Magrunner: Dark Pulse

Lore & Background

Magrunner: Dark Pulse was developed by Frogwares, with work starting in 2011. After a year of development, the story was written, 25 levels built with Unreal Engine were completed, and design specifications for all 40 levels were ready. The game was successfully funded on 17 August 2012, but the PvP idea was abandoned. An early access version launched on Steam on 19 June 2013, restricted to game supporters who crowdfunded the game. The demo was ranked 4.32 out of 5 by the backers. The game was released on major downloadable platforms on 20 June 2013, with continued work for PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade releases. The game was distributed by Focus Home Interactive, which Frogwares later clarified was only a licensee and not a publisher, as Frogwares had never worked with publishing companies. The story begins as Xander, CEO of Gruckezber Corporation, announces a contest using the corporation's magnetic technology. The player takes the role of Dax, one of seven 'magrunners' competing for a trip to outer space. Dax solves puzzles using magnetic attraction and repulsion, assisted by Gamaji, a six-armed mutant who communicates via a clandestine 3D holography channel. As the game progresses, Dax faces Lovecraftian monstrosities, discovers Soul Pillars feeding a ritual gate, and confronts Xander and a Spawn of Cthulhu. The setting changes from a clean, high-tech environment to a dirty, old-looking technology system, and later into interplanetary regions, similar to the transition in Portal.

Reader's Guide

Magrunner: Dark Pulse is a first-person action puzzle game that uses a Magtech glove to charge objects with green/blue or red colors. Objects with the same color attract each other; objects with different colors repel each other, intentionally reversing real-world magnet polarity to expand game mechanics. The player navigates training modules and solves dynamic puzzles using platforms, cubes, catapults, cube transformers, and a robotic dog named Newton that can be charged and influences other charged objects. The game is based on 8 main gameplay elements, each introduced through 1-2 easy levels, with difficulty growing slowly across all 40 levels. The first setting introduces Cube, Platform, and Transformer elements; the second setting adds bots and monsters and reaches maximum difficulty; the third setting combines existing mechanics with 3-8 elements per level. The game received mixed reviews on Metacritic. GameSpot praised its horror ambiance and fun challenges but called the story too serious. IGN found it challenging but with a boring storyline and under-baked horror. Destructoid called it gorgeous but frustrating at times.

Did You Know?

• The game was originally named NYC, standing for Newton, Yoshi, and Cthulhu.
• The robotic dog companion Newton can be charged with a color and influences other charged objects.
• The developer intentionally changed real-world magnet physics so that same colors attract and different colors repel.