Lapse 2: Before Zero - Time-travel & decision-making

Lapse 2: Before Zero serves as the official prequel to Lapse: A Forgotten Future. Your presence here indicates that, in one way or another, you have succeeded in your mission to either save or annihilate the world. The distinction is irrelevant, as you are about to embark on a journey from a dystopian future back to ancient times. The person who once held the title of President now stands as Pharaoh, and what was previously an automated entity is now your most valued companion for the challenges ahead.

As you awaken, it’s 1750 BC, set in the heart of ancient Egypt. For reasons unknown, this enigmatic land requires your assistance. Move with care: what may appear to be merely governing another realm could actually hold the key to the survival of the planet.

Lapse 2: Before Zero unfolds answers to players’ queries, unraveling the enigmas introduced in the first chapter.

Supported languages include English, Italian, Russian, Turkish, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Polish, Hungarian, Indonesian, Czech, Arabic, Slovak, German, Greek, Finnish, and Romanian.

Tips & Tricks

Try to get the Eye of Ra

And how to do that you may wonder? Well, just like in the first game of the series, The Creator will offer it to you in exchange for watching an advertisement, so it’s basically free (and it only takes 30 seconds of your life).

Make the right decisions

To make decisions you can swipe right or left and they will affect one of your four stats in a certain way. The catch here is that you never know if it’s positive or negative, but if you think about it in a logical way, you could probably guess correctly which stats will be affected positively and which in a negative way.

Explore the Pyramids

At some point in the game, you will meet the Queen. She has a little secret that I do not want to spoil, but if your rule ended a few times (you died) you might know what I am talking about.

If you have no idea, then keep playing because it will appear soon. Read the story she has to say (because it’s really interesting!) and she will return after a few days (in-game days, don’t get it wrong) with an offer for you to go explore the Pyramids.

You can explore either Sened or Userkaf and at the end you will be rewarded something that will affect all future gameplay. The end goal is to explore the Great Pyramid, but it’s a long road ahead. So stay focused and don’t try to die too often.

Always accept the cake 

Once in a while, Nailah the Midwife will offer you a cake that she developed. Always try to accept it because it will drastically increase all the stats you have. So if you have the opportunity, make sure you do so without hesitation.

Maybe buy some boosts?

If you feel like the game is too tough for you to handle with mere decision making, then head on to the shop and for a couple of bucks you can buy the Eye of Ra, Heart of Anubis or a Sapphire Fish. Also, if you’re not a fan of ads (even though this game doesn’t have a lot) you can opt to remove them.

If you really want to invest money into the game, my best option which I suggest you go for is the Eye of Ra. That works just like the Oracle in the first game, and it basically shows you how the decisions will influence the stats.

Get the lasting effects

There are a few lasting effects that you can obtain here, some of which good and some not that great. For example, if you get the Warehouse effect, it will prevent you from dying when the “people” meter goes down. In this tab here with the lasting effects is also located the Eye of Ra.

Other small tips and tricks:

– Don’t fix the Pyramid that was struck by lightning, it will unlock an achievement.

– Pet the cat, it will prevent it from running away at first. Also, you can obtain some Sapphire fish to attract it and make it easier to handle.

– Meet the architect of the Pyramids. It’s a step forward in your advancement and ruling.

– There is a rainy season in Egypt too, remember? Try to live for as long as possible as to be alive during the storm. That will unlock a small hole in the Great Pyramid. You’ll see the effects it has on your future.

– Meet the adventurer, whenever given the option. It’s a great way to discover more about the game.

– Chat a little with The Creator if you want to wind off a bit and learn more about the game. He’s going to crack a few jokes about his hair and such, but he will never fail to reward you.

– You will sometimes encounter Researcher Kumiyo. Remember her? Good. Well, the fun part here is that the two games are related, so try to talk to Kumiyo as much as you can to find out all the information available.

– Talk with the Queen. She’s got a dark secret that concerns you too. That’s all I am going to reveal, because I do not want to spoil the game but rather to incite you to go and discover for yourself since it’s mindblowing once you’ve put all the pieces together.

– Anubis, the God and Protector of the Dead will sometimes reveal himself to you in hope to make your rule a little easier (usually when you’ve made pure-hearted decisions). He will offer you a second chance at life in exchange for you watching an ad. Go for it if you have ruled for a long time, else just decline for now.

– When the blacksmith will try to craft a new metal, let him do it! He will fail, but when he does succeed in the end he will reward you with good stat boosts which you can use either for your army (weapon) or trading it (for money).

– If you have went for the Slave Trade or if you’ve encountered Famine, that round is bound to end sooner or later. Unfortunate for you, but true.