One Night Stand

One Night Stand is almost as short as the real thing, but not as pleasant… or unpleasant. Despite the intriguing concept behind this nice-looking visual novel, which is to find out what the heck happened last night, this plays its cards a bit too safe, and never dares offering something more emotive, or to include interesting plot twists. It is a simple create-your-own-adventure kind of deal that's… well, fun, just not as much as it could be with a little heavier emphasis in character development and/or plot. If a fan of the genre, and don't mind super-short indies, check it out. The rest can safely pass this by.

89%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

grinding, character development

89% User Score Based on 413 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $2.99

Buy NowGet on Steam$2.99

About

"One Night Stand" is a visual novel that explores the aftermath of a one-night stand. The game puts you in the shoes of a character who wakes up next to a stranger, with no memory of the previous night. Through conversation and exploration, you must navigate the awkward situation and make choices that will determine the outcome of your one-night stand. With multiple endings and a focus on character development, "One Night Stand" is a thought-provoking and engaging game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 413 reviews

story43 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The game features beautiful hand-drawn art and animations that enhance the overall experience.
The story is engaging and relatable, capturing the awkwardness of waking up after a one-night stand.
There are multiple endings and choices that encourage replayability, making it fun to explore different outcomes.

The game is very short, with a single playthrough lasting only about 15-30 minutes.
Some players may find the repetitive nature of unlocking all endings tedious after a few playthroughs.
Certain plot points and character backgrounds remain unresolved, leaving players wanting more depth.

story
155 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
68%
4%
The story of "One Night Stand" is a brief yet engaging visual novel that revolves around the aftermath of a one-night encounter, featuring multiple endings and choices that significantly impact the narrative. While some players find the plot basic and repetitive, others appreciate its depth, humor, and the emotional realism of the characters. The game is praised for its art style and the intriguing possibilities within its simple storyline, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of interactive storytelling.
- “Beautiful and warm visual novel with extremely engaging mechanics, lots of endings, and a very believable story.”
- “The story and characters are interesting, and there's a lot of detail put into it.”
- “Interesting experience of a one night stand, the variety of endings honors the whole story; it's quite fun how such a particular situation can turn out to be a great experience or an embarrassing outcome in a stranger’s house.”
- “The story is very basic.”
- “This story is a pretty boring one.”
- “However if you are looking for a full fledged story, give this game a miss.”
graphics
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
47%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique hand-drawn art style, which creates a relaxing and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. Many reviewers highlight the simplicity and warmth of the visuals, noting that they effectively complement the game's narrative and overall tone. While some mention a lack of variation, the artwork is generally considered beautiful and engaging, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The hand-drawn art style is gorgeous.”
- “The graphics are just so warm and beautiful.”
- “The artwork is excellent and the story engaging.”
- “Despite its catchy art style and premise, the game will entertain you for maybe one to three minutes until it gets repetitive and painfully boring.”
- “It's not gonna wow you with visuals, or bore you with length and complexity.”
- “The game's graphics consist of simple, slightly animated drawings in mellow colors.”
gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
74%
8%
The gameplay of this visual novel is primarily focused on narrative-driven mechanics, involving simple point-and-click interactions and dialogue choices that lead to multiple endings. While some players appreciate the engaging story and art style, many criticize the repetitive nature and limited gameplay depth, often feeling that the experience becomes tedious after a few playthroughs. Overall, it caters to those who enjoy narrative exploration but may disappoint players seeking more dynamic gameplay.
- “Beautiful and warm visual novel with extremely engaging mechanics, lots of endings, and a very believable story.”
- “I really enjoyed this game; it is a visual novel brief in duration but very well written, with a beautiful art style ideal for the story that is told and a game mechanic that allows several options and endings.”
- “The art is fantastic and the gameplay is smooth and intuitive.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- “Even if you decide to keep going after the first or second playthrough for the achievements, it feels like a chore as the skip mechanic is kind of slow, and most of the time of new runs will be spent skipping text you've seen before.”
- “There's not much in the way of gameplay - it's purely an interactive visual novel with multiple dialog options and limited interactable objects in a static room.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as soothing and minimalistic, with soft guitar riffs that enhance the overall atmosphere. While some players appreciate the relaxing and ambient qualities, others note that the soundtrack is limited and not particularly memorable. Overall, the music effectively complements the game's art style and emotional themes, creating a pleasant and immersive experience.
- “The art and music do an excellent job of capturing this fuzzy hangover feeling, while you pick up the pieces of what happened the night before.”
- “The soft visuals and the soothing music combine to a very pleasant aesthetic that turns the game into a particularly relaxing experience.”
- “The music is similarly minimal, with laid-back, unobtrusive guitar strumming providing a perfect backdrop to the game.”
- “Practically no soundtrack.”
- “Music is limited, and while not good enough to be considered a soundtrack, the few songs encountered do set the mood for the game.”
- “The music is just a series of strums on a guitar, a few riffs here and there.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and relatable dialogues, with many players finding it genuinely funny and entertaining. While some endings and choices lead to hilarious outcomes, others can be awkward or cheesy, contributing to a mix of humor that keeps the experience engaging. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted and amusing narrative, making it a worthwhile casual play despite its short length.
- “Overall, at $3 this is a short but sweet game with some funny dialogues and many choices.”
- “The choices are limited but open many possibilities [12 endings + multiple variations within] which will make the story take a turn for the cheesy, the creepy, or the downright hilarious.”
- “There are some honestly funny moments to be uncovered (the best involving a certain pair of underwear…) and the girl is so charming and well written you sort of want to keep going just to find out more about her.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
44%
17%
The game offers high replayability despite its short duration, featuring multiple branching paths and 12 different endings that encourage players to explore various outcomes. Users appreciate the meaningful choices that enhance the experience, making it particularly appealing for completionists and those who enjoy replaying to uncover all possibilities. Overall, it is considered a worthwhile investment for players looking for a quick yet engaging experience.
- “This is a really great little game if you have a little bit of time to kill, and the multiple endings make it great for replayability.”
- “If you love forming relationships in games like 'Mass Effect' or 'Dragon Age,' you will likely find something to love about 'One Night Stand.' Though very brief, this game is insanely replayable for those who are tortured by 'what if' questions.”
- “Each playthrough is short, but there are quite a few branch points and 12 endings, so there's enough replayability here for several hours, especially if you're a completist.”
- “The game in its entirety seems remarkably fresh and though it may be short, it does offer a number of possible endings that allows for moderate replayability.”
- “It's a very short game, with a lot of replayability to unlock the other endings.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from laughter to discomfort and deep emotional investment. The character development and storytelling are described as heartfelt and mature, leading to endings that can be both heartwarming and soul-crushing. Overall, the game is recognized for its capacity to create meaningful emotional experiences, making it a standout in the indie game scene.
- “Endings range from being very wholesome and heartwarming to completely soul-crushing.”
- “A very heartfelt game; it really feels like you are the character.”
- “It's worth the emotional immersion.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users generally find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books to be tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of clicking through text and replaying for achievements. While some appreciate the fast forward and skip options to alleviate the monotony, many still feel that completing all achievements and exploring multiple endings can become a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.
- “Getting all achievements is more tedious than enjoyable.”
- “Completing every achievement is a bit tedious.”
- “There is a fast forward option to speed ahead to slightly tweak each playthrough, which I found tedious.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
The game's atmosphere is described as fascinating and unique, effectively capturing a range of emotions from awkwardness to intimacy. Reviewers appreciate the excellent writing and dialogue, which enhance the immersive experience, making it stand out from typical visual novels. Overall, it offers a chill ambiance that invites players to explore its narrative depth within a short playtime.
- “This is a fascinating, well-written, atmospheric game about the morning after.”
- “Excellent writing and atmosphere.”
- “Atmosphere and dialogue is fantastic, especially given the relatively low price.”
- “I was expecting a typical visual novel with a different illustration and atmosphere style from the common anime, but instead, I got friendzoned in a video game.”
- “One night stand will cost you 3€, and it will give you 1 to 2 hours in a chill atmosphere, trying to learn more about a pub crawl and a mysterious character.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
The character design is noted for its simplicity, effectively embodying the archetype of the "average woman in her early twenties," which may resonate with players seeking relatable characters.
- “The character design of your new sleeping buddy is simplistic, but it effectively represents the average woman in her early twenties.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with any of the characters.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; there were no surprising twists or growth.”
- “The dialogue is often cringeworthy, which detracts from the overall character development and immersion.”