Games

Indie Spotlight – Parallel Experiment comes with a comic noir puzzle mystery designed for two

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Story Highlights

  • Parallel Experiment is a 2-player co-op puzzler with escape room vibes, blending noir storytelling and comic book visuals.
  • Adrian Olczyk, CEO and co-founder at Eleven Puzzles shared fascinating insights into the game’s development, challenges, visuals, and more.
  • The game is set to release on June 5.

On June 5, 2025, Eleven Puzzles is set to debut its cooperative puzzle game titled “Parallel Experiment” on Android, iOS, and Steam platforms.

In this two-person independent game, you and a companion assume the roles of detectives who frequently operate independently, gathering distinct pieces of evidence. Your objective is to collaborate and decipher puzzles by pooling your findings. This intricately designed game is now available on mobile devices, offering brain-teasing conundrums and entertainment.

Featured Column – Indie Spotlight

Gaming on Phone’s “Indie Highlight” showcases emerging small game studios and developers, providing them with recognition and exposure within the independent gaming community. In this feature, we offer comprehensive summaries as well as insights and opinions from these creators. If you are an indie studio, don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions at editor@gamingonphone.com.

Game Overview

The game titled “Parallel Experiment,” hailing from Eleven Puzzles, is a 2-player cooperative puzzle experience that incorporates escape room-style challenges. This engaging adventure invites you to delve into a noir-inspired story, presented in a comic book art style. Join forces with your friend or partner to assume the roles of detectives Ally and Old Dog, as you decipher the enigmatic codes left behind by the Cryptic Killer.

The appealing aspect lies in the game’s design, where it keeps you and your partner apart by offering distinct items and hints. This forces you to lean on your communication abilities and collaborate to solve approximately 80 intricately designed brainteasers. Additionally, if you need a change from puzzles, you can delve into diverse mini-games inspired by the past, each with a cooperative twist.

As a devoted gamer, I can’t help but be captivated by the rich tapestry of Parallel Experiment. With its abundance of brain-teasing puzzles, roughly 100 comic book pages, interactive chats with characters, responsive NPCs, and even the occasional chance to drive my co-op partners crazy, this game offers a well-balanced, dynamic, and exhilarating gaming experience that truly resonates with today’s gamers.

Why you should play Parallel Experiment

  • An intriguing 2-player puzzle title with escape room mechanics and noir comic flair.
  • Packed with over 10 hours of gameplay, including over 80 puzzles and 100 comic book pages.
  • Features hand-drawn art, dynamic NPCs, cooperative dialogues, and beautiful cutscenes.
  • Includes retro-inspired mini-games, sketching options, and fun ways to mess with your partners.

From concept to creation: Developer Insights

During a chat with GamingonPhone, Adrian Olczyk, the CEO and co-founder of Eleven Puzzles, provided insightful information on the creation of Parallel Experiment. He delved into the initial stages of the game’s development, its source of inspiration, hurdles faced, and much more.

He mentioned that he’s “one of the two founders of Eleven Puzzles, together with his wife Karolina,” and that they launched the studio because of their mutual love for escape rooms.

From a passion project to everything

Mr. Adrian mentioned that Eleven Puzzles operates as a “completely distributed studio” with a team of eight members who live in different parts of Poland. He noted that they flourish due to the flexibility remote work provides, which stimulates their creativity and allows everyone to collaborate in ways that best suit them.

His objective, as he explained, was straightforward: “to create the type of puzzle games that we ourselves would enjoy playing.” He disclosed that they established the studio back in November 2020, right at the peak of the pandemic. “With real-world escape rooms being shut down,” he pointed out, “we missed the excitement of solving puzzles together.

They chose to replicate the original experience in a digital format instead. He shared how what started as a personal endeavor unexpectedly grew into something bigger, since their “first game became popular among friends, so we continued working on it.” With each new game they develop, their aim is to create increasingly engaging and imaginative cooperative puzzles.

Challenges and birth of Parallel Experiment

When questioned about the evolution process, Mr. Adrian disclosed that the genesis of Parallel Experiment stemmed from an elementary thought. “To put it simply,” he explained, “the project started as a game based in a lab.

As the narrative progressed, they crafted character desires, interwoven connections, and the tale itself evolved into a much grander concept. Originally titled “Parallel Labs”, they decided to rename it when the plot took on more complex dimensions, revealing intricate conflicts and concealed truths.

He described the storyline as centering around “two long-lost brothers entangled in a mysterious court case linked to their vanished parents,” drawing inspiration from their recent marathon of The X-Files. He briefly summarized the plot and subsequently delved into the hurdles the production team encountered while crafting the game.

As Mr. Adrian stated, the main hurdle they faced was maintaining a balance. He explained that if one part of the puzzle seemed slower or too simple, the tension would dissipate. To address this issue, they employed extensive playtesting and numerous revisions, ensuring that every puzzle kept both players fully captivated by making adjustments and refinements until it was perfectly balanced.

Why blending mystery and co-op as a genre felt right

He shared that the concept originated from their desire to create cooperative games that they themselves would enjoy playing.

It’s pleasant to discover that, much like myself, Mr. Adrian and his spouse also invest considerable time in gaming. They enjoy a wide variety of games, ranging from online escape room games to board games such as the EXIT and Unlock! series.

In this section, he responded to another query by saying, “We’re big fans of mystery novels, comic books, and enjoying shared activities,” elucidating that this is where it all started and the reason behind their selection of this particular genre.

He mentioned that this combination was incredibly effective: “Detectives resolving an unresolved case,” only to find themselves “becoming the targets of the very murderer they’ve been pursuing for years.” In his opinion, this unique blend of suspense and camaraderie is “precisely the thrilling encounter we aimed to deliver.

Designing with clarity, challenge, and co-op at heart

As Mr. Adrian stated, the studio’s development approach is structured around a repetitive cycle. He referred to it as “a cyclical methodology“, which involves three key stages: brainstorming mechanics and concepts together, swiftly creating prototypes using placeholder graphics, and thoroughly testing these prototypes with feedback incorporated.

As a passionate admirer, I can’t help but share this exciting insight: If the challenge remains engaging in its original state, it undeniably holds potential. The design principles they follow keep us on track. They underscore that there’s no need for an inventory system, no room for backtracking, and each puzzle is confined to just two screens.

In this game, clear communication is vital and plays a pivotal role in your gaming experience. To prevent information overload, they’ve incorporated “just a few puzzles” within each stage. Additionally, the game designer pointed out that each level is self-contained with specific objectives, ensuring you have a sense of direction for each stage.

Wrapping up this segment, I shared that we’ve reinvented the classic adventure themes for a two-player collaborative experience. My aim is to bridge a gap in the genre and provide cooperative puzzle-solving with the focus it truly deserves.

Lighthearted co-op mini-games add a fun break from the intense puzzles

As the game features fun side activities like darts, pool, and old-school arcade games, I inquired from Mr. Adrian about how these were incorporated within the main game. He explained that they’ve broken down Parallel Experiment into four distinct chapters, which are all connected by a police station. During the interludes between investigations, you can unwind by engaging in these leisurely activities.

He additionally drew attention to the “teasing-one-another feature,” where you can interactively tap on your companion’s screen or give it a shake to add some fun. Moreover, he underscored that they anticipate approximately 10 hours of gameplay, emphasizing this duration is full of worthwhile content, “devoid of fillers and repetitive puzzles.

At each stage, he mentioned that it was “meticulously balanced for pace, puzzle complexity, and overall difficulty.” The team put in a lot of effort to create a blend of “tough challenges, key plot moments, amusing distractions, and heartfelt rewards.

Immersive experience through hand-drawn storytelling

As our discussion progressed, we delved into the topic of the game’s aesthetics. In terms of visuals, the team emphasized on creating an art style that harmoniously blended with the gameplay mechanics, which were designed to be “easy to understand, user-friendly, and appealing to players from diverse backgrounds.” The comic book aesthetic further enhances the game’s dark, immersive atmosphere.

Mentioning that “the lead artist, Adam, who’s had a lifelong affection for comics,” played a crucial role in defining the game’s aesthetics. Yet, when Robert came aboard the team, he “polished the color scheme and linework” to emphasize the noir atmosphere.

The team crafted every cutscene with a sense of being “individual comic panels” – approximately 100 in all, which contributed significantly to the immersion and smooth progression of the storyline, without disturbing your puzzle-solving experience.

What’s next for the Studio after this highly anticipated release

Moving forward, he mentioned that their primary goal is to develop a Nintendo Switch version for the team’s current project. He further stated that previously released games such as “Unsolved Case” and “Unboxing the Cryptic Killer” are also being adapted for the Switch. The game will not be receiving any additional content, but there may be hints of a hidden ending suggesting their next title.

Building a community without a big budget

Towards the close of our discussion, the subject of our talk transitioned towards the way the studio handles financing and operations. In terms of finances, he disclosed that “The studio is entirely self-financed“, allowing them to maintain their commitment to creative pursuits.

For marketing purposes, he emphasized it’s more about fostering a sense of community and encouraging genuine audience interaction, often referred to as “organic engagement.” Additionally, he highlighted that our approach leans heavily on fan involvement, utilizing word-of-mouth recommendations and social media platforms.

He concluded the discussion by saying, “When something is truly exceptional, it’s only natural for people to want to discuss it.

Final Verdict from the Editor

Now open for advance registration, I’m genuinely thrilled about Parallel Experiment, a compelling cooperative puzzle game that promises an engaging experience for two players. What particularly excites me is the interactive feature allowing you to playfully annoy your teammate – by poking them or shaking their screen, for instance – which I can’t wait to experiment with!

Featuring comic book-style art reminiscent of film noir, handcrafted settings, and an array of puzzles, this game also offers mini-games that hark back to the past such as Match Three, Claw Machine, and more. It’s a highly recommended choice for those who enjoy solving escape room-like challenges and collaborative brainteasers immersed in rich content.

To enjoy this sequel, you’ll need to mark your calendar for June 5th, 2025, as that’s when it will be available on Android, iOS, and PC devices. Sadly, Nintendo Switch users will have to exercise a little more patience, as its release on that platform is planned for later in the year.

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2025-06-04 18:13

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