One Strike

About

"One Strike" is a minimalist, one-hit-kill fighting game. With a focus on defense and timing, players must outmaneuver their opponents in intense duels. Featuring a unique art style and quick matches, it's a fresh take on the genre for seasoned fighters and newcomers alike.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 110 reviews

music30 positive mentions

story4 negative mentions

One Strike offers a unique one-hit-kill mechanic that creates intense and strategic gameplay, making each match feel significant.
The game features a charming retro aesthetic with a great soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
It provides a variety of game modes and characters, allowing for different play styles and replayability, especially in local multiplayer settings.

The game lacks online multiplayer, which limits its longevity and appeal for solo players.
Controls can be frustrating, with no option for customization, making it difficult for some players to adapt.
Character balance is an issue, as some characters have significant advantages over others, leading to a less competitive experience.

music
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
5%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and catchy chiptune soundtrack, which enhances the overall medieval fantasy theme and gameplay experience. Many players highlight its distinctiveness across different stages and its ability to evoke nostalgia reminiscent of classic fighting games. While some found the music occasionally repetitive, the majority agree that it is a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The music brings a lot of hype and tension to the game, feels very distinct from stage to stage and just feeds into the overall theming of medieval fantasy Japan.”
- “I cannot stress enough how important the soundtrack is to this game, it is absolutely amazing and one of the best I have heard in a long time.”
- “The soundtrack of this game is also phenomenal, it's fast-paced and has an almost Japanese theme to it.”
- “Rather disappointing given the high quality of the music and gameplay otherwise.”
- “Sometimes the music would start over when I chose a specific game mode, which was unexpected as I thought it would carry on.”
- “The graphics and the music are not my thing, but the animations are fine.”
graphics
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic charm reminiscent of classic SNES fighting games, featuring a mix of retro pixel art and high-definition elements. However, opinions are divided; while some praise the pixel art and attention to detail, others criticize the overall visual quality, describing it as amateurish and lacking polish. Despite the retro aesthetic, there are calls for a more refined art style to enhance the visual experience.
- “The graphics are lovely to look at, reminding me of the old SNES fighting games and having tons of charm, if you are into it, of course.”
- “You actually see that the 8-bit was a design choice and the developers have the skills to deliver highly detailed graphics.”
- “The music and sound effects are dramatic, and the pixel art graphics are beautiful!”
- “The artwork here is terrible; it's a blend of old retro pixel 'art' used as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics, with interstitial screens featuring some of the most amateurish 'baby's first Wacom tablet' style drawings I've ever hurt my eyes on.”
- “It's unclear if this is due to a lack of budget to hire someone who can do graphics properly, or a lack of talent. Regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is extremely low as a result of these decisions.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
gameplay
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The gameplay of "One Strike" is characterized by its simple yet deep mechanics, featuring a unique one-hit-kill system that heightens tension in matches. Players appreciate the strategic and methodical nature of the fighting, complemented by a solid mix of characters and well-balanced difficulty modes. While the retro aesthetic and smooth controls enhance the experience, some users feel the mechanics could be deeper, but overall, the game is praised for its addictive and engaging gameplay.
- “The gameplay is simple, yet really deep.”
- “Solid mechanics, a good mix of different characters, some depth to explore, and an interesting premise that makes it stand out.”
- “The one-hit mechanic is super cool given the samurai setting; you feel the tension in each match, even if they are often less than 10 seconds long.”
- “Rather disappointing given the high quality of the music and gameplay otherwise.”
- “The game mechanics in terms of keyboard controls are a little... strange.”
- “- game mechanics is too shallow.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
40%
40%
The game features a minimalistic story centered around a traditional Japanese warriors tournament, providing just enough background to give players a sense of purpose. While some players feel the lack of a detailed narrative is a drawback, others appreciate the simplicity, suggesting that the gameplay stands strong without a complex story. Overall, the story is described as straightforward and serves primarily as a backdrop for the action.
- “In the story, we get to explore various characters of medieval Japan with the intention of becoming the best warrior.”
- “A simple background story, but it gives you enough to have a role.”
- “No story, no online component, nothing.”
- “Story/gameplay: no story, but I can tell this is just a simple old school idea of a Japanese warriors tournament.”
- “In the story, we get into various characters of medieval Japan with the intention of becoming the best warrior.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game offers significant replayability through its diverse modes and a robust character selection of six unique characters, each with distinct weapons and skills that encourage varied play styles. This variety enhances the overall replay value, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.
- “Character selection is good; there are six characters to choose from, each with their own weapon and skills that can be used for different play styles when facing opponents, making the game have a lot of replay value.”
- “The different modes add a needed level of replayability.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its stability, being free of bugs and glitches, which is notable for a 2D title with pixelated graphics. This reliability contributes positively to the overall experience, particularly in its cooperative gameplay.
- “For a 2D game, pixelated graphics, free of bugs and glitches, offers co-op, six warriors. I say why not just rate it 6/10?”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a reluctance to engage in grinding within the game's single-player mode, preferring instead the more casual and competitive experience of arcade mode. The emphasis is on enjoying quick matches rather than repetitive grinding for progression.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's humor to be a significant part of the experience, often engaging in playful banter and competitive trash talk that enhances the fun. The lighthearted interactions, reminiscent of old warrior tales, contribute to a lively and entertaining atmosphere during gameplay.
- “Whenever I play this game with others, we're all laughing and getting super competitive, talking like old warriors such as 'It'll take you yeaaaaaaars before you can challenge me!' or 'Did you not know that the reason I won was because I can hear the wing beat of a butterfly 4 years away?'”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its engaging mechanics, particularly the stroke and end system, which creates a tense and interesting experience for players. Overall, the combination of effective leveling and fun gameplay contributes to a captivating atmosphere.
- “The mechanics of the game create a tense and interesting atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”

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One Strike
$4.99
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