VN - Ren'Py - Completed - One Night Stand [v1.0] [ONS]

Recently, I've been in a VN rut. While I'm not an avid reader, I'm not a "Ctrl" speeder either as I do enjoy immersing myself in a gripping story. Unfortunately, I've been doing just that for the last couple of games largely, due to poor writing and uninteresting concept. That is.. until I found this game.

-Story-
The story is short, encompasses the events of a single night and focuses on two souls- one lonely and another wounded. Initially, I simply presumed the game to just cut to the chase and focus in on the one night stand. But, I was surprised(pleasantly) to discover how much love was poured into developing the events leading upto it.
-Choices-
While choices are limited, they are this game's biggest strong point. Dependent on player choice, David can be a caring and a gentle soul respecting Elena's feelings or a controlling kink freak who enjoys putting Elena outside of her comfort zone. Whichever way you go though, you will get a unique story outcome, even a bad one should you push things too far, which essentially is a major plus in my books as most VNs simply create a branch thread with different dialogues for a few moments and then end up merging the events a few scenes later.
Not here though. Here, choices matter.
-Sex-
Not much to say except it's very tastefully done. Not only are the CGs well crafted, the narration that goes along with it is A1 as well. The only complaint I'd probably levy is the lack of much content in this regard. But considering that the focus was just on one night, I'd say that is just a personal preference and not a game drawback.
-Conclusion-
This game- this very short game is a lesson to all the devs out there who think that in order to resonate with the crowd, you need to make something that is hours long and focus on kinks that are popular. While there is nothing wrong with weaving a long tale that is poised to sell well cause you are targeting audience that play with one hand, understand that there is a difference between just selling and being remembered. This emotionally charged story is one to remember. At least I would remember it and is one of the rare games that I'll archive as well for I do not wish it to be lost in the void.

To both developers, I wish you both well in future endeavors. You both did great and don't let anyone tell you otherwise

Being brief, it is a gorgeous short AVN. The choices you're offered could be implemented better, but it certainly works and is worth checking out.

And now for some ramblings.

All the stories use formulas. The stories I've encountered in AVNs usually come straight from porn, gaming, TV shows, or from gooning minds beyond redemption. What I mean is that when you play something like "Being a Dik," you basically partake in a good melodramatic TV show or an eighties teenage flick, but with porn. Something like "Hail Dicktator" is a pure Penthouse fuckfest that doesn't take itself too seriously because it would be insane to do so. Surely, you can continue the list.

Formulas tend to converge and intertwine. They usually come in tight little boxes: "You're an orphan living with your aunt in a small town, you have two not-sisters, and also you were a total incel before the game starts, so there's some personality split about how your actions will be described."

"One Night Stand" seems to be a game that stands upon online erotic fiction. You probably know the kind I'm talking about. It is usually female-friendly, has a prominent build-up, and treats sex as something private, liberating, and vaguely serious. It is also psychologically "deep," meant to provide an opportunity for sane, non-gooning people to indulge in their fantasies in a comfortable environment. The characters will have stories that function as groundwork for how they fuck (or don't). In many aspects, such stories are similar to printed erotic fiction, except that the ones you can find online tend not to drag as much, are more creative, and spend time only on what can actually be original.

So we have "One Night Stand." It is short. It is erotic. There is build-up to sex. It is a proper story. It is psychologically infused. And it is very nice, even if it's not my cup of tea.

The only caveat I can think of is the choices. Basically, you have three of them. The most important one is at the beginning and seems very innocent in nature, but it completely changes everything. I think its importance could be communicated more clearly. Maybe I'm dull, but I don't think there were enough hints at the beginning to indicate that the choice would lead you down a "corrupt" path with no chance of backing up.

Other than that, excellent. I'll be sure to follow the developers.

David is a middle-aged bar owner, who has been content with spending his life all alone for the past ten years; Elena is a college graduate, who just had her heart broken by someone she loved.
Project ONS tells the intimate story about the two of them getting together for a single night - and what it means to them personally.

Content: ⭐⭐⭐
Graphics: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Script: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enjoyment:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Total: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

While the corruption plot didn't quite charm me (more for personal taste than for real reasons), the main plot did. So it deservedly gets the 5 stars.

It's a short story, which is why it works so well.

It was a really short history but it was awesome.
The renders and the models are really great.
Its that kind of VN that let you waiting for more not because an unfinished and cutting ending but for the future develop of the caracters.
A very well done job.
Thanks to the creator and the designers

Now that I've met you
Would you object to
Never seeing each other again?


A short but beautiful and remarkable visual novel.

Beautiful because of the tasteful pictures, story and music.

Remarkable because it's not made of the usual mundane ingredients that are all too often found in other "adult" stories, which then turn out to be rather immature.

A quiet, thoughtful, almost melancholic story.

And a story that doesn't overstay its welcome - a blessing in these times of artificially drawn-out games, adult or otherwise.

Even if the developers originally intended to spin the story further - the way it ends (and leaves plenty of room for your own imagination) is just perfect in my opinion.

If there is anything for me to criticise, it's that the text contains several spelling mistakes, missing or incorrect words (e.g. pronouns) - or descriptions that appear as spoken text under the name of one of the protagonists.

Unfortunately, this detracts somewhat from the otherwise high-quality overall impression.

A little more proofreading would do the story good - and I write this even though (or perhaps because) I'm not a native speaker myself.

Otherwise, I can only warmly recommend this VN to anyone looking for an adult story beyond the "you're a young man" trope.

An adult story in the truest sense of the word.

Kudos to the developers.

Hats off to this wonderful work of art. Although it is a short story, the characters are very well developed. Incredible renders, good ambient music, nice story with a spectacular ending.

My congratulations to the creators, I hope to see more from these people.

5/5

If you are looking for a gorgeous experience, there is probably no better choice than One Night Stand. This short story does the absolute best to be attractive to the eye, while layering a sweet scent of curious mystery over a sexual encounter after heartbreak. While being a little generic, the approach is anything but. You will remember this game.

STORY
With short stories it’s quite hard to create a lasting impression. One Night Stand tries it’s best by giving us an enormous buildup to a sexual encounter, and it works for the most part. Neither character is particularly memorable, but their mannerisms and interactions are. There are so much internal dialogs going on here that both characters have to be introverts to the point they self-sabotage because of it sometimes.

The writer has really taken time to lay a dramatic veil over what are otherwise awkward and uneasy encounters. David and Elaine are unlikely partners (without some kind of sedation) and it’s exactly there where this game shines. It doesn’t hide awkwardness, it displays it just enough to border creepiness. The two supporting characters do a solid bid to impact the story, but never overstay their welcome. You can tell someone with a passion for writing wrote this story and it’s very welcome in a sea full of fetish and hypersexualized stories.

The story feels like it needs to have a bit more to it to have a lasting impression and a proper closure for their arcs. Without spoiling anything, the game hits at resolution after the ending. That resolution sadly never came, so setting that up feels like a weak story crutch now - while you can tell the writer was more than skilled enough to wrap up within this event.

What’s amazing is that instead of going for big drama, ONS focused on the little feelings and insecurity - essentially making small stories quite big. The crossover into intimacy is too forced and feels rushed on the ‘good’ path, which shows that the writer possibly had a preference what this story should be about. If anything, you should really play this for the feelings. For the materialization of uncertain desires.

With two story paths and the second path that takes a more… interesting turn, you can get two experiences out of the same night. The second path is however hampered by the fact David is established so much in the opening scenes. Had the opening been more ambiguous, the sell for that second story path would have been clean. Even so, this short story is great in execution.

PRESENTATION
This game is gorgeous. Not just the renders - where the artist has made exceptional use of focus, depth of field and layered composition. The menu, the typography - everything is carefully considered and it shows. It makes an otherwise ugly program like Ren’Py look pretty. That’s exactly the goal of this game, to look pretty while handling some uncomfortable things.

No animations and I didn’t miss it one moment. The sound design is minimal, but very effective highlighting certain actions. Would have loved for the music to switch when the ‘bedroom’ scenes start to emphasize a switch of mood - but it works well the way it is. This is simply one of the most beautiful VN’s my eyes have ever seen, and the prettiest Ren’Py game I know. This is a benchmark for what these novel-based realistic games could be.

GAMEPLAY
There isn’t much in terms of gameplay as this is a Kinetic novel. There are two paths - the honest path or the control path - and both work while the control path is the better option.

OVERALL
If you like story (or gorgeous graphics for that matter), you should play this. Both paths will leave you thinking about what impact a One Night Stand could have on the life of a young woman. There’s always room for more, but this is such an impactful release that it’s easy to recommend if you want to see what’s possible with this medium. Even if it’s just a One Night Stand, it is a memorable one.

8/10

Short summary:


This is a beautiful visual novel. It’s not really a game, there are no choices, you are just tagging along for the ride. But the ride is great. It’s short, but compelling story, good renders, you can see the passion and care that went into this.



Good Things

• Surprisingly good story and writing
• Believable dialogue and actions
• Good renders, with lighting and editing being top notch
• Music serves the story and the mood well
• Main lady is great

Bad points

• It’s kinetic
• I don’t see the need for a the sequence in the old hag’s cafe
• Sex scene could have been expanded a bit and delay gratification more

"One Night Stand" is a short AVN about a bartender and a patron spending a night together.
The story presents the player with a few questions, which determine the ending and erotic scene the player gets treated to.

And treating it does, the visuals of this game are excellent. The characters are detailed and realistic. And despite the story being short, the writer does an outstanding job at hinting at what makes each character tick.

"ONS" doesn't have any animations, which I only noticed after reading other reviews. I don't think they were necessary because ONS's outstanding writing and expertly crafted scenes create an erotic experience, not just a porn game.

Perfection.

Yes, it's a short story, and a simple concept...so it's hard to make mistakes. But thats exactly why it's also easy to spot inconsistencies and the "rookie" factor. The visuals were brilliant, and thank god, we got to see some well modified models, if not completely original ones!

I don't know how long the devs have been doing this, but for their first project under the ONS banner, what a great job. There is a sequel to this project on their patreon, but it's written erotica -- also a fantastic read! I myself prefer the graphic medium, but due to the superb writing, I couldn't resist.

Pros: Absolutely gorgeous renders (not your generic plastic looking skin, there's actual gradient and real life like feel), Music is nice, writing is great, and story is decent.

Cons: Honestly having animations would have taken it to next level but regardless there's no other cons. It was always supposed to be short.

Verdict: it's very short but very beautiful and touching. Play it!

The story is quite short but very touching and sweet. Characters are well-written, they are alive, you believe them, you feel for them.
Renders are good, lewd scene is very hot (vanilla is much hotter in my opinion).
Also I liked the music, it helped to create the atmosphere, especially at the hotel.
I liked the ending on vanilla path very much.

Short but incredibly sweet. Don't do yourself a disservice by reading the reviews of this story and go experience it. It'll take you 10-15 minutes and you'll be done. A true shame the artists behind this small masterpiece aren't getting more recognition.

Eventhough this novel is very very short, it has some quality! The renders and graphics are something, what you would expect in these days, so really good (but some imperfections are clear). The story and the game flow is okay. Too bad it isn't longer.

Short, well written story with great art. Only criticism is there is no animation but you really play this one for the story anyway. The choices you make matter somewhat and the way the girl talks seems realistic.

Looking forward to this developer's next project. Great start to a game design career if they want one.

The story was so heartwarming & gentle. I was mesmerized by how absorbing the storytelling is, making it feel like an old man telling you a story of where his romance went. Developer did well creating this game, I'm wishing for it to be a little longer though. This game is so good that it's hard to forget

This short visual novel is definitely worth playing, with its well-written and engaging story, well-developed characters, fitting music, high-quality renders, and the absence of catering to any specific fetish group. Although some animations would have added an extra layer of excitement, it's not essential. The game showcases the developers' skills, passion, and commitment, making it a great representation of their work. I'm eager to see their future projects and wish them continued success.

A short novel that could launch the artists

This VN captured my attention due to the tone and the main image and a pleasant surprise was that the game was realised in that way.

The graphics are amazing, high texture. Also some of the background setup (hotel room, alley) are quite next level.

Story wise, it is a simple story, that evolves quite smoothly. The language is going beyond one line or simple English. Throughout the game I got the sense that MC is more complex then it shows. Also there are some loose ends that could easily develope into a new game, if the developers decide to come back to this idea

Might be one of the best short games I've played. Both the ambiance and the music of the game impress you. In fact, you can see how well a simple story is handled in this game. Although it is a short game, the choices you make affect the game and change certain scenes. Although the game did not have animation, the scenes were quite impressive. I can say that I like the style, ambiance and visuality of the game very much.

Although the game lasts for about 30 minutes, it really impresses you. I play snack games whenever I have time, but this was a game that I never wanted to end. You know, some movies and TV series take you away, you watch them as you watch and you don't want it to end; This game managed to create such a feeling in me. I played as I played, and in this short time I played, I never wanted the game to end. I felt like I had played the game for hours, not 30 minutes. In very rare productions, you lose your sense of time and dive into the beauty of the game. That's how successful our game has been.

Definitely a game that should be given a chance. I have no doubt that you will spend 30 minutes very productively. Our game has been produced by 2 people and they continue to make games under the name of "Studio ONS". I hope we can see much, much better games in the future. It was an extraordinarily impressive game for 30 minutes. I hope the producers can get support. While many people who make nonsense games receive support, I am very sorry that a team that makes such beautiful projects cannot receive support.

I have never given a short story 5 stars, but this one is so good in every way possible, I could not give it anything less.

Everything about this one was perfect. And the story did not feel rushed or incomplete. It felt like a proper story.

The two main characters of the story felt believable and well thought out. The tension between them was perfect.

Story 8/10 (Short but sweet)
Characters 9/10 (Only 2 major characters, but they were pretty good)
Graphics 10/10 (Perfect)
Sex scenes 9/10 (There are a couple of scenes on different paths, and they were pretty damn sexy)