Game info

STRAND is an escape room-style game focused on solving mysteries and complex puzzles in a highly interactive environment. This interactivity goes beyond aesthetics; objects are essential for puzzle-solving. Every writings are important to study.

Setting the Stage for Strand

Strand is set in the 25th century, a remarkable era in which humanity has successfully colonised multiple planets, united by a collective vision of a brighter future. Through the collaborative efforts of nations worldwide, human civilization has expanded its horizons, boldly pushing the boundaries of exploration and discovery.

Among these new frontiers lies VESTA, a planet that seems like a paradise, adorned with vast oceans and vibrant strips of flourishing plankton. To assess its potential for colonisation, probes were sent to gather critical data. However, an enigmatic electromagnetic field disrupted their systems, raising profound questions about VESTA's true nature and the origins of this mysterious energy.

DYSON SPHERE ( SPOILER, please do not disclose this part to the public )

The interference was traced back to a nearby star—once a brilliant sun, now encased in a Dyson sphere, an extraordinarily advanced structure designed to harness stellar energy. This revelation was kept secret by the commander of the A.R.E.S. station (Astral Research Experimental Station), who feared that knowledge of such technology could jeopardise VESTA's colonisation plans and threaten his family's future.

A.R.E.S. AND THE UNSEEN PHENOMENA

The A.R.E.S. the station was deployed into VESTA's orbit, carrying a scientific team tasked with unravelling the mysteries of the electromagnetic field and its connection to the Dyson sphere. Everything seemed routine until a powerful solar eruption occurred within the sphere. This eruption unleashed waves of energy through space, penetrating the station and affecting various pieces of equipment, including an arcade cabinet the crew had brought along for relaxation.

GAME OVERVIEW

Strand builds upon the rich legacy of puzzle and adventure games like Myst, Tacoma, and Obduction, raising the bar for puzzle complexity and narrative depth. As the lone survivor aboard the A.R.E.S. space station, your mission is to re-establish communication with humanity and escape the time loop that has trapped you.

To break free, you must solve an array of puzzles ranging from straightforward challenges, like finding passwords, to more intricate tasks such as manipulating hardware components or typing command lines into the ship's consoles. Some puzzles are tied directly to the mysterious Dyson Sphere, requiring you to alter its arrangement to influence the station's environment.

Much like in traditional escape games, you'll need to discover and use various objects—access cards, keys, electronic devices—to unlock new rooms and progress through the station. Your intellect will be pushed to its limits, and the puzzles will test not only your logic but also your emotional resilience. As Miranda, you'll face moments of deep introspection, where your own humanity and sense of self are called into question.

PHENOMENA

Time Loop Mechanic

One of the unique aspects of Strand is the time loop mechanic, which adds a sense of repetition and reflection to the gameplay. Rather than racing against time, players are encouraged to think carefully and strategize their actions. At the beginning of each loop, the player starts with four energy points that can be used for various actions such as opening critical doors, powering up equipment, and interacting with key hardware throughout the space station.

When Miranda's energy points are depleted, the station shuts down, leaving only one device still functional, A mysterious arcade cabinet. This machine, affected by an unexplained phenomenon, triggers the time loop, rewinding the entire station to the start of the day.

PRESERVING PROGRESS

However, not all progress is lost with each reset. Miranda's neural device, known as the K9, stores crucial data that remains unaffected by the time loop. This allows players to retain knowledge and items they've collected, such as:

• Screenshots of important information, like passcodes or symbols.

• Audio recordings of hints or conversations.

• Access cards for unlocking specific areas.

• The K9 device acts as a memory bank, helping players remember key details and keeping track of their discoveries as they navigate through each loop. This gives the player a strategic advantage and helps them plan their next steps without starting from scratch.

MIRANDAS'S ANOMALY

Miranda herself is immune to the effects of the time loop due to an unexpected twist—her brain is protected by a synthesised plant compound created from various alien seeds collected by the Horizon Probe. This probe, sent to gather samples from VESTA, returned with unique flora that have mysterious properties, shielding Miranda's neural network from the station's reset.

This anomaly allows Miranda to preserve the data stored in her K9 device, even as the rest of the station rewinds. As players uncover more about the plant's properties and the nature of the Horizon Probe's discoveries, they'll come closer to understanding the source of the strange phenomena affecting A.R.E.S. and perhaps find a way to break the loop once and for all.

As the protagonist Miranda, you are the last remaining crew member aboard the A.R.E.S. station. Having witnessed your colleagues vanish one by one, you find yourself trapped in a repeating cycle of time. The once lively space station is now a ghostly labyrinth, full of unsolved mysteries.

Determined to uncover the truth and escape the loop, Miranda must piece together the events that led to the station's downfall. Each time loop presents a new opportunity to explore different areas of the station, interact with corrupted remnants of her crew's memories, and gather clues.

PUZZLES

Recent games have shown a decline in the complexity and depth of their puzzles. We believe this can make players feel underestimated and disconnected from the experience. With Strand, we want to bring back the challenge and intellectual engagement that games used to offer. Our puzzles will cater to a wide range of skills and types of intelligence—logical reasoning, spatial understanding, observational skills, and even the more creative and intuitive aspects of problem-solving.

You won't need to be a mathematics genius to complete the game, but you will need to show patience, common sense, and a keen eye for details.

The puzzles will be thoughtfully balanced with a difficulty curve that encourages players to progress through the main storyline without frustration. Alongside the primary challenges, we've designed additional, optional riddles meant for seasoned puzzle enthusiasts. These advanced puzzles will be extremely difficult, pushing players to think outside the box and rewarding them with the best ending in the game if solved.

INTERACTIONS

In modern games, interacting with the environment has often become secondary. We want Strand to stand out by making nearly every object in the game world interactive. Inspired by titles like Tacoma, Strand will allow you to explore, inspect, and interact with 90% of the in-game props and assets. Each object has been carefully crafted by our dedicated two-person development team, adding depth and authenticity to the environment.

But this interactivity is not just for show. Some of these items will be essential for solving puzzles. Clues can be hidden in the way an object is shaped, how it can be manipulated, or even in the faint markings on its surface. This design choice mirrors the complexity of real-life escape rooms, where red herrings and subtle hints are used to challenge and intrigue. Players will need to handle, modify, and closely inspect certain key items to uncover the solutions to Strand's most intricate puzzles.

NARRATION

Narration is a central pillar of Strand, as the game is set in a plausible near-future scenario. A well-developed story helps draw players deeper into the fictional world—something that's often overlooked in indie games. We've focused on creating depth, allowing players to explore multiple layers of meaning throughout the game.

Environment

Every room in Strand is designed to tell a story of its own. The space station is not just a backdrop but a living, breathing world that reflects the lives of the crew who once inhabited it. Personal items like clothes, food trays, and scattered belongings give insight into each crew member's personality, habits, and emotions. Each room feels lived-in and authentic, telling silent stories that the player can piece together.

CHARACTERS

The characters in Strand are deliberately designed to feel very human, complete with imperfections and vulnerabilities that make them relatable and real. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese art of Kintsugi—which mends broken pottery with gold to highlight the cracks—we wanted our characters' flaws to be what make them shine.

By avoiding the clichés of "perfect" characters like Mary Sues or Gary Stus, we've created a cast that players will connect with on a deeper level. Players will explore the crew's private spaces, read their notes, and listen to their audio logs, gaining an intimate understanding of their struggles, dreams, and regrets. This closeness to the characters, along with the game's atmospheric storytelling, encourages players to reflect on their own humanity.

Alexandre Quintin / Antek Kopacz

It all began with a seemingly ordinary apartment visit, where two strangers met by chance. Who could have predicted that fate would bring together two individuals whose visions and goals would align so effortlessly?

What started as a casual conversation on Discord and a few shared meals quickly blossomed into a genuine friendship. United by a shared passion and a common vision for the future, we decided to put that connection to the test by embarking on a bold journey : creating our own video game and company.

For years, we've felt that we could contribute to the entertainment industry in a way that goes beyond being employees. What if we could build something greater than ourselves ? Create jobs, foster a thriving community, and inspire the next generation of artists, just as we were once inspired?

Exnilo, coming from "Ex-nihilo" meaning " created from nothing ".