Eternal ONE

For a VN that intrigued me with its lack of prominence, low price, and promising store page, I'm left very pleasantly surprised!
I'd describe the story as a futuristic detective mystery set in the only stable city after a global apocalypse, with the plot being divided into 3 arcs (currently two of them available and the last one in development). The story tends to feel nearly oddly casual and lighthearted at times, but still includes captivating dark mysteries and a thrilling atmosphere, emitting a unique charm altogether. While the game doesn't seem to delve too deep into character writing, it offers a broad cast of distinct characters with striking designs and personalities, who are presented in a lively way due to expressive sprites and partial voice acting. My only complaint about the writing is that I would've preferred the world building to be more extensive, as info regarding the apocalypse is kept incredibly brief, but hopefully the last arc will involve this topic more thoroughly!

Moreover, I found the soundtrack phenomenal, it encompasses a solid variety of music for diverse ambiences, with some so catchy that I occasionally stopped reading only to enjoy it. The art is very lovely too! The translation is generally great aside of small typos, but towards the second part I've noticed an increased amount of grammatical errors, mostly in form of misplaced pronouns: however from my understanding, the translation is still in active development, hence will hopefully be fixed. Overall I consider this a highly underrated VN full of potential and am looking forward to experience the end result!

Eternal ONE is a story-driven visual novel developed and published by HOONDAHL STUDIOS LTD that places players in a futuristic world where civilization has been dramatically reshaped by catastrophe. The narrative unfolds in Lucio City, a technologically advanced metropolis built on an isolated island and believed to be the last functioning center of human society. The city stands as both a beacon of survival and a fragile political system filled with competing factions, hidden agendas, and unresolved mysteries surrounding the global disaster that forced humanity into this final refuge. Players take on the role of the city’s Security Bureau Administrator, a powerful figure responsible for maintaining order and investigating threats that could destabilize the delicate balance within Lucio City.

The story begins with the protagonist recovering from a mysterious incident that left them with fragmented memories. This memory loss becomes a central narrative device, allowing the player to rediscover the world alongside the protagonist while slowly piecing together hidden truths about the city’s past. As the Administrator, the player is not simply a passive observer of events but an influential figure whose decisions affect the direction of investigations and the fate of various characters. The narrative focuses heavily on uncovering secrets within Lucio City, from criminal activity and political manipulation to the deeper mystery surrounding the catastrophe that reshaped the world. This layered storytelling gradually reveals a society where technology, corporate influence, entertainment industries, and government agencies all intersect in complicated ways.

Rather than presenting a single straightforward storyline, Eternal ONE is structured around several narrative arcs that explore different aspects of the city and its inhabitants. Each arc introduces new characters and situations that reveal another piece of the larger puzzle. Some chapters focus on investigations into suspicious incidents within commercial districts, while others dive into the personal stories of individuals connected to the city’s power structures. One storyline might explore the influence of entertainment companies and celebrity culture within Lucio City, while another examines underground activity that threatens the fragile peace maintained by the Security Bureau. These arcs work together to gradually build a deeper understanding of the city’s political and social dynamics.

As a visual novel, gameplay primarily revolves around reading dialogue, making choices, and navigating branching story paths. Throughout the narrative, players encounter decision points that can alter relationships between characters, change the outcome of investigations, or lead to entirely different story routes. These choices ultimately determine which of the multiple endings the player receives, ranging from tragic conclusions to more hopeful resolutions. Because many details about the city and its conspiracies are scattered across different routes, players are encouraged to replay the story and explore alternate choices in order to uncover the complete picture. This branching structure adds replay value and reinforces the sense that the player’s role as Administrator carries genuine consequences.

One of the more interesting features of Eternal ONE is its attempt to simulate the responsibilities of managing a city’s security organization. Instead of relying solely on dialogue choices, the game includes interface elements that mimic communication systems within the Security Bureau. Players receive messages, reports, and emails from various departments, creating the impression that they are actively coordinating investigations and intelligence operations across the city. These systems help immerse players in the role of an administrator overseeing multiple threads of information rather than simply following a linear story. The result is a narrative experience that feels more interactive than many traditional visual novels.

The world-building within the game is ambitious and detailed. Lucio City is portrayed as a futuristic sanctuary built atop the ruins of a collapsed global civilization. References to environmental disasters, societal breakdowns, and mass migrations hint at the catastrophic events that forced survivors to consolidate within this isolated city. Despite its technological sophistication, Lucio City is far from stable. Powerful corporations, government agencies, entertainment industries, and underground organizations all compete for influence. As the Administrator, the player finds themselves at the center of this complex network of alliances and rivalries, attempting to maintain order while uncovering the truth about the forces shaping the city.

Visually, Eternal ONE adopts an anime-inspired art style that emphasizes character-driven storytelling. The characters are illustrated with expressive portraits that shift between numerous emotional expressions during conversations, helping convey personality and mood. Important narrative moments are highlighted with detailed CG illustrations that capture dramatic scenes and significant turning points in the story. These illustrations serve as rewards for reaching key points in the narrative and help enhance the emotional impact of the game’s major revelations. The environments themselves are mostly static backgrounds typical of the visual novel genre, but they depict a variety of futuristic urban locations that reinforce the setting of a technologically advanced city.

The audio presentation further contributes to the atmosphere of the game. The soundtrack includes a range of ambient and dramatic tracks designed to match the tone of different scenes, from quiet investigative moments to more intense narrative developments. In certain sections, voice acting adds additional personality to the characters, making their interactions feel more vivid and dynamic. While the audio design is not overly complex, it complements the storytelling effectively and helps bring Lucio City to life.

Because Eternal ONE places such a heavy emphasis on narrative and dialogue, it may not appeal to players who prefer action-heavy gameplay. The pacing can be slow, especially during sections where the story focuses on character development or world-building rather than major plot revelations. Additionally, the episodic structure of the story means that some narrative threads may feel unresolved until future chapters are released or additional content becomes available. However, for players who enjoy story-focused games and immersive visual novels, these slower moments often provide valuable context for the larger mystery.

Overall, Eternal ONE offers a thoughtful and ambitious narrative experience centered on political intrigue, mystery, and the fragile survival of humanity within a futuristic megacity. Its branching storylines, detailed world-building, and administrative role-playing elements create a distinctive take on the visual novel genre. While the game may not deliver the fast-paced mechanics of traditional games, its emphasis on storytelling and player choice allows for a deep and engaging narrative journey. For fans of science-fiction visual novels and interactive mysteries, Eternal ONE presents a compelling world filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Rating: 7/10