclid is what happens when a developer understands their concept, executes it competently, and doesn't try to turn a 45-minute idea into a 10-hour slog. It's a focused spatial puzzle game that actually earns its Escher comparisons instead of just slapping impossible staircases everywhere and calling it innovative. The fact that it's free makes it almost ridiculous not to try if you have any interest in first-person puzzlers. Yes, the visual style is intense. Yes, you'll only play it once. But that one playthrough is more thoughtful and polished than most puzzle games I've paid for. NuSan made something genuinely good here, and if the promised future content maintains this quality, I might actually look forward to it. That's the highest praise I can give—I want more, and I trust this developer not to screw it up. Play it. It's 45 minutes and costs nothing. You'll either love the spatial confusion or bounce off immediately, but at least you'll know.
Fragments of Euclid
Tags
puzzle
first-person
non-euclidean
escher
atmospheric
short
free
geometric
Are you a developer and want to remove this review?