Expand

by Chris Johnson, Chris Larkin

The Developer Says...

Expand is a meditative video game in which you explore a circular labyrinth that constantly twists, stretches and expands around you.

Players Like...

❤ Players Guide a Pink Square Through Morphing Mazes

The core gameplay loop challenges players to navigate a pink square through a constantly evolving circular labyrinth. The level design seamlessly transforms around the player, as paths continuously stretch, contract, and twist in a hypnotic, mesmerizing fashion. This creates an ever-changing series of navigational puzzles that require quick reflexes, spatial awareness, and pattern recognition to overcome.

❤ Intuitive "Polar" Control Scheme Takes Time to Master

The game utilizes an innovative control scheme where players move the square using the analog stick or arrow keys. However, the direction of movement is relative to the circular playing field - up/down affect radial distance from the center, while left/right impact movement around the circumference. This "polar" control scheme takes some acclimation, but ultimately proves very intuitive once players adjust to the unique mechanics.

❤ Difficulty Ramps Up Steadily with Frequent Checkpoints

The experience starts with relatively simple, relaxing levels that gradually increase in complexity and challenge. As players progress, the layouts become more convoluted, the obstacles more treacherous, and the need for precise timing and navigation becomes more critical. However, the game paces this difficulty curve well, with checkpoints regularly resetting the level to a slightly different state upon death, avoiding overly repetitive trial-and-error.

❤ Clever Checkpoint System Maintains Sense of Progress

When the player's pink square collides with red obstacles, they are instantly killed and respawned at the nearest checkpoint. Cleverly, the checkpoint often resets the level to a new configuration, providing a fresh perspective on the challenge. This helps maintain a sense of ongoing progression, as players don't simply retrace their steps after each failure.

❤ Masterful Integration of Gameplay and Atmospheric Audio

The evocative, synthesized soundtrack dynamically shifts and evolves in response to the player's actions and the transformations of the level. The music's pacing and intensity ebb and flow to mirror the player's own rhythm and tension, creating a truly cohesive audiovisual experience.

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