Once Alive

Once Alive is a fantastic solo dev title that shouldn't be missed. The action is captivating and I loved the story. Moreover, it looks great. Yes, there are some minor graphical issues, but this didn't ruin my experience.

Once Alive is a very successful walking simulation in its own right, considering that it was created by someone who knew nothing about game development until 3 years ago. However, it is not without its shortcomings such as late loading textures and exaggerated mouth animations.

With a brief runtime of no more than three hours, minimal gameplay, and problematic voice-overs, Once Alive is difficult to recommend. However, the art direction and visual quality are commendable achievements, especially considering it was made from a solo developer.

All in all, Once Alive is a promising first outing for solo dev Cem Boray Yıldırim, at least in the potential they show at being able to craft a world that is intriguing and somewhat unique in the crowded genre of the post-apocalypse. Unfortunately, the finished product here leaves too much of that promise on the table, with mechanics introduced and forgotten immediately in favour of slow walking and linear progression, and technical aspects that punch above their weight in not being optimised effectively.

I do believe that there’s something interesting and unique about Once Alive, but it needs more polish to fully shine — there’s the core of a good story, but the plot falls flat at the end. The setting is intriguing, but it’s dragged down by some of the puzzles. Emotional beats exist, but they’re blunted by poor voice direction. With just a bit more work on the details, I think Once Alive could reach its full potential.