There are games that try to impress you with huge numbers of mechanics, systems and options, and then there is Attack Only, which takes a completely different approach: you have just one command – Attack.
You might think that means the gameplay is as simple as it gets. However, Attack Only is almost the opposite. This unusual retro RPG takes one of the most basic commands found in practically every RPG and tries to build an entire game around it.
I had the opportunity to try Attack Only at Gamescom, and I have to admit that the game pleasantly surprised me. Not only because it is charming at first glance, but because it quickly shows that there is much more room for experimentation behind that simple idea than you might initially expect.
Attack Is All You Need
The core idea is literally contained in the game's name. The main character is a princess who can use only one command – Attack. There is no traditional selection between attacks, magic, items or defense. When your turn comes, attacking is what you have available.
But then the game starts playing with its own rules. Because the question is no longer simply who are you going to attack, but what can you actually attack?
Enemies are the obvious targets, but Attack Only allows you to attack allies, elements of the interface itself, and even parts of the console you're playing on.
And that's where the game becomes interesting. Suddenly, you're no longer thinking like you're playing a traditional RPG. You start thinking about the game itself as a space where everything could potentially become a target for your attack.
A Simple Idea That Hides Much More
What I liked most about Attack Only is that the game doesn't use its simplicity merely as a joke. If everything stopped at having one button that you simply use to hit enemies, the concept would probably become boring very quickly. But here, the limitation itself is part of the design.
Since you only have one command, the game has to find new ways to make you think about where and when to use it. This is particularly interesting during battles, because enemies aren't simply obstacles that need to be eliminated. Instead, they become situations that require you to understand what is actually happening.
Even the game's official description emphasizes that encounters are designed to test the player's ingenuity, and that approach was one of the more interesting aspects of the demo for me.
An RPG That Doesn't Want to Follow RPG Rules
Attack Only uses a retro RPG foundation, but it is obvious that its goal isn't simply to copy it.
That was probably the most interesting part of the game for me at Gamescom. Visually and structurally, it resembles an old-school RPG, but then it does something you would least expect – it starts playing with the boundary between the game and the player.
The fourth wall isn't simply something that gets mentioned occasionally as a joke. The game itself is built around the idea that things existing “outside” the traditional gameplay space can become part of it.
That even includes the game window and the console itself. These are the kinds of things that are difficult to describe without ruining the surprise, so it's probably best to simply say that Attack Only quickly starts making you think outside the screen.
A Princess, Unusual Companions and a Strange Party
Of course, the princess isn't alone.
During the adventure, different members join her party, including a devoted Priest and a cunning Mage. What's interesting is that they don't necessarily function like completely traditional RPG party members. They have their own behavior and can act independently, while you use your attacks in ways that help guide the party toward victory.
It's another clever way for the game to use its core rule. You don't get ten different commands with which you can control every little detail of the battle. Instead, Attack Only tries to create situations where a single command carries much more weight than it normally would.
A Retro Style That Fits Perfectly
Visually, Attack Only goes for a retro RPG aesthetic, which feels like a natural choice for a game like this.
The pixel art, simpler character designs and overall presentation evoke a time when RPGs had far fewer resources available for complicated systems and spectacular presentation. But here, the retro aesthetic isn't simply decoration. It strengthens the central idea. When a game looks like it came from an old console and then suddenly starts attacking its own interface and breaking the fourth wall, the contrast becomes even more interesting.
And that's exactly why Attack Only has such a distinctive atmosphere.
And Then the Game Steps Outside the Game
One thing I would particularly highlight is the metafictional aspect. Attack Only doesn't want its entire story to take place exclusively inside the RPG world. According to the game's description, at one point the player is brought back into the real world and has to deal with something happening outside the game itself.
That's the part that particularly caught my interest, because it opens up much more room for the story. Instead of the usual “save the princess, defeat the demon and finish the adventure,” there is a feeling that the game itself could be part of the mystery. And that's why I wouldn't want Attack Only to be viewed simply as an experiment built around a single command. There is clearly an ambition behind the idea to play with the way we experience RPGs themselves.
A Game That Stayed With Me
Out of all the things I tried, Attack Only is one of those games that stayed in my mind precisely because of its simplicity.
It didn't try to impress me with a massive world, hundreds of abilities or some spectacular combat system. Instead, it took one command that every RPG player knows and asked:
“What if this was the only thing you could do?”
And then it built an entire game around that limitation. For me, it worked really well at Gamescom. Attack Only is charming, unusual and creative enough to immediately make you want to see just how far this idea can go. I particularly like that the game doesn't use its simplicity as an excuse for shallow gameplay. Quite the opposite – it tries to get as much as possible out of a single limitation.
The full version is scheduled for 2027 on PC, so we'll still have to wait and see how far the developer can take the concept. But after what I tried at Gamescom, one thing is certain:
Attack Only is one of those games where the most interesting part is precisely what you're not allowed to do.
And honestly, I really want to see what happens when this “one and only attack” finally arrives in the full version.
