It has been a long and challenging year for us here at Cipher Prime, which is why it is with overwhelming joy that we can finally announce the release of Fractal, our latest effort downloadable for both Mac and PC.
Fractal almost defies explanation; we’ve been working on it for 15 months and we still can’t sum it up in a sentence. As with Auditorium, it’s insanely complex to describe but incredibly intuitive to play.
Here’s a bit about the game:
Push on fractals. Arrange them into clusters of seven or more to make a Bloom. Watch the Bloom as it explodes with glory, gaining you seven or more clears. Progress through levels by gaining clears, using power-ups and specialized fractals to aid you along the way.
The most exciting part about this game is its diversity. There are different styles a player can utilize, each one having strengths and weaknesses. Best of all, there are three different modes of play, so varied that they feel like entirely different games:
Campaign Mode
This is the Grand Adventure. Each level has a different challenge you’ll have to face. You have a limited number of pushes which you can gain back in various ways. There’s no timer so you can play at your own pace — whether you choose to sit and think or click wildly is up to you. The levels are shaped by the way you play them — do well in one and the next might be forgiving; show off for a higher score and you might find yourself running out of pushes. This mode is all about going at your own pace and relaxing.
Puzzle Mode
Here’s where we test your cunning intellect. You’ll be handed a particular number of pushes in a very specific situation with concrete goals to achieve. Each puzzle forces you to push the limits of the rule system; some puzzles have ten solutions, others only have one. Aside from being tons of fun, puzzle mode will help you gain an acute understanding of what is possible in the world of Fractal, which will improve your gameplay considerably.
Arcade Mode
Here’s where we flip Campaign Mode upside down. You’ll be given infinite pushes — so go crazy, click all over the place — however the catch is that you’ll be timed. The clock starts with 20 seconds. Only special fractals with a clock symbol will give you time back, so you must choose where to click wisely. Choose from three different playing styles: Speed, Agility, and Confidence. Each one will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Like Auditorium, music is a crucial element in the experience. Our new MusicBox audio engine is capable of building songs on the fly, generating unique melodies based on the gameplay and adding or taking away elements based on progress and circumstance.
Fractal is our attempt to turn a simple concept into a rich audio-visual experience. The game seems to come to life, flourishing vibrantly as you progress and withering in fear when you fail. The environment serve as an indication of your position in the game; a seasoned player can sense danger without ever looking at the HUD.
We hope you’ll enjoy the game as much as we do. With local and global scoreboards in each mode, you can track your progress with other players around the world… Maybe you’ll even beat us some day.
Give the Fractal demo a try at www.playfractal.com. The full version, complete with all three modes of play, is available for $14.99 at https://store.cipherprime.com/promo/fractal.
You can also purchase the full-length Fractal theme, “Iterate!”, at https://store.cipherprime.com/purchase/15 for $0.99. If you preordered, you should see a free copy of the theme sitting in your CP Store account. This is just a small way for us to say, “Thanks!”
For those of you who don’t know, IndieCade is an annual event in Culver City, CA that features all different types of independent games from every genre and for every platform imaginable. It’s a three day festival-conference hybrid that gives the indie game community the opportunity to share knowledge and ideas while celebrating independent developers from all over the globe.
