OneShot (2016)

OneShot is a game with fairly straightforward adventure mechanics on one hand and an intriguing system that plays with player's exceptions - the two might not totally mesh up but the story they tell is definitely worth jumping into.

The game consists of a cat-like child named Niko and a mysterious individual (yourself) looking over them. Niko discovers the sun in a dying world (a lightbulb) and seeks to traverse this world in order to restore the sun and go home. Going any further than that would be massive spoilers but know that the story plays a large factor into what makes OneShot so special - both its progression and replayability.

For the non-spoilery parts, Niko can interact with items, pick them up, and combine and re-use them. At times Niko can get crafty and put together cute little combinations from scratch, but the puzzles all have very specific solutions with some optional items here and there. The world is vast (a little TOO vast in the beginning, if you recall areas like Yume Nikki) but Niko can optionally run and fast travel to places in order to mitigate getting lost. Some puzzles are strangely harder than others (imagine getting stuck in the very beginning!) but with enough pondering the player can usually find their way through.

Now for some light spoilers on mechanics, the game will demand the player do things outside of the game itself, within their computer. Some of these can get very tricky to figure out at times, while some feel genuinely clever and rewarding to figure out. It's a mix that's well worth sticking through to see how the story plays out.

Visually the game is dark and lonely with many shadows and shades of melancholy, but still very cute with soft cartoony characters represented in both pixel art and hand-drawn cutscenes. The music is very downtempo and dreamy, often emotional and sad in a way that accompanies the world very well.

OneShot is a quick game in comparison to most titles but leaves an impact with its many secrets to discover. Some puzzles feel uneven in their difficulty and implementation but if the player can put up with the journey and try some out-of-the-box solutions this game may just touch their heart and warm it right up.

This game is not very fun or interesting (outside of one or two cute gimmicks) for what feels like the first 60% of its run. I was confused why people liked it so much or said the writing was super good. After the opening slog though, I quite enjoyed the rest.

It is kind of hard to recommend a game that requires so much of an investment to mean something. I wish the puzzles were dramatically more engaging or the characters much more fleshed out in order to justify a connection with the world other than time spent, but I do feel like it paid off for me personally. I'm not sure that would be true for everyone.

This title is a surreal puzzle-adventure game that blends exploration, clever puzzles, and emotional storytelling into a unique experience. The MC is called Niko, a cat-like child, through a strange, dying world in an effort to restore its “sun,” a fragile lightbulb, all while the game breaks the fourth wall and treats you, the player, as an active character in the story. It shares some similarities with Undertale, especially when it comes to breaking the 4th wall, and also the obvious art-style which uses simply pixelated 2D designs.

Its meta-narrative is its greatest strength, using your computer’s desktop and files as part of the gameplay to create a rare sense of intimacy and immersion. The world is haunting yet charming, filled with subtle details and a quiet melancholy that deepens your connection to Niko. While the visuals are simple and some puzzles can feel obscure, the heartfelt writing and innovative presentation make it a standout indie title.

This one is truly one of the most unique titles I've ever played, it'll for sure stick on your mind forever if you play it with no spoilers like I did, this is a must-play for fans of puzzle games in general. Short but impactful, OneShot leaves a lasting impression long after the credits roll, especially if you enjoy games that challenge the boundaries between fiction and reality.

Based on the "diegetic" mechanics only, this game isn't much. You make Nike walk around (a lot), talk to some characters and solve some puzzles. The world-building is interesting but bare and there's much trudging around.

The unique thing about OneShot is how it plays around with the concept of player and character, discussing being software and manipulating the player (and computer) to solve some of the puzzles. It also has a nice, hefty emotional tone, that comes to a head in the end-of-game choice. Spoiler: That said, and while it's generally pretty well written, it had too much faffing about for me to replay it and get the "really good" ending. And I had some genuine dilemma with said choice, so kudos.

Just finished this game it was great just go and buy it if you haven't please trust me

I went into this game knowing next to nothing and I was surprised by it. The best way to describe it would be as a walking simulator made in RPG Maker, that uses a few meta-gaming elements to tell its story in an unconventional way. It's a really original concept that hasn't been used many times, and this game does it particularly well.

When it comes to the presentation, it has its ups and downs. While the soundtrack is really nice and fits every scene, it can be a bit forgettable at times. The graphics are also a bit hit or miss. There's beautiful hand-drawn artwork that shows up during the cutscenes and for the character portraits, but the game itself has that janky 2010s Indie RPG vibe going for it where the overworld sprites are either too simple or ugly. It's definitely a weird balance, but it's fine I guess. I have to say though that the character design is absolutely gorgeous

There is no combat in this game. The gameplay consists entirely of walking around, talking to people, picking up a few items, and solving puzzles with them. The game is actually pretty short, so it never gets the chance to get stale or boring. Plus, the puzzles in the game (especially the ones that require you to look outside the game for the answers) are all super clever and fun.

But the story. Oh man the story. This is one of the best stories I've ever played through. It's fun to play through. It's deep and complex, and yet it's still very easy to understand. It's emotional. It's original. It's everything I ever wanted from a video game story. The writers especially do a masterful job when it comes to writing believable characters. They all feel alive and important, even with the whole "This is all a videogame" meta thing the game has going on.

I will say, however, that the game asks a lot from the player. The game basically straight up asks you to suspend your desbelief of most stuff during the second half of the game. The writing tries its best to make this feel as natural as possible, but it can still feel a little too on the nose at times. From what i've seen, the whole game inside a game thing works better with the interface of the console version, but im pretty sure the Steam version is superior in every other way lmao.

In conclusion, play this. This has quickly become one of my favorite games ever, and I loved every second of the time I played through this. It's short, fun, and heartwarming. 10/10

There is nothing I love more than a meta/self-referential game, and that alone would make me love this, but OneShot happens to have a whole lot of charm and personality regardless that makes it a really special experience. Something about this world and environment were almost hypnotic, I didn't mean to finish this in one sitting but I kind of lost myself in it. Kind of reminded me of playing Super Metroid, where the world is low fidelity and simple and yet all comes together in the perfect way to just... linger in your head for the next several weeks. The story was really endearing, interesting cast of characters and some fun puzzle solving that reminded me of those old flash escape room games that dominated the early aughts. Really really enjoyed this one, and will be immediately going to do a concept art deep dive.

FWIW: I played on switch, and while I did like the UI-similar to my thoughts playing inscryption on PS5 I probably would've gotten even more out of this had I played on a computer. So if that's an option for you (usually isn't for me) I'd go for it there.

Having read a few reviews before playing this, I expected some of the mechanics the game was going to be dealing in. If you have played Doki Doki Literature Club, you know the kind of things I mean (but not in the disturbing way DDLC works). Even so, I was pleasantly surprised with the kind of puzzles it presented (but won't spoil them here).

The basic gameplay within the game itself is mostly walking around looking for stuff and some basic object combining puzzles (like old school adventure games). Unfortunately, the actual environments are somewhat plain and not all that interesting so the object hunting can get a bit tedious. I feel like this would have been better if the style were not quite so retro. However, the more detailed artwork that is used in places (especially the character art and portraits) is much nicer. The music also helps.

The game mostly works because of some nice characters (mainly Niko) and story and the way it has of "personally" involving the player with its 4th wall breaking mechanics. It has been a while since a game has been able to move me to tears with its ending.

All in all, I really liked OneShot!

Don't believe the game, one shot is a lie. You will need a second one, and damn, that one was awesome

Game is to be considered as interactive book. Gameplay is basic and linear, if you're all about gameplay - don't play this.

Great story, great characters. Gloomy, dark world and atmosphere - boosted with nice soundtrack. Isn't very long game and is concentrated on events... though beginning is rather slow, that's true. Best game to break the fourth wall that i know (this is just a bonus statement)

Game HAS to be passed twice, it changes dramatically at second playthrough. If you're not ready to play it second time (i knew at least one individual who stopped right in front) - better don't play it at all, imo. First ending isn't good, it is placeholder ending

One of the best story games i played. Along with Undertale, To the moon, Steins;gate

This little fox knows about robots suprisingly much

OneShot, the most convincing and reality questioning game I've played

Oneshot is a game that I had heard rumors would be similar to Undertale in its characters, story and world. This is not true. The npcs of the sunless world are rarely of major importance nor usually characters that you'll really come to love. The world in itself can also occasionally seem very drab or boring, like any other pixelated indie rpg, but Niko(your companion) is an entirely different story.

Let me simply put it like this. Despite what I've just said then OneShot is one of the most emotional and well constructed gaming experiences I've had when it comes to excellent storytelling and convincing the player into caring. But sadly, as it is with very story heavy games then it's impossible to say anymore without spoiling it, but just take this advice.

Play it, all the way. Not just once, play it twice. Play through the solstice content and ONLY THEN will the story feel right!

It may just be coincidence, but I've played a lot of games in recent years that break the fourth wall. Those experiences desensitized me to OneShot's impact at first, but the game won me over in my second playthrough, which built significantly on the first and brought a more satisfying conclusion.

The fetch quests can feel a tad boring at times, but the characters and world are charming and some of its puzzles are really creative in how they defy expectations. Worth a spin if you dig games like Undertale.

Rating

9/10

Mini-review

Cute game with beautiful art and great characters. Loved the music, very low-fi and slow yet still pronounced which I loved. As far as gameplay goes it's some simple puzzle solving but it's really everything else it's worth playing for. Very short, about 4h but I would definitely say it's worth the price of admission.

Recommendation

Highly recommend this game.