One Cut

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  one-cut app icon · 1024 × 1024

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  Unframed simulator screenshot · 1179 × 2556

Inspiration

One Cut explores how much depth an action game can find in one deliberate gesture. Instead of adding more buttons, it makes the direction and timing of a blade stroke carry the decision.

What it does

Draw through incoming ritual seals. Intersected seals reflect into the nightmare; missed seals chip the blade. Choose a Blade Oath, assemble a combination of build seals during the run and learn each nightmare’s attack patterns.

This is a portrait roguelite built around fresh runs. No permanent stat power follows the player into combat, and there are no paid random rewards. Practice against the Watcher and play the Daily Rite with a curated build for free.

How we built it

SwiftUI provides the native menus and surrounding interface, while SpriteKit drives the game scenes. RevenueCat connects a one-time Full Game entitlement to Apple’s non-consumable purchase and restore flows.

The purchase unlocks complete four-nightmare runs in the Paper Reliquary and Iron Psalter. The game includes three Blade Oaths and 120 mechanically active build seals across six families. Achievement discovery offers sidegrades without permanent combat-stat upgrades.

Challenges and what we learned

The combat has to make a single stroke legible: what it hit, what it reflected and what the player missed. Build variety also has to change the decisions inside a run rather than disguise permanent power progression.

Commerce and interface review produced lessons for the next update: interactive Apple confirmation needs its own lifecycle, and a dense opening menu needs to remain readable at large text sizes.

Accomplishments

Version 1.0 is now publicly listed on the US App Store. The free practice and Daily Rite give players a direct way to learn the core action before choosing the full-game purchase.

What’s next

Record a short run using the released version and complete physical-device purchase and restore validation before the next update.

Built With

• ios
• revenuecat
• sprite-kit
• swift
• swiftui