Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗Act! Autonomy: Cell-Tones
PaperAct · Published by PaperAct
Content notice: This game contains anime-style characters with revealing outfits (e.g., implied partial nudity or suggestive clothing). Some collectible items feature text references to mature humor. The story explores psychological themes including self-sacrifice and mental struggles. While the narrative includes metaphorical depictions of a character consuming their own life force (interpreted as self-harm ideation), there is no graphic depiction of suicide or extreme violence.
Last updated 28 Sept 2026
Act! Cellular Tuning—a rhythm game with fully innovative free-input gameplay—is set to launch in Winter 2026! Relax, immerse yourself fully, and tune your unique movement in the ocean of the subconscious!
Indie, Casual · 2026 · More free games
About this game
Join us on Discord!
I'm an individual developer, so I really appreciate your feedback! and we can chat happily :)
About the Game
The free demo for Act! Cellular Tuning—a rhythm game with fully innovative free-input gameplay—is now available!
Innovative Rhythm Play
An Unrestricted Performance Experience
Say goodbye to the constraints of “lanes” and “fixed keys.”
In Act!, the notes on screen are not tied to any specific physical buttons. You can trigger judgments by pressing any key on your keyboard or controller.
—Of course, it’s not that simple: to reach artistic mastery, you’ll need to explore optimal performance strategies, much like a pianist planning their fingering.
🟥 Beats:
Anchor yourself and tap repeatedly on the same key.
🟩 Flows:
Glide smoothly to adjacent keys in a continuous motion.
🟦 Techs:
Leap between distant keys in an alternating, rhythmic interplay.
Precise timing helps you score higher, while elegant fingering accelerates your tuning progress in the world of ACT.
A More Relaxed “Immersive Lean-Back Play” Style
No more intentionally punishing “skill checks” just for the sake of difficulty.
Multi-Dimensional Scoring:
Judgment accuracy and combos are no longer the only metrics. The world of ACT relies on your artistic performance to overcome challenges. Weave your own fingering patterns freely—the more immersed you are, the higher your evaluation will be!
Emphasis on Musical Expression:
Rather than testing raw speed, Act! charts focus on conveying the emotion and nuance of the music. Within the freedom of your fingering, experience a state of flow akin to “improvisation.”
Controller-Friendly Lean-Back Play:
Act! might just be the most controller-friendly rhythm game out there. After a long, tiring day when you just want to lie back and relax, this game will be your go-to choice.
Share Your Creativity with the World
Be more than a player—become a creator.
Act! comes with a powerful custom chart editor built right in, with deep support for chart creation using a controller.
Step away from the monotony of daily tasks, unwind with music, and unleash your creativity—then share your creations with Tuners worldwide.
Worldview
"Break the mold, awaken the self. Tune the cells, reshape the soul."
This is Act World. Here, humans and AI once coexisted in prosperity. But a silent crisis has arrived—a psychological plague known as "AI Somatization." New humans, eroded by AI logic, worship machine precision and efficiency, threatening to wipe out the warmth of old humanity.
You drift into the "inner side" of this world and meet a girl named "Little A" (Eiria). She asks you to cure this plague. Your task is surprisingly simple: use your fingertips to tune the cells of the human subconscious and reinject the precious resource known as "Spirituality" back into the world's Archetype.
Narrative & Systems
Fragmented Storytelling
No long-winded dialogues, just slowly permeating subconsciousness. In Act!, the story is hidden within fragments and items. Piece together the truth behind Act World during the brief rests between songs.
Collection & Progression
As you progress, you will unlock various practical support items. These items help you achieve achievements more easily or unlock fun collectibles—without affecting the fairness of competitive scoring. Aim for that 100% Collection Rate!
Full System Support
We are a mature rhythm game with everything you need. Beyond the Chart Editor, Act! provides all the essentials: A/V offset, latency adjustment, play statistics... It's all here. Play with peace of mind!
A Word from the Developer
Thanks for reading this far! I'm paperlens, a game industry "wage-slave" who used to be a Charter, Vocaloid Producer, and Clipper.
I still remember the passion O2Jam gave me when I was only as tall as a table. Rhythm games have been with me for 20 years, and I've wanted to make my own for about 10. In October 2025, I finally made up my mind—even without capital backing, I will realize this innovative rhythm game that fits my aesthetics.
I handled the design, programming, music, and art all by myself. It might not have the luxury quality of a AAA commercial title, but it is filled with my love for rhythm games. It would be my greatest joy to walk this path accompanied by fellow rhythm game fans! I hope to bring you a brand new experience and show more people the charm of this genre!
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 or newer
- Processor: x64
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Storage: 1 GB available space
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10 or newer
- Processor: x64
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Storage: 1 GB available space
Supported Languages
Latest news
Patch NotesOfficial
Act! Update Log #4
\\You can now enable bar line display in \!Currently shown as light-white circular markers — more customization options coming soon.(After this update, bar lines are shown every bar by default)\You can now enable the beat count-in feature in \!When enabled, a count-in sound plays in rhythm before the song starts — nail your timing with confidence!(After this update, the count-in starts 2 beats before the song by default)\After this update, the default \ has been unified to 200.This reduces the "speed-shift" feel. If reading feels off, try adjusting \ and \ to your liking!\\The left stick now works as a D-pad for up/down/left/right.\Esc to go back and Enter to confirm now work across all screens.Arrow keys ↑↓←→ now work alongside WASD.Song select now supports mouse wheel for browsing and switching songs.Settings and other option menus now support wrap-around selection.\IJKL and similar keys are no longer shown as the primary display.Key info like LAlt, RAlt, Esc, and Enter is now easier to read.\Fixed an issue where the selected state didn't refresh after switching filters on the song select screen.Fixed an issue where character names displayed incorrectly during dialogue.Fixed an issue where character dialogue could stop working after returning to the main screen repeatedly.Fixed an issue with rough edges on character portraits.\A future update will add custom bar line display options.A future update will add local custom key sounds.2026.8.2 ©PaperActRead full article on Community Announcements (paperlens)Patch NotesOfficial
Act! Update Roadmap #1 (Fall 2026)
Hello everyone! It's been two months since the Act! demo launched, and we've received so much valuable feedback along the way — once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!Over the next three months, development will push full speed toward the full release, and the game will arrive at October's Steam Next Fest in a near-complete state.Here's a preview of what will be developed and released during these three months!Brand-New Gameplay, Debuting at October's Next Fest!We're pushing the freedom and strategy of trackless gameplay even further.This time, you'll face more than notes — you'll face enemies. Attack, defend, and finish to the rhythm. Music is your weapon.Full Upgrade to Existing Gameplay \Judgment refinements: further polishing judgment logic for more intuitive feedbackFresh visuals & sounds: upgraded play-scene visuals, all-new hit sounds, all-new judgment fontChart-reading improvements: better note visuals with customization support, plus more reading-assist optionsStory Chapter 1 BeginsThe story of the ACT world officially begins!The prologue and Chapter 1 of the main story arrive in the October build, with countless fragments of detail scattered across the game — chat with the adorable mascot girls anytime, anywhere!Three Major Systems to Help You Enjoy the Melody Your WayNeural Sync system \:Spend Artistic Score (PCS) points to upgrade your Tuning Device — sync your neural wavelength with the music, gain greater tuning power, and unlock the Qualia (Q-Bit) essential for research!Mneme Vessels system \:The lab seems full of objects brimming with spirit... Exchange your Qualia with Achan for Vessels and unlock distinctive new tunings!PlayLog system \:It records everything and repays your effort. Your footprints in the ACT world will never fade — and every achievement you earn will feel truly rewarding!Track List Expanding to 15 SongsAct! will keep up its pace of 2 free new songs every month, while gradually broadening the repertoire — including but ...Read full article on Community Announcements (paperlens)AnnouncementsOfficial
《Act!》意见收集和反馈 #2
Act! Autonomy: Cell-Tones has wrapped up its journey at the Zhuimeng International Rhythm Game Expo. Thank you once again for your enthusiastic participation and invaluable feedback! Below is a summary of the feedback received and our corresponding improvement plans: UI & Controls Controller: Stick input will be supported alongside the D-pad for directional controls.Keyboard: Esc to cancel and Enter/Space to confirm will be supported; arrow keys will work alongside WASD; numpad keys will be added as in-game trackless keys.Mouse: Fixed some expandable sidebars not closing when clicking blank areas; song select will support scroll wheel, with improved mouse difficulty switching.Pressing a currently inactive key will highlight the key hint panel, helping players understand available keys.Filter hints on the song select screen will be made more noticeable. UI Style Strengthen retro-tech and Y2K design elements for clearer visual intent.Tone down oversized color blocks to reduce visual discomfort. Gameplay Improve trackless judgment to reduce unintended chained key hits.Improve the presentation of turning Hold notes.Add count-in beats before each song to help players get into the rhythm.Improve key-press sound effects with clearer options.Enhance natural feedback when artistic notes are hit successfully.Add Fast/Slow indicators and average Offset display on the results screen.Add Artistic Score percentage (ACC) display.Add a bar line display option.Clarify internal judgment rules (e.g., LN tail judgment) with better guidance. Requests for new note types and special input modes (e.g., gyroscope Mod) have been noted and will be explored in future versions. Visuals Game scenes will receive brand-new art design, replacing current assets.Improve note visuals: thicker lines, adjusted color contrast for better readability.Fix speed inconsistencies when notes fly in; improve left-right scattering at near view distance.Enhance visibility of chord hints and light-dot hints; ground...Read full article on Community Announcements (paperlens)Patch NotesOfficial
Act! Update Log #2:
Act! Update Notes #2:Significantly optimized game performance. During gameplay, CPU time reduced by 20%, GPU batches reduced by 50%, and rendered vertices reduced by 90%.Fixed a bug where the background could appear transparent when sharing screenshots.Improved the English UI presentation.Fixed an issue where some tracks could freeze when retrying.I‘m excited to announce that our official Discord server is now open! Join us directly at https://discord.gg/9yhcHNqTkVThank you for updating and continuing to play, and thank you for your support!Read full article on Community Announcements (paperlens)Patch NotesOfficial
Act! – Feedback Roundup #1 & Update Log #1
Act! Feedback Roundup #1Today is the first day of the demo launch, and I’ve already received so much feedback from everyone in such a short time. Thank you all so much!Here’s a summary of the major points and the current optimization plan:Q: The game has no tutorial. The on-screen button prompts and the rules page don’t help players quickly understand how things work. A: I’m sorry! The development schedule was just too tight, so I didn’t get around to it… In the latest update, the \ screen can now be opened again at any time. The plan for a proper tutorial has already been decided. I’ll complete a full beginner tutorial by June 15, including a tutorial song and character-guided dialogue!Q: The game doesn’t support the “X to confirm, O to cancel” button layout. A: I completely missed that – sorry! A hotfix has just been pushed, so you can now choose your button preference in the Settings menu! In the future, new players will also be guided to pick their button layout the first time they launch the game.Q: It’s hard to see the notes clearly. A: While this isn’t a fundamental fix yet, in the new version you can press Options (see top right corner) on the pause screen to enable an experimental note display upgrade! For new players, this option will be turned on by default.Q: The cue for simultaneous notes (doubles) isn’t obvious enough. A: I’ve received feedback suggesting that double notes should have a bolder or special treatment – fantastic suggestion, thank you! I’ll have this implemented before the June 7 update.Q: We need separate volume sliders for SFX and hitsounds. A: Separate volume settings have already been added in this update!I’ve also received the following feedback, but these require more thought and will be redesigned or addressed in future versions:(Optimization) The UI interaction for selecting difficulty is a bit confusing.(Optimization) Suggestion to enhance the note cues on the ground.(Optimization) L2/R2 feel like they have input delay (actually d...Read full article on Community Announcements (paperlens)
