Oneshot

Prelude

In all honesty, this is one of the best RPG Maker games I’ve played. The atmosphere in this game is extraordinary. The music and the graphics all compliment each other so well... and that is pretty rare. One of the things I noticed about the game is that it brings you to a setting that is so foreign and yet by the end of the game it’ll feel so familiar. Most importantly, the choices you make--well, they definitely have consequences.

I will say though, that I was super bias going into this game. I didn’t like how the main character looked. I didn’t like the pixel graphics (at first), but I wanted to try experiencing the game since it had such great ratings, and well--this game really proved to be worth playing.


Introduction



Oneshot is an indie adventure and puzzle game that is made in RPG Maker 2003. The game takes approximately 1 to 3 hours to complete, depending on how sharp you are. You take on the role of “God” and lead a lost child by the named of Niko. On this planet, Niko is known as the messiah. The inhabitants of the planet believe that Niko can restore their sun, and once their sun is restored Eutopia can presumably resume.

The planet you are on has three sections each (all explorable) with each having a varying amount of puzzles and characters. One of the things that I did notice was that each of the characters were pretty distinguishable for NPCs, which is definitely nice. The puzzles weren’t exactly the same for the entirety either, and boy! That was definitely a relief for me.


Story
Score: 5



I really just have to say this--the characterization in this game is great. Niko starts off as a stranger to us in the game. He’s kind of just, well, there! That is at least until you get to the robot that explains the prophecy and reveals that, you the player, are initially a god. Right off the bat that was a surprise to me. I didn’t quite expect that from this game, and after that, I initially felt responsible for the Niko. (Good god, I have such a soft spot for children.)

So with Niko, you are assigned the task of restoring the “sun” so the occupants of the planet aren’t stuck with their fate of impending doom from a presence called “The Entity.” The Entity is the literal antagonist in the game--however this isn’t necessarily a game that is about bad versus good. I think that’s what made Oneshot really great--you could still relax while playing the game, however, at times the Entity would speak to the player and it was sort of a wake up call that brought you back to the harsh reality.

As for the endings--the ending I chose was saving Niko--and I know that this extremely grim of me to say, but I didn’t feel like it was fair to Niko. He was taken out of his home and basically became the messiah for a bunch of people he didn’t know. I didn’t like that. Now for the other ending, which I watched on youtube, was good in a way that the people of that planet got to see their sun before they initially perished from the Entity along with Niko. I didn’t want Niko to perish with them, especially because I felt that it wasn’t right for him to be brought there and now he’s basically stuck on their dying planet. Needless to say... I did feel sort of guilty for letting a whole planet die. ;__;


Gameplay
Score: 4



I felt that the gameplay in this game was very average for an RPG Maker game. It was mostly just puzzles. However, I really liked the take on the puzzles and how you literally had to explore the planet to find and get the things you need. The system where you combined items isn’t necessarily new, but this game implemented it in such a good way that it worked.

Another great thing about the game is how it literally broke the fourth wall, and not in a comedic way. Changing desktop backgrounds, leaving notes on your desktop, the fact that your choices are PERMANENT. The amount of joy that gave me was up the roof, because that literally hasn’t been done a thousand times by other games! However, I did feel like my personal computer space was invaded...


Graphics
Score: 5



The graphics in this game are very well done. They tie in well with the music, the setting, etc. Pixel art at it’s finest. The CG images are also very sharp and clean cut. All of Niko’s emotions and text fit perfectly. And for some reason, somehow, Nightmargin managed to make the barren area look pretty--uh, yeah. If that doesn’t say something then I don’t know what will.

One of the things that I did want to note though is the fact that all of the colors compliment each other very well whether it be on a map, on a character sprite, or even on an icon! Now this is pretty rare--but somehow, again, Nightmargin manages to make everything pretty and well, if I do say so myself, those are some sexy pixels!


Sound
Score: 5

The sound in this game is AMAZING! No exaggeration at all. While the tracks aren’t necessarily something that you’ll have stuck in your head, they’ll definitely be there in the game to influence the mood of it! Seriously, the music is so beautiful. It even thoroughly manages to keep the same tone throughout the game.

When I usually play an RPG Maker game I really have to turn down the volume all of the way because of the cliche-ness of the sound of it.. and that feeling where it’s like “Oh, yep! Definitely heard this one before! No surprise here!” This game didn’t invoke that feeling. And again, the music fit in so well with the story and atmosphere! Truly astonishing.


Conclusion
Final Score: 5



Oneshot is a solid experience with little to none flaws. The story and music both set an atmosphere for the game that not a lot of RPG Maker games can even achieve or even get close to. I definitely would recommend this game to anyone willing to play!

Photo Credits: Nightmargin, Addit, and Mathew