One Chance (video game)

One Chance is a Flash game developed by Dean Moynihan and released on Newgrounds on December 2, 2010. It has been frequently cited in video games literature as an interesting and moving use of permadeath mechanic (permanent death).

One Chance
It shows the gameplay without a title screen, indicates the second day depicts the beginning of the extinction.
Developer(s)Dean Moynihan
Publisher(s)Dean Moynihan
Platform(s)Browser, Flash
ReleaseDecember 2, 2010
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

In the game, the player controls a scientist who has created a cancer-attacking "cure"; when it is released in a gas form it begins to cause the extinction of all life by unexpectedly targeting all living cells, rather than just cancer cells. The player is given six days to create an antibiotic, after which point one of several endings may be achieved depending on the choices made. A web browser cookie prevents the game from being played more than once.

Plot

Players assume the role of a Dr. John Pilgrim, who has a wife named Penny and a daughter named Molly. Pilgrim is the leader of a small group of scientists who have discovered what seems to be the cure for cancer, titled E48K15. They soon realize that the experimental cure doesn't just kill cancer cells, but all living cells as well. The cure is released into the air, and the player is given 6 days to save the Earth.[1]

Gameplay

WhatGamesAre describes the gameplay as that of "a simple adventure game where you can walk around, talk to people and open doors. Every day the game changes the scenario up a little bit and reinforces the message of how much time is left. In the end... the results are stark and affecting."[2] There are multiple endings, and some reviewers asked readers to share their own personal experiences on how they chose to spend their last 6 days on Earth before the ceasing of all life.[3]

The game's name refers to the player's inability to replay it upon completion; refreshing the page after finishing the game brings the player back to the ending received. However, this can be circumvented by playing the game on a different website, using a different computer, or clearing the Internet browser's cookies; Moynihan discourages these workarounds, and feels that they detract from the game's impact.[4]

Reception

WhatGamesAre praised the unpredictability of the game, saying, "At several points the game then surprises you. You think you have it figured out, and then something changes and it sneaks past your defences. You might feel appalled or just freaked out that this little Flash game is somehow getting to you, and you may well feel conscientious and even guilty about the situation that the game places you in." It added that "The biggest flaw with One Chance is that it is only good for one play through...The other game-side flaw is that there is no sense of a solution."[5] Alternatively, Destructoid spoke positively of inability to replay, stating, "There's a problem with branching paths and moral decisions in videogames: even if they are meaningful (few are), players can usually bypass the system by using multiple save files or other means to go in for another attempt and a different outcome", adding that the game had a very good system to prevent people from "cheating".[6]

See also

References
  1. Veale, Kevin (September 2012). ""Interactive Cinema" Is an Oxymoron, but May Not Always Be". Game Studies. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021.
  2. "Friday Recommendation: One Chance [Review] - What Games Are". Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  3. "You have one chance to save the world". 7 December 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  4. Meer, Alec (2010-12-13). "One Chance, 1470 Words". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  5. "Friday Recommendation: One Chance [Review]". What Games Are. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  6. "You have one chance to save the world". Destructoid. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
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