Parallel Experiment2.1.0

IMPORTANT: "Parallel Experiment" is a 2-player cooperative puzzle game with escape room-like elements. Each player must have their own copy on either mobile, tablet, PC or Mac (cross-platform play is supported).

In the game players take on the roles of two detectives who are often separated, each with different clues, and must work together to solve puzzles. Internet connection and voice communication are essential. Need a Player Two? Join our community on Discord!

ABOUT THE GAME

Parallel Experiment is a noir-inspired adventure with a comic book art style, featuring detectives Ally and Old Dog. While following the trail of the dangerous Cryptic Killer, they suddenly become his targets and are now unwilling participants in his twisted experiment.

This is the second standalone chapter in the “Cryptic Killer” cooperative point-and-click puzzle game series. You can play Unboxing the Cryptic Killer first, if you want to learn more about our detectives and their nemesis, but Parallel Experiment can be enjoyed without prior knowledge.

KEY FEATURES

- Two Player Co-Op

​In Parallel Experiment, players must rely on their communication skills as they’re separated and must each discover unique clues that are vital for solving puzzles on the other end. Teamwork is essential to crack the Cryptic Killer’s codes.

- Challenging Collaborative Puzzles

​There are over 80 puzzles striking the perfect balance between challenging yet fair. But you're not facing them on your own! Communicate with your partner on how to best proceed, solve a puzzle on your end that unlocks the next step for them and discover a wide variety of puzzles from redirecting water flows, finding computer passwords and unlocking intricate locks, to deciphering cryptic ciphers, soldering electronic components, and even waking up a drunk!

- Two Can Play That Game

​Looking for a break from the main investigation? Dive into a variety of retro-inspired mini-games designed with a fresh cooperative twist. Challenge each other to darts, Three in a Row, Match Three, Claw Machine, Push and Pull, and more. Think you know these classics? We’ve reinvented them for a whole new co-op experience

- Cooperative Dialogues

​Uncover vital clues through collaborative conversations. NPCs respond dynamically to each player, offering new layers of interaction that only teamwork can unravel. Some conversations are puzzles in themselves that you need to solve together!

- A story told in panels

Our love for comic books shines in Parallel Experiment. Every cutscene is presented as a beautifully crafted comic book page, immersing you in a gripping, noir-inspired narrative.

How many pages did we create to tell the story? Almost 100 pages! Even we were surprised by how much it took, but every panel was worth it to deliver a story that keeps you on edge until the very last frame.

- Draw on... Everything!

​Every detective needs a notebook. In Parallel Experiment, players can jot down notes, sketch solutions, and interact with the environment in creative ways. But we all know what you're going to draw first...

- Annoy Each Other

​This is a key feature? Yes. Yes, it is. ​

​Each level will have some way for players to annoy their co-op partner: knock on a window to distract them, poke them, make their screens shake. You already know you'll be doing this just by reading it, right?
Parallel Experiment has a variety of mind-twisting challenges that push the boundaries of cooperative puzzle design, offering situations never seen before in other games.

Version History Added Japanese and Korean localization 2.1.0 Sep 17 Bug fixes and improvements:
- Fixed an issue allowing horizontal movement on a raised platform while holding the prism
- Fixed levitation after stepping off a platform in the platform maze
- Fixed an issue where a screw could be tightened while opening the workshop cover
- Fixed an issue allowing progression with only one mouse placed on the cheese
- Fixed graphical issues after restarting the MagneTron 3000 mini-game
- Fixed disappearing rotation arrows when quickly clicking the hint button
- Fixed reversed image order in hints
- Fixed a locked slot near the brain after connecting the tip to two slots 2.0.3 Apr 2 Bug fixes and improvements:
- Fixed an issue with the "Silly" achievement
- Fixed a bug preventing return to the Temple of Trials for players who completed the game in a previous version but did not finish the Temple in a single session
- Updated hints to accurately match the environment
- Adjusted the difficulty of the knife section
- Added an option to watch all cutscenes (including those that were cut in the 2.0 update) from the main menu.
- Fixed a bug preventing the elevator from resetting correctly in investigation mode
- Fixed a bug causing symbols in the first section of the game to become invisible
- Fixed various other minor bugs 2.0.2 Mar 12 Bug Fixes:
- Fixed an issue where the game completion achievement failed to unlock.
- Fixed a bug preventing players from loading a save after finishing the game to use remaining tokens. 2.0.1 Mar 6 Detectives! This update introduces significant content changes and improvements:

- New Level: We added "Temple of Trials" a completely new chapter near the end of the game with fresh cooperative puzzles
- Reworked Finale: We redesigned the ending to improve pacing and engagement (story is left intact)
- New Hint System: You can now access over 300 hints to get a nudge without spoiling the solution
- Streamlined Story: We tightened conversations and cutscenes so you can focus more on the puzzles
- Cloud Saves: Your progress is now automatically backed up online
- Bug Fixes: We squashed numerous bugs and improved overall stability

Important: Both players must have version 2.0.0 installed to play together. If you have an old save file, you can load it to access the new content immediately. 2.0.0 Mar 4 Bug Fixes:
- Fixed an issue that prevented the virtual keyboard from opening automatically on Steam Deck
- Fixed occasional crashes when approaching lights in the workshop
- Fixed several minor issues with the workshop assembly machine
- Fixed an issue that prevented players from opening the token machine after completing a mini-game
- Fixed an issue where lock numbers were positioned incorrectly in the museum
- Fixed an issue causing pool balls to move incorrectly in certain situations
- Fixed an issue where the gargoyle would not recognize the glass in some cases
- Various performance improvements 1.0.11 Feb 5 Workshop Bug Fixes:

- Fixed an issue where soldering could work without power after loading a save.
- Fixed problems caused by leaving the battery in the drawer before loading a save.
- Fixed problems caused by leaving the circuit board in the drawer before loading a save.
- Fixed a bug on PC where rapidly clicking the screwdriver could permanently lock the screws.
- Fixed a missing diode when handing over the circuit board.
- Fixed the doorbell sound playing when approaching the workbench.
- Fixed diodes remaining stuck in place after being removed.
- Fixed an issue on PC where the power plug could be moved while inserted into the socket.
- Fixed incorrect display of broken diodes after reinstalling them.
- Fixed a bug allowing screws to be double-inserted, causing a mini soft-lock.
- Fixed a soft lock that could occur after completing the final Workshop puzzle and exiting the game.

Elevator Maze Bug Fixes:

- Fixed an issue where players could clip through a moving elevator.

Museum Bug Fixes:

- Fixed an issue on PC where the magnifying glass stayed in place when holding LMB+RMB, and could be thrown outside the playable area.
- Improved button-press animations in elevators. 1.0.10 11/14/2025 Bug fixes:

- Fixed a memory leak that could, in certain situations, cause a crash during the Assembly puzzle
- Fixed an issue that could occasionally soft-lock players in Investigation Mode
- Fixed the reset behavior of the Assembly puzzle
- Fixed a bug that could trigger a mini-game to open in the bar area after moving to another room
- Fixed an issue in the Books puzzle that allowed players to grab and turn multiple books simultaneously 1.0.9 10/31/2025 Features
- New control scheme for the Labyrinth and Parallel City sections
- Added the ability to rewatch cutscenes from the main menu
- Added support for the Back button on Android

Improvements
- Improved functionality of skipping dialogues
- Adjusted timing of notifications after completing puzzles in the Bar

Bug Fixes
- Fixed a bug that blocked some players from continuing certain conversations
- Various other bug fixes and stability improvements 1.0.7 09/28/2025 Features
- New animations for Bogdan
- Improved character selection screen
- Added a new Extras menu in the main menu - browse achievements and find links to our other games
- Clearer notifications after completing a puzzle in the Bar section
- Improved accessibility: added visual clues to puzzles that previously required sound, making them playable for hard-of-hearing players
- Removed reliance on Cloudflare to reduce connection issues for players in Russia

Bug Fixes
- Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented players from continuing conversations with Bogdan
- Fixed accelerometer functionality in certain puzzles
- Fixed issues with achievements not unlocking properly 1.0.6 08/22/2025 Features
- Improved the beggining of the Parallel City level (wandering in the darkness)
- Implemented better skipping of cutscenes
- Implemented better skipping of dialogue options
- Improved pitch and leveled the volume of many sound effects and voice lines

Bug Fixes
- Translated some notification that were left in english
- Fixed bugs in Three in a Row minigame
- Fixed misaligned flames in the Labyrinth (visual)
- Fixed OD speaking Ally's line in the Temple
- Fixed Ally having three hands in the sarcophagus (visual)
- Fixed a bug that caused a player to randomly drop in the Platforms section
- Fixed minor bugs in the Pool minigame
- Fixed minor bugs in the Match Three minigame 1.0.5 08/07/2025 Features
- Added the option to view credits from the menu screen

Bug Fixes
- Fixed a rare bug in the elevator maze where the players could split, preventing them from progressing
- Fixed a bug with books stacking on one another in the workshop
- Fixed a bug with levers being outside the screen edge on iPad (platform maze)
- Fixed the 'Poker' achievement not being awarded correctly
- Fixed other, minor bugs 1.0.4 06/27/2025 Features
- Added and option to change graphic quality - should help with performance on lower-end machines
- Improved performance in more resource-intensive areas (Inside of Dad's Electronics, the labyrinth). This should prevent game from crashing in these areas
- Improved the reset procedure in the pipe minigame

Bug Fixes
- Fixed a bug that could sometimes cause players to lose their save file. If this happened to you, please let us know and we’ll provide a save file close to where you left off
- Fixed a visual bug with one of the characters disappearing during a conversation
- Fixed a bug that broke the mouse game if a player quits during the ending sequence
- Fixed a missing diode bug in the communication machine
- Fixed a bug with gems overlapping in Match Three minigame 1.0.3 06/20/2025 Parallel Experiment 1.0.2 Changelog:

Features
- Added the option to choose a server when starting a game — useful if you experience connection or lag issues
- Reduced graphic requirements in larger sections, especially in the underground area. This should prevent game from crashing in these areas
- Save files are now automatically backed up
- The game now remembers your selected language
- Added the ability to reset the Pipe Puzzle and the Gears & Sliders Puzzle

Bug Fixes
- Fixed a bug that prevented the map icon from bouncing when it should draw attention
- Fixed typos and improved wording in Polish and Russian
- Fixed an issue that could block three in a row puzzle completion in specific situations
- Fixed an issue where some notes weren’t translated correctly
- Minor visual improvements in the Temple and Platforms puzzles 1.0.2 06/12/2025 1.0.0 06/05/2025