In DevelopmentReviewEternum
Windows, Mac, Linux, AndroidFree
Review · Visual Novel
Once in a Lifetime Review
Once in a Lifetime is a finished adult visual novel by Caribdis, the developer of Eternum: a choice-based story of romance, conspiracy and supernatural trouble in a small town. It is free on itch.io for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, reached version 1.0 in July 2021, and the developer says it will always stay free.
In short
- What it is: a complete, linear adult visual novel made in Ren'Py, mixing comedy, mystery and romance.
- Who it's for: players who want a free, finished story, and anyone who liked Eternum and wants the developer's first game.
- Price: free, with optional Patreon and SubscribeStar support.
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, all from the official itch.io page. Not on Steam.
- Big pro / big con: a full story with multiple endings for nothing, but players often say it looks and plays rougher than Eternum.
What kind of game is it?
It is a choice-based visual novel with explicit adult content, described by its creator as a game "with tons of romance, mystery, humor, and much more". There is no sandbox or free roam: you read, pick dialogue and relationship options, and the story branches toward different endings.
It is well liked. The itch.io page shows a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 6,984 ratings as of September 2026, one of the higher scores for an adult game on the platform.
Who makes it
The developer is Caribdis, who went on to make Eternum. This was Caribdis's first project, and the itch.io page now points players to Eternum as "more of the same, but better". Both games are on our Caribdis developer page.
Once in a Lifetime screenshots
Gameplay
The game plays in the classic Ren'Py way: click through scenes, then make a choice when the game offers one. What you choose decides which characters you grow close to and which ending you reach.
What you actually do
- Dialogue choices. Most decisions are how you respond in conversations.
- Relationship choices. Pursuing or declining characters shapes the romance routes.
- Endings. The combination decides where the story lands, so a second playthrough can go somewhere different.
There are no stats to grind and no map to wander. If you have played a sandbox game where progress stalls because you missed a time slot, this is the opposite experience. The trade-off is that there is very little "game" beyond reading and choosing.
Official walkthrough
Caribdis provides an official Once in a Lifetime walkthrough file for version 1.0 in the itch.io download list, so you do not need a third-party guide to see a specific route.
Story
You live in Mistbury, an apparently normal town where you lead an apparently normal life with your family. You soon discover the place hides dark secrets. The itch.io page promises an adventure that runs from infiltrating a prison to exploring mysterious mansions and traveling to the other side of the world, with conspiracies and bizarre characters along the way.
At the center is a supernatural threat: "If Astaroth seizes power, it will be the end for all of us. Only you can stop him." The mix is broad on purpose. Scenes swing between comedy, romance and mystery, with a darker undercurrent underneath.
Tone and content warnings
The itch.io tags list harem, romance and corruption themes, pregnancy and a range of explicit scenes. Some routes also involve family-relationship themes. All characters are adults. If you prefer to know exactly what a route contains before playing it, the official walkthrough helps.
Main features
| Feature | Details (per itch.io) |
|---|---|
| Content | More than 6,500 renders and more than 160 animations |
| Length | "Hours of content"; itch.io lists the average session as "a few hours" |
| Engine | Ren'Py |
| Language | English, plus fan-made Chinese and Korean translations linked on the page |
| Inputs | Keyboard, mouse, smartphone |
| Extras | An official walkthrough file for version 1.0 |
The itch.io page also states that no generative AI was used.
Visual style
Like Eternum, it uses 3D rendered stills with animations for key scenes. This is an earlier project, though, and it shows. A common view among players is that the render quality is older than in newer releases and that the game feels less polished than Eternum. That is a fair description: the art does its job, but the jump in quality to the developer's later work is obvious if you play both.
How it compares with Eternum
| This game | Eternum | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Finished (1.0, July 2021) | Still in development |
| Price | Free | Free public releases, Patreon and SubscribeStar early access |
| Structure | Linear, choice-based | Choice-based, same developer style |
| Visuals | Older renders | Newer, more polished |
If you are deciding which to play first, start here if you want an ending now, and start with Eternum if you care most about production values and do not mind waiting for updates.
Platforms and how to get it
Everything is on the official itch.io page, where every official build is listed:
| Build | How it is hosted |
|---|---|
| PC (Windows and Linux) | External links on the itch.io page (MEGA, Google Drive, MediaFire) |
| Mac | External link on the itch.io page |
| Android APK | Hosted on itch.io (1.7 GB) |
| Walkthrough 1.0 | Hosted on itch.io |
Mac and Android
- Mac: there is a dedicated Once in a Lifetime Mac download. Our guide to playing adult games on a Mac covers the usual Gatekeeper prompts.
- Android: the official APK is on the itch.io page itself. You will need to allow installs from outside the Play Store.
Is it on Steam?
No. The game is only distributed through itch.io, with Patreon and SubscribeStar as the developer's support pages. If you search Steam for it, anything with the same name is a different game.
Is Once in a Lifetime free?
Yes, completely. The itch.io page says "The game is free and it always will be." Patreon and SubscribeStar supporters get exclusive content and earlier access to the developer's updates, but you do not need to pay anything to play the full game. That puts it in our list of the best free adult games.
Is it safe to download?
Download only from the links in the Download section of the itch.io page. The developer has posted a warning there: bots and new accounts have been spamming the comments with malicious links claiming new updates, and official updates are only ever posted in the Download section or on Caribdis's Patreon and SubscribeStar pages. Do not click links in the comments.
The PC and Mac builds are hosted on external file services, linked from itch.io. Start from the itch.io page every time rather than from a saved or shared mirror link. Our guide to itch.io adult game safety explains more.
Latest version and updates
Version 1.0 is final. According to the itch.io devlog, the 1.0 public release went out on July 1, 2021, after 0.8 (December 2020), 0.9 (March 2021) and 0.10 on Patreon. The game is finished; Caribdis's ongoing work is Eternum.
Pros
- Free, finished and promised to stay free
- Windows, Mac, Linux and Android builds from one official page
- Supernatural mystery plot with humor and multiple endings
- Official walkthrough included
- Rated 4.8/5 on itch.io from nearly 7,000 ratings
Cons
- Older render quality than newer releases (community sentiment)
- Less polished than Eternum, per many players
- PC and Mac downloads go through external file hosts
- Not on Steam, so no store-managed updates
FAQ
Is Once in a Lifetime finished?
Yes. Version 1.0 was released publicly on July 1, 2021, and the itch.io page lists the status as Released.
Is there an Android version?
Yes. The official APK (1.7 GB) is on the itch.io page. The Once in a Lifetime Android build is the same version 1.0 as the PC release.
Can I buy it on Steam?
No. It is distributed through itch.io only, free.
How does it compare with Eternum?
Same developer, same style of choice-based Ren'Py visual novel. Eternum is newer, better looking and still in development, while this one is shorter and finished. Caribdis itself calls Eternum "more of the same, but better".
How long is it?
The developer says "hours of content", and itch.io lists the average session as a few hours. There is no more precise official figure.
Is Once in a Lifetime worth it?
Since it is free and finished, the only cost is your time. If you like story-first visual novels, it is an easy yes. If you have already played Eternum and care most about visuals, expect a step down.
Final verdict
This is a rare combination: finished, free, cross-platform and well written enough that its developer went on to make one of the best-known games in the genre. It looks its age and plays simply, but as a complete story you can start tonight at no cost, it is hard to beat. For more story-driven games see our adult visual novels guide, and for a paid but similarly compact drama, read our review of Acting Lessons. Everything else is in the games catalog.
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