The original Oneshot is a game I've been following since its release in 2014, and it has been quite a pleasure watching a game develop so much through the love of its creator. This is a very beautiful game that beckons feelings of grief in me without delving into any intense subject matter at all. It is a very personal and special experience to walk Niko through the game and grow to care about them, and after all these years there is nothing impeding the fondness I have of this game and it's world. Sometimes the puzzles could be a bit obtuse, but it isn't something a quick look at a walk-through wouldn't fix.
The World Machine edition is the best way to play this game, in my opinion. The immersion of playing Oneshot on an actual PC is important too, but I really enjoyed the simulated computer and felt as if it was just as cool as playing it on its native hardware.
The only reason this game isn't 5 stars however is the solstice ending. No spoilers, I think the core concept is good... but I cant help but feel like it could of been done differently. It started drifting into tropes, and some of the dialogue felt dated which wasn't really a concern in the base Oneshot. I also felt like the ending of the game originally was very good, when solstice tries to elaborate on it, it does it in a way that feels like it deflates the air out of what the story had going for it to begin with. It's still more Oneshot, and after all these years I get to see the best possible outcome, I just wish it was more nuanced like the main portion of your time with the game.
Regardless of that, Oneshot is still a very special game that I could suggest to absolutely anyone. The artwork and music are still just as nostalgic as they were in 2014, and you can tell that the people who made the game put their souls onto it. A comforting short little experience that'll stick out in my mind forever.
The World Machine edition is the best way to play this game, in my opinion. The immersion of playing Oneshot on an actual PC is important too, but I really enjoyed the simulated computer and felt as if it was just as cool as playing it on its native hardware.
The only reason this game isn't 5 stars however is the solstice ending. No spoilers, I think the core concept is good... but I cant help but feel like it could of been done differently. It started drifting into tropes, and some of the dialogue felt dated which wasn't really a concern in the base Oneshot. I also felt like the ending of the game originally was very good, when solstice tries to elaborate on it, it does it in a way that feels like it deflates the air out of what the story had going for it to begin with. It's still more Oneshot, and after all these years I get to see the best possible outcome, I just wish it was more nuanced like the main portion of your time with the game.
Regardless of that, Oneshot is still a very special game that I could suggest to absolutely anyone. The artwork and music are still just as nostalgic as they were in 2014, and you can tell that the people who made the game put their souls onto it. A comforting short little experience that'll stick out in my mind forever.
Reviewed on Apr 25, 2023
3 Comments
@zn0 upon further investigation the steam version of Oneshot is just this minus all the cool stuff that comes with the fake pc... either way, you can just choose to not do the solstice ending but it takes like 20 minutes and i didn't regret it, so it's up to you. I'd definitely recommend playing any version of it regardless cause this game is so beautiful, I want everyone to try it out <3
the version of the game i own is from itch.io's racial justice bundle, so i'll start with that and see if i feel like i want more. thanks!
zn0
11 months ago