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One Turn Kill

One Turn Kill Game Cover
98%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
replayability, optimization
98% User Score Based on 289 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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One Turn Kill Game Cover

About

One Turn Kill is a single player strategy game. It was developed by DenDen and was released on January 15, 2026. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

One Turn Kill is a PvE card game centered on strategic deck control and drawing mechanics, where the goal is to defeat enemies within a single turn. Players must carefully manage their limited card uses while building synergistic decks of 20 cards to unleash powerful combos. The game offers fast-paced, suspenseful battles set in a pixel art wasteland.

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One Turn Kill screenshot
One Turn Kill screenshot
One Turn Kill screenshot
One Turn Kill screenshot
One Turn Kill screenshot
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98%
Audience ScoreBased on 289 reviews
story46 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • One Turn Kill features a unique card cost mechanic where the cost of cards is determined by how many cards you draw, creating a fresh and engaging gameplay experience.
  • The game offers a satisfying progression system with various bosses that introduce different mechanics, encouraging players to adapt their strategies.
  • The art style and music are charming, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game while the short playtime ensures it doesn't overstay its welcome.
  • The game is quite short, with many players completing it in just a few hours, leading to concerns about replayability and content depth.
  • Some players experienced issues with localization, where card text and dialogue felt unnatural or unclear at times.
  • There are minor quality of life issues, such as the lack of a cancel button for card actions and limited resolution support, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • story
    109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally described as short, simple, and heartfelt, effectively complementing the gameplay without overshadowing it. While some players found it predictable or lacking depth, many appreciated its emotional impact and engaging characters, with several noting that it successfully evokes feelings despite its brevity. Overall, the narrative is seen as a pleasant addition to the gameplay experience, making the game enjoyable and memorable.

    • “I found the story to be rather touching, with the ending being not quite what I expected.”
    • “The story for the game is extremely heartfelt and incredibly well crafted, touching on the loss of a significant figure.”
    • “The story was very sweet; I have definitely played or read another story that did something very similar, but it was enjoyable regardless, one of those short little things that gets you to think about the people in your life and might get you to do something for them or yourself, even if it's only a small thing.”
    • “The story isn't anything new under the sun, but it's heartfelt.”
    • “The game hands the very simple plot point to you almost as soon as you start, and that's it.”
    • “Listen, the story is buttcheeks bad.”
  • gameplay
    108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is widely praised for its unique mechanics, particularly the innovative "draw as a cost" system that adds depth to deckbuilding and strategy. Players appreciate the fluidity and engaging nature of the gameplay loop, which combines turn-based and real-time elements, while also offering a satisfying challenge across multiple difficulty levels. Despite some minor criticisms regarding content depth and certain mechanics, the overall experience is described as fun, creative, and refreshingly concise, making it a standout in the deckbuilding genre.

    • “A very fun and creative game, the gameplay makes you feel powerful but is still balanced, and the story is really fun. Highly recommend it.”
    • “The gameplay loop is excellent; it goes really smoothly, and the puzzle of customizing your deck in order to finish a run is very satisfying.”
    • “The game’s mechanics cleverly tie drawing cards and playing them into the same limited action economy, forcing players to think not just about what cards they want, but when and why they want them.”
    • “There are many other games with an equal amount of gameplay but fluffed up to 10 hours with slow progressive unlocks and filler enemies.”
    • “Given how the core gameplay revolves around playing high-cost cards then switching to 0-cost or low-cost cards to maximize value, I don't see how the mech's ability doesn't hard limit certain strategies at a conceptual level.”
    • “I would love to see more mechanics and cards but at the moment it is a little bit shallow.”
  • music
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and catchy soundtrack, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. While some players noted occasional silence during fights, the majority found the music to be engaging and well-suited to the game's rhythm and mechanics. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The high energy soundtrack fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the game, and there's just enough story to be interesting without getting in the way of what's ultimately a small puzzle game.”
    • “The music is undoubtedly godlike and it matches the rhythm of you rotating your deck against the fights.”
    • “The soundtrack supports this tone with energetic yet unobtrusive music that maintains momentum without distracting from strategic thinking.”
    • “Some fights didn't have music during them though, unsure if this was a bug or if it was by design to add an eerie atmosphere to the fight.”
    • “It isn't too annoying, but sometimes, in-game sounds, aside from music, just stop playing, making all animations happen in silence.”
    • “However when you're going to hear the same tracks over and over again as you do runs and test out decks, not having any of the songs get repetitive is very important.”
  • graphics
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming art style, slick animations, and engaging visuals, often described as beautiful and unique, particularly in the pixel art genre. The music complements the visuals well, enhancing the overall experience, while the simple yet effective story serves as a solid backdrop for the gameplay. Overall, players appreciate the aesthetic quality and the cohesive integration of art, music, and narrative.

    • “The art style is incredible, and the music is just as good!”
    • “Visually, one turn kill embraces a restrained pixel-art style that complements its mechanical precision.”
    • “But most of all I just really really love pixel art graphics and this has the most charming 8-bit art and animations I've seen in a while.”
    • “Visually, One Turn Kill embraces a restrained pixel-art style that complements its mechanical precision.”
  • emotional
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling and unexpected endings, often evoking strong feelings such as sadness and nostalgia. Despite its simplicity and familiar themes, players find the narrative and characters to be surprisingly touching, with many expressing that the game made them cry. The combination of charming art, engaging music, and a well-crafted story contributes to its reputation as one of the most emotionally impactful deckbuilders.

    • “I found the story to be rather touching, with the ending being not quite what I expected.”
    • “The story for the game is extremely heartfelt and incredibly well crafted, touching on the loss of a significant figure.”
    • “Cute art, great music, heartfelt little storyline.”
  • replayability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers engaging deck-building mechanics and can provide 20-30 hours of enjoyment despite a short main playtime of 3-7 hours, many players feel that the limited variety in cards and encounters diminishes long-term replay value. Some enjoy experimenting with different decks and speedrunning, but others find that the repetitive nature of the gameplay and card upgrades can hinder the experience.

    • “And with the insane card options for a game this short, it's genuinely amazing that this game has a replay value that you will most likely get satisfied after 20-30 hours of playing, for a game that only goes as far as 3-7 hours of playtime in total to finish everything (not 100%).”
    • “It is replayable for sure and I will try different decks.”
    • “Its blend of tight mechanics, thoughtful deckbuilding, and rapid iteration creates an experience that is both mentally stimulating and highly replayable.”
    • “Replayability is a slight issue; however, with how short the game is.”
    • “Incredibly short, I finished it in 2.7 hours of gameplay, and while it has some replayability, the game is largely the same every time, so it's really just trying new decks.”
    • “You can complete it in a handful of hours if you know how to build a strong deck, but due to the small amount of cards and encounters, it doesn't have too much replay value after you hit the end and exhaust the dialogue for each encounter.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a high-energy soundtrack that complements its engaging yet minimal story, making it suitable for a puzzle game. While the ambient music is generally praised, some players noted the absence of music during certain fights, which may have been a design choice to create an eerie effect. Overall, the combination of sound and ambiance is considered top-notch.

    • “The high-energy soundtrack fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the game, and there's just enough story to be interesting without getting in the way of what's ultimately a small puzzle game.”
    • “The atmosphere and ambient sounds, alongside the music, are top-notch.”
    • “Some fights didn't have music during them, though I'm unsure if this was a bug or if it was by design to add an eerie atmosphere to the fight.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the game's emphasis on deck and combo optimization, rewarding both strategic clarity and creativity. While the introduction of real-time mechanics adds a layer of complexity, it is designed to be optional, allowing players to engage with it at their discretion. Overall, the optimization aspect is well-received, though opinions on the real-time elements vary.

    • “I love doing degenerate deck/combo optimization to pump out ludicrous numbers.”
    • “The game does a good job of making real-time mechanics opt-in/opt-out, allowing players to experiment with optimization without feeling forced.”
    • “This structure turns combat into a form of high-speed optimization, where clarity of thought is rewarded as much as creativity.”
    • “It does do some experimenting with some real-time mechanics, both in the form of some cards that base their performance on quick-time events, as well as a boss with real-time triggered mechanics. In general, I was not a big fan of these, but the game does a good job of making these opt-in/opt-out.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a desire for more rewarding systems in grinding, such as check marks or cosmetic rewards for completing challenges with each card. This would enhance motivation to continue grinding and experimenting with different strategies.

    • “I think something like a check mark above each card showing that you've beaten a bias 20 run with it, and some kind of reward attached (cosmetic or otherwise) to beating a bias 20 run with every card in the game could give me a reason to keep grinding and experimenting.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and often tedious, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
    • “I wish there were more meaningful rewards for grinding; right now, it just feels like a chore.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is highlighted through impressive character designs that enhance the game's bleak, stylized world, allowing players to focus on combat mechanics. The variety in character options encourages experimentation, contributing to a dynamic gameplay experience.

    • “The character designs are all great, and there are definitely many ways to experiment with the combat.”
    • “The environments and character designs evoke a bleak, stylized world without overwhelming the screen, keeping attention firmly on the cards and combat flow.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, leaving me disengaged from their journeys.”
    • “There is little to no growth in the characters throughout the game, which makes their interactions feel flat and uninteresting.”
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9h Median play time
13h Average play time
7-30h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

One Turn Kill is a strategy game.

One Turn Kill is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 13 hours playing One Turn Kill.

One Turn Kill was released on January 15, 2026.

One Turn Kill was developed by DenDen.

One Turn Kill has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

One Turn Kill is a single player game.

Similar games include SpellRogue, Wildfrost, Shogun Showdown, Chrono Ark, StarVaders and others.