Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

From the moment you awaken on that dingy warehouse floor with a barcode stamped on your neck and a gun grafted to your arm, One wastes no time throwing you into the heat of combat. The core gameplay loop centers on frantic, run-and-gun action: you dash through city streets, warehouse interiors, and open countryside, blasting your way past waves of police and military forces. Controls are tight, with responsive aiming and a smooth dodge mechanic that lets you weave through incoming fire. Each of the six levels introduces new enemy types—standard officers, heavily armored SWAT teams, and aerial drones—keeping engagements fresh and challenging.

Beyond raw shooting, the game doles out brief moments of tactical decision-making. Will you sprint headlong into a fortified checkpoint or pick off snipers from a distance? Environmental hazards—explosive barrels, collapsing scaffolds, even oncoming traffic—force you to adapt on the fly. Boss encounters at the end of each stage further punctuate the action, each demanding you learn patterns and exploit weak points on massive tanks, high-speed helicopters, or mechanized infantry suits. It’s a straightforward structure, but one that delivers constant thrills.

Replayability is built around mastery rather than branching paths: once you’ve cleared a level, higher difficulty modes unlock that ramp up enemy health, bullet speed, and introduce new attack patterns. Weapon upgrades—faster firing rate, larger magazine, or explosive rounds—offer meaningful progression, encouraging you to revisit earlier stages with fresh loadouts. While the core loop can feel familiar after a few runs, chasing faster clear times and experimenting with different upgrade combinations provides enough incentive to keep you coming back for more.

Graphics

One’s visuals strike a bold, gritty tone that perfectly matches its high-octane gameplay. Urban environments are rendered in a palette of industrial grays and muted blues, broken up by the vibrant muzzle flashes and fiery explosions that light up the screen. Details such as debris-strewn alleys, shattered windows, and bullet-scarred walls lend authenticity to the cityscape, while the shift to rural farmlands introduces rolling fields of golden wheat and dilapidated barns that swell with atmospheric contrast.

Character and enemy models are well-defined, with the protagonist’s mechanical arm and barcode-etched neck serving as constant visual reminders of the mystery at hand. Police officers and soldiers display varied armor designs, from standard riot gear to exoskeleton suits bristling with weaponry. Ambient lighting and dynamic weather effects—rain-soaked streets reflecting neon signs, dust clouds kicked up by passing tanks—further heighten immersion, making each level feel distinct despite the game’s linear progression.

Special effects shine brightest during the more explosive set pieces: missile trails carve glowing arcs across the sky, debris sprays realistically in slow-motion when you pull off a well-timed dodge, and particle effects from bullet impacts create satisfying bursts of sparks. Even on mid-range hardware, performance remains smooth, with minimal frame-rate dips during large-scale firefights. Overall, the graphical fidelity consistently supports the game’s breakneck pace without compromising visual flair.

Story

At its core, One weaves a tale of identity and conspiracy. Your character awakens with no memory, a barcode etched as your only clue, and a lethal weapon fused to your flesh. As police helicopters unleash missile barrages through shattered windows, you must fight not only for survival but to uncover who— or what— you truly are. The premise may be familiar, yet the game injects urgency by relentlessly pursuing you through every environment, reinforcing the sense that powerful forces are hiding something monumental.

Narrative unfolds through brief, pulse-pounding cutscenes that appear between levels, piecing together fragments of corporate memos, intercepted radio chatter, and cryptic flashbacks. Environmental storytelling also plays a part: graffiti scrawled on walls, abandoned research labs, and government checkpoints hint at a shadowy experiment gone wrong. While dialogue is sparse, it’s used effectively to maintain momentum; you’re never pulled out of the action for a lengthy exposition dump.

Each boss battle also doubles as a story beat. Overriding a renegade military commander’s war machine or confronting an experimental prototype reveals new layers of the conspiracy, building anticipation for the final revelation. Though the game’s conclusion leaves some questions open—likely setting the stage for a sequel—the blend of high-intensity action and drip-fed lore keeps you invested from start to finish.

Overall Experience

One delivers an adrenaline-fueled ride that never lets up. Its combination of tight controls, relentless enemy encounters, and dramatic set pieces makes for an action shooter that’s easy to pick up but challenging to master. The six levels, each culminating in a climactic boss fight, feel well-paced and varied enough to prevent fatigue, even during multiple playthroughs. For fans of linear shooters who crave nonstop intensity, One is a thrilling proposition.

That said, the game isn’t without minor drawbacks. Some level layouts begin to feel repetitive after several runs, and weapon variety, while serviceable, could have been expanded with more exotic armaments or special abilities. A handful of camera angles during tight indoor encounters may block sightlines, leading to occasional frustration. However, these issues are relatively minor in the grand scheme of a game built around rapid movement and constant firing.

Ultimately, One stands out as an action shooter that balances mystery and mayhem. Its distinctive premise—waking up as an unknown entity with a gun for an arm—and relentless pacing ensure you’ll remain glued to the screen until the credits roll. If you’re looking for a straightforward, high-energy experience with memorable boss battles and a compelling undercurrent of intrigue, One is well worth your time.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10