Games Theoretically but not Practically Beatable on First Attempt - an IFDB Poll

by Floating Info
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I'm looking for a very specific level of difficulty: a game where you theoretically could beat it on your first attempt, but you won't. At some point in the game you'll fail, but that point may vary from person to person, and when you finally do solve it after some UNDOs or a RESTORE, you will recognize that there was a solidly hinted way for you to have gotten through your first attempt.

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Gun Mute, by C.E.J. Pacian
3 votes
"Each individual..." [+]"Each individual encounter can certainly be defeated on the first try. But what about all of them in a row?" () --Floating Info... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Fabien Vidal... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Sobol...

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Chemistry and Physics, by Caelyn Sandel (as Colin Sandel) and Carolyn VanEseltine
2 votes
"Good example of this in Twine" [+]"Good example of this in Twine: I don't know anyone that has beaten this on their first try, but I don't think it's impossible." --Molly... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Floating Info...

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Varicella, by Adam Cadre
2 votes
"Possibly? There..." [+]"Possibly? There is no "learning by death", so technically it should be beatable on the first attempt, if you figure out quickly what you're supposed to be doing and don't waste any moves." --Christina Nordlander... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Kinetic Mouse Car...

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Nevermore, by Nate Cull
1 vote
"On the harder end..." [+]"On the harder end of the win without losing spectrum, but all dangers can be avoided with sufficient quick ingenuity." () --Floating Info...

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Rematch, by Andrew D. Pontious
1 vote
"You get one move. " [+]"You get one move. : You'd almost have to read the walk through to win on the first play, but that's the point. The way death occurs gives the player clues what to do next. " --Hanon Ondricek...

Floating Info says: That's not really what I'm looking for. The idea is that once you find the right way through you will think "It was definitely possible that I could have worked that out the first try, but I didn't."

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Changes, by David Given
1 vote
"You'll..." [+]"You'll probably meet your first untimely end early on, but you'll know your mistake. Interestingly, the start of the game is by far the most dangerous part." () --Floating Info...

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Hunger Daemon, by Sean M. Shore
1 vote
"Inspired the Poll" [+]"Inspired the Poll: the game contains a few timed situations where you can lose, but each one is fair and makes sense after you've finally pushed through. If you are like me, you will survive about half of these situations on your first try." () --Floating Info...

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Treasures of a Slaver's Kingdom, by S. John Ross
1 vote
"In theory, you..." [+]"In theory, you can avoid doing obviously-suicidal things and withdraw from fights too tough for you. In theory." ( - Full review) --Sam Kabo Ashwell...

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Fail-Safe, by Jon Ingold
1 vote
"The hardest part..." [+]"The hardest part is doing everything within the limited timeframe at the end." () --Molly...

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Commander, by Nathaniel Holle
1 vote
"Hard, but possible the first time" [+]"Hard, but possible the first time: There are many seemingly legitimate options for each decision, but in many cases many of these options will result in your death, either immediately or eventually. However, there is nothing to prevent someone from picking all the correct options the first time to result in A victory (there are several completely different story branches with seperate victory conditions). A bit of shameless self-promotion." --Nathaniel...

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Down, the Serpent and the Sun, by Chandler Groover
1 vote
(No comment) [+](No comment) () --Floating Info...

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Les espions ne meurent jamais, by Hugo Labrande
1 vote
"You don't want to beat it on first attempt" [+]"You don't want to beat it on first attempt" () --Fabien Vidal...

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9:05, by Adam Cadre
1 vote
(No comment) [+](No comment) () --Fredrik...

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Degeneracy, by Leonard Richardson
1 vote
"You might solve..." [+]"You might solve it on your first try, but the game's theme anticipates your failure." ( - Full review) --CMG...

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The Duel That Spanned the Ages, by Oliver Ullmann
1 vote
(No comment) [+](No comment) () --Floating Info...

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Poll created on January 25, 2015