There are some video games which are exercises in maximalism. You only need to look at Nintendo’s opus Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to see a game that’s clearly trying to cram as much stuff in as possible. Similarly, games like Persona 5 and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey fill themselves with “content”. We love them for the ways they help us waste our time, but they can get a bit exhausting.
That’s where hyper-casual games come in. If you’ve never heard this term before, it’s essentially a mini-genre of games which emphasize simplistic controls and a tightly-wound core gameplay loop over any kind of sandbox or levelling elements. Hyper-casual games are perfect for lunch breaks, but they’re also the kind of thing you can imagine yourself spending hours on without realizing it.
One such game is One More Line. This game comes to us from Sydney-based studio SMG. These guys are pretty prolific; not only have they created games of their own IPs (including several other One More games), they’ve also worked with major studios on projects like Fast & Furious: Takedown and the board game Risk. Put simply, they’re major players in the casual gaming world.
There are, to date, three other games in the One More series: One More Bounce, One More Dash, and Super One More Jump. The last one might be the only one to bear the “super” qualifier, but they’re all excellent. It should come as no surprise to you that SMG’s One More Line game is just as brilliant as its cohorts. Let’s dig deep into this one and find out what makes it tick.
One More Line is a game about two things: gameplay and presentation. You might say that all video games are essentially composed of these elements at their core, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Still, there’s something about One More Line that feels…holistic, somehow. The two elements complement each other perfectly, creating a neon space-disco feel that’s a dizzying treat to behold.
Presentation-wise, One More Line knocks it out of the park just like its siblings do. The stage itself is a dark, serious grey, but the lines you create as you dance between the game’s numerous grapple points are colorful and compelling to watch. If you’re someone who likes to watch other people play games, try to convince your player to play One More Line. It’s like an art installation.
The music, too, is perfect for this sort of thing. There’s an edgy contemporariness to it that belies its pulsing ‘90s dance rhythms. Music for a hyper-casual game should put you on edge with the same degree of success with which it relaxes you. That might sound paradoxical, but the whole relaxation-tension dichotomy is one that runs through One More Line, and the game is very successful indeed at straddling that (one more) line.
Gameplay-wise, you might recognize the basic principles of One More Line if you’ve had any experience with fellow hyper-casual traveller Sling Drift. Your goal is to latch yourself onto grapple points and rocket off them in search of the next one. The game ends when you hit the sides of the stage, which you’ll do if you squiff the angle of one of your launches.
The clever part of One More Line isn’t in this incredibly addictive central mechanic. The first time you realize you can go outside the stage’s barriers, you’ll feel like you’ve broken the game. Eventually, though, you’ll understand how much of a core part of gameplay this is. Holding the game’s single button will cause you to circle a grapple point, and while doing so you can actually exit the stage.
You’ll need to make sure you’re back on terra firma when you launch yourself, though, because if you’re outside the stage and untethered, you’re dead. The game therefore brilliantly teaches players that being tethered to a point is a moment to breathe, a moment of well-deserved and much-needed strategy before launching oneself out into the unknown again.
In essence, One More Line is simply taunting you to see how much further you can get than your previous record. There aren’t any opponents here, and unless you’re playing with others in the same room there isn’t a huge social component either. Instead, you’re playing against yourself, challenging yourself to improve each time you die and learn from your mistakes.
To this end, a horizontal line is placed at each point when you die. Once you cross that line, it begins to move with you, so your high score is always moving. Die again and it’s back to the beginning to try for that high score again. If you aren’t someone who’s bothered by scores, you will be once you experience the compelling gameplay of One More Line.
It’s very easy to while away many hours playing this game. We managed to clock up well over five to six hours in a single day simply because we kept returning to the game for quick-fire sessions. One More Line won’t hold your attention for hours at a time, but it’s the perfect way to unwind after a stressful day. This game boasts excellent presentation, addictive gameplay, and some very clever design. It’s a winner for sure.
