Attack Only is an upcoming turn-based RPG where players assume the role of a fiery princess protagonist who resolves conflicts exclusively through physical combat. Inspired by a popular Japanese indie browser game that amassed over 10,000 plays in its first week, this Steam adaptation significantly expands upon the original with additional stages, meta-style mechanics, and an entirely new narrative.
The story unfolds in a fantasy realm under siege by the “Demon King,” with Attack Only centering on a princess who maintains that punching anyone who displeases her is a hallmark of proper etiquette. In combat, she is restricted to a single “Attack” option.
What truly distinguishes the gameplay is the variety of targets available for the princess’s fists. Beyond adversaries, players may strike companions, the game’s user interface, and even the Game Hand 2000 (a console resembling a Game Boy Advance that hosts the “game within a game”). While initial foes can be dispatched through straightforward brawling, later encounters demand more strategic targeting.
Supporting characters—including a devout priest and a cynical mage—accompany the protagonist, operating autonomously during their turns. Although direct control is limited to the princess, physical strikes against party members can manipulate their behavior. For instance, the priest only provides healing when allies are at less than half health; a timely punch can reduce a companion’s vitality to trigger this response during critical moments.
Attack Only incorporates a meta-narrative layer as well. Pausing the 2D RPG reveals a fully explorable 3D environment where the player character (a person who, alongside their father, is engaged with the princess’s handheld game) resides. It’s revealed that interacting with the handheld game causes its characters to manifest in this 3D world, though these segments adopt a horror tone since the player character is not the pugilistic princess.
Created and distributed by indie developer Heavenside Creations (the team behind Dyping Escape), Attack Only is slated for a 2027 launch on Windows via Steam.