Intro

There aren't many guides for Cultris: 2. As its name implies, it is a Tetris-like cult game. Cult + Tetris = Cultris. Genius, I know...

This guide will teach you about some important techniques that go into stacking and are also useful in other Tetris variant games. However, since Cultris: 2 has no hold feature like all other modern Tetris clones, only one piece preview, and a truly random randomizer, this information suddenly becomes more useful.

Cultris: 2 - Mechanics

First, it is important to note that Cultris: 2 does not follow the same versus rules as other Tetris games. This is Cultris: 2 and how it stands out among the rest of other Tetris clones. Consider the following:

Combo Timer = time you have to combo (in seconds)
Combo Counter = combo strength (1 = weak combo, 10 = strong combo)

The way you attack and defend is by making combos. The combo timer begins ticking the first line you clear when your timer is at zero seconds. If your timer is not at zero seconds, then your combo counter goes up. Clearing more lines at once grants you more time to combo.
Harddrop wiki explains this part well enough:

Base(comboTimer) + NumberOfLinesCleared * Bonus(comboCounter)

initial garbage lines per combo
counter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
lines sent	0	1	1	1	2	2	3	5	7	9	11	11	11	11
total sent	0	1	2	3	5	7	10	15	22	31	42	53	64	75
total/counter	0.00	0.50	0.67	0.75	1.00	1.17	1.43	1.88	2.44	3.10	3.82	4.42	4.92	5.36
combo-time expansion
base time	2.4	1.1	0.4	0.05	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
bonus time	1.2	0.6	0.3	0.2	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?

Combo-time example:
If you start a combo with a Single (counter=1), then you begin with 2.4 + 1 * 1.2 = 3.6 seconds combo-time.
If you start a combo with a Tetris (counter=1), then you begin with 2.4 + 4 * 1.2 = 7.2 seconds combo-time.
If this is followed up by a Single (counter=2), then you gain 1.1 + 1 * 0.6 = 1.7 seconds additional combo-time.
If this is followed up by a Tetris (counter=2), then you gain 1.1 + 4 * 0.6 = 3.5 seconds additional combo-time.
If you start with a Single followed by a Tetris, then you are rewarded with 3.6 + 3.5 = 7.1 seconds combo-time.
If you start with a Tetris followed by a Single, then you are rewarded with 7.2 + 1.7 = 8.9 seconds combo-time.
In both examples 5 lines were cleared, but the rewarded time is different.
Try to start a combo with a multi-line clear, but avoid them in the later course of a combo.

Source

How to stack safely

As mentioned before, in Cultris: 2 you cannot hold and you only have 1 next-piece preview. Watch these stacks:


The reason why the stack on the left in the image is a bad stack is because it doesn't allow for easy down-stacking and there isn't much combo potential so it stays at a disadvantage. The stack on the right however, allows for more pieces to be used in turn clearing many more lines. A good player can raise their Combo counter higher than 10 with the stack on the right almost more than once every round.

Stacking tips

So you stacked 2-wide (2 columns left open on the left/right side) and now you want to setup your Tetris. Here's how you can do it:


This works with J-piece, L-piece, and T-piece.

Now you want to fix your 3rd column. There's a method for that too!


This strategy works with the J-piece and L-piece, but it is not as effective with the T-piece, as the T-piece will increase your 2nd column height by 1 and will leave you an overhang.

There will be times where you get an onslaught of s-pieces or z-pieces and you will have no choice but to drop it in your well. This will result in your stack looking like this:


TA-DAA!! Now you have a Tetris setup!

Closing comments

I hope this guide was of some use to some people. Stacking can be pretty difficult in Cultris: 2 given the absence of hold and being limited to one next-piece preview. This is it for now, but make sure to check out Harddrop's in-depth guide on Cultris: 2. It goes into detail with the piece randomizer, spins, gameplay and much more!