Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2016
One Small Fire At A Time
Developer Kidalang
13-year-old Janis has "Magic Deficiency Disorder," a madness where one can't use magic in a very magic-oriented world. For her protection, she lives in a madhouse: a place where those with mental disorders can be safe from an unforgiving society. From the Steam store page
48 reactions from 1 source (Steam reviews) · newest Sep 15, 2025 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
94
LovedLoved
45 positive · 3 negative
95% range 83–98%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 45 | 3 | 0 |
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
61 of 65 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
48 of 48 · most liked firstAnother awesome VN from Kidalang! I liked it so much, I went through the first playthrough (5 hours) in one sitting; couldn't stop reading. I do admit that I liked An Octave Higher a bit more, but this prequel was definitely a close second. While some have suggested otherwise, I do think the VN is more enjoyable if you've read An Octave HIgher first. An Octave Higher explains the magical system and gives an overall introduction to the world in these stories. Besides, it's more interesting to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This VN is about the protagonist that lives in a madhouse because she can't use magic and a group of men trying to uncover some shady activity that the owners of the madhouse might be involved in. It has a true ending which lines up the protagonist's life before An Octave Higher happens and 3 alternative endings that could have happened depending on your choices in the story. You can play this even if you haven't played An Octave Higher and only miss a couple of technical details about the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A nice little VN with a good amount of Comedy and Drama at the End of it. It has around 3-5 hours Playtime and shows an interesting Story of a Girl, which can't use Magic in a World, where Magic is everywhere. Because of that, she was brought into a Madhouse where the Story starts. PS: This Game is the Prequel of ,, An Octave Higher'' Charaktere: 4/5 Stars. ( The MC has a nice personality and the SC's aren't that bad. They have a story which will be explained to some decrease.) Art/Style:…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Overall, One Small Fire At A Time is a pretty good prequel to An Octave Higher. While it lacks the length and depth of its predecessor, the artwork is definitely better. My only problem with this visual novel is that you can reach the true ending quite easily. I did it on my first playthrough and I like to struggle a bit, get a few alternate ones (all preferably) beforehand. Having read An Octave Higher is a plus but it's not essential. I would still recommend playing AOH first. It's a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's surprisingly good and really cheap on Sale (Less than a dollar). I'm really enjoying it so far It's not that long and the choices are really simple like "Go There or Don't Go There" But otherwise it's great.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story is actually quite nice. But sometimes the angst seems really funny as my 14 year old emo self can sometimes relate to it. Some problems that this game has is that there is a bug that prevents you from being able to click on the screen in order for you to read through the text. You have to restart the game in order to play it again, which makes it quite troublesome as you need to remember to save every so often. But nevertheless, the game is actually quite nice!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Where should I start.... I really like this game, just as I liked previous part, which is "An Octave Higher". The story is set some time before "Octave", more or less 20-30 years. We see origins of some secondary characters, most notably Janis and Joff Godwin. Anyway, you have the story explained in the summary of the game, above reviews section, and I don't want you to read the same ♥♥♥♥ all over again. I'll just tell what you can expect. You can expect well balanced story, with humour,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One Small Fire At A Time is a Visual Novel about a teenager forced to live in the madhouse of a magical society. It is the prequel to "An Octave Higher' but OSFaaT is a good stand-alone story. Beat it and used a guide for additional routes in 7.3 hours using a keyboard. Difficulty is Easy (it's a visual novel). Giving this a PG-13 label for violence in the later chapters, depression, bullying, and suicidal themes in one route. - The over-arching story is good, if not a bit dark. There…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can't tell you how much better this VN is than An Octave Higher was. I went for the true ending first, and I was gripped from the second chapter on. The twists, the turns, the comedy, the drama, the mystery, this story literally had it all. A certain amount of my enthusiasm could be coming from the fact that I suffer from a few neurological disorders myself, so I found this story (very thoughtfully focused on the treatment of people with such disorders) and some of its characters to be…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →https://youtu.be/sqBnQpGZD4M Leaning heavily on mental health issues as cudgel to base the narrative around makes for a story that starts off on the wrong foot and struggles to recover.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Janis is 13 years old and lives in a madhouse. This place is where society sends those with mental disorders, such as Schizophrenia, depression, personality disorders, and in Janis’s case, a lack of magic in a magical society. This story has multiple endings with one true ending, leading to its prequel An Octave Higher. One small fire at a time is definitely a hidden gem. You can tell a ton of work and love has been put into it, with all the detailed character sprites, backgrounds and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →meh, got bored and didnt even finish 2/10 play time is from card farming
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well, that was unexpectedly Great. This VN has pretty unique art style, and the characters aren't that easy to read by the looks, as they may appear to be. The choice of the music fits the scenes almost perfectly, and the music itself never got me tired. The story is decent, a bit shorter that I expected. With some sharp turns, and a lot of things that are not what they were appeared to be. It's a madhouse, after all. I like that.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This visual novel is a hidden gem. While it has a fascinating central mystery and engaging characters, it is this VN's social commentary that makes it so good. Everyone in this world can use magic - apart from the MC, who is considered insane and disabled in this setting, even though she would perfectly normal in our world. In other words, disability and insanity aren't objective labels - they are social constructions that shift depending on society. It gets the message across with an…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →beautiful made VN!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like previous game "Octave Higher" this is a good sequel. If you are first time of this series, it'll be fine because it's just small easter eggs from previous game and still a good VN game that has multiple endings, depends on how you behave.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It doesn't have any real gameplay aside from couple of small choices, but don't let that deter you. It's a nice little story with both fun and sad moments, interesting world and sympathetic characters. Well worth buying on sale.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was an interesting read. The world is glorious, the characters fully-formed, and the tale was great, if sad in a few places. Still, I would recommend this to anyone wanting a good read. Apparently, this is a prequel to another visual novel, which I will have to acquire and read. Also, there is at least one loopy achievement that can only be accessed after getting the "True" Ending.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a good read with multiple endings and a lot to think about. The discussions of how society decides what is lunacy and madness get a bit long winded, but can cause you to really think about it. I picked it up on-sale, but I think it would be worth full price. Even using fast-forward while doing alt endings, I still got over 4 hours of reading time from this. I think it's worth that. Also, there is no nudity, H, or any other adult content. So, if you're looking for that. look…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A really good visual novel game with a pretty deep story. I should mention that it didn't have a lot of choices in it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This story wasn't bad at all, I even cried at some parts, so while the title itself may not appeal to most, it still is a nice enough story. :) Definitely loved the emotion it brought, which is rare as most other titles don't make people like me feel like that.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →OK, so I'd be writing a fairly well-written review, but I was too busy laughing at some of the dialogue, until the ending which... well... To quote Hannibal Chau, "Holy jeez." Though it does provide a very good explanation to how the no-nonsense commander of the Dragoon unit in An Octave Higher got where she was (You might wanna go check that out first. Or second. That's the charm of it).
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Every bit as good as one of my favorite visual novels ever in "An Octave Higher". This VN goes into the past and explains much of what was not fully understood in An Octave Higher. It's very well written and the art is even better done this time around. I enjoyed this one very very much and you can find my entire playthrough on my YouTube channel. 9.5 out of 10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for fans of great story telling and well written visual novels.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Recommended, especially if you have read "An Octave Higher" (and even if you havn't read it). A nice and short pre-story of that visual novel. There are some problems on mental issue descriptions and some pacing problems, still recommended though. Most aspects of the game itself are similar to "An Octave Higher". Most of them aren't outstanding, but also good in average. Quite importantly, I find this visual novel surprisingly immersive...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you liked the An Octave Higher, you will enjoy this one too. Well most likely. The premise of the story is interesting and there are interesting characters. However, it is nothing special. I feel like the game could be a little longer, with more flushed out story and ending. I would still recommend buying it, but wait for sale.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not enough game play.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A 7/10 experience. Not a bad game by any stretch, but it could be a lot better. This is coming from someone who started with An Octave Higher, the sequel to this game. The story was fine and short. A few emotional moments and epiphanies felt forced. Art and Music were fine as well. Overall, an OK experience. You have to go through all endings to appreciate this game fully, though (for real). I'd recommend this game if you're interested in delving deeper into the whole lore more. However, I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another disturbing but great VN from Kidalang. I really enjoyed the comedy and dramatic events which came surprisingly often. It's a short one and has some alternative endings which are all interessting. Just try to imagine you live in a world full of magic. Everything's done with magic. Factories are run by workers using magic to produce stuff and so on. Now try to imagine how that society will look like. Does it ring a bell? That leaves a bitter sweet aftertaste on our own societies even…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I hadn't realized how much I missed the world of Overture until I played this game. The writing is as snappy and charming as the writing in An Octave Higher. Some paths have a bit of comedy in them, and some have thoughtful dialogue about mental illness and despair. Pretty much all the paths are emotionally wrenching, even brutal. There are not a *lot* of choices to make (perhaps 8-12?) but that's all right: the writing and characters carry the piece. I recommend it to anyone who…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A short and sweet visual novel with a handful of choices and some surprises. I'd definitely play 'An Octave Higher', to which it is a prequel, first, if only to get more details on the magic system and world. It's obvious a lot of care went into it - small touches like musical leitmotifs, screen shaking, 'animations' (crude and rare, but appreciated) and so on make the story come to life. The writing is good, and the characters memorable. All in all, a fun way to spend a few hours. After…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One Small Fire At A Time is one of those games that turns into a pleasant surprise. It is well worth the asking price for the game. Definitely a game I would recommend. It appears this game is a standalone prequel for An Octave Higher, which is something I'll be buying here shortly.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great backstory.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some things up front: 1) This is a prequel to [url=http://store.steampowered.com/app/352780/] An Octave Higher. This game is playable as a standalone, but knowledge from the other will be helpful and will probably make it more enjoyable. 2) This is a visual novel. There are choices, but otherwise there is no gameplay. 3) Just like An Octave Higher, this has some mature themes. For example, sexual violence, mental illness, and suicide are discussed, sometimes at length. The Good: 1) Excellent…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As shown in the Tags, this game is a 'Visual Novel' and an 'Indie' game. There may not be any battle mechanics, but the story is a rollercoaster from near start to near finish. A total of 10 choices are presented throughout the entire game giving you a chance to change the story little by little until you either stop short for an alternate ending, or experience the entire story until the correct one. I think that $10 would be too much for the short Novel, and maybe $7.00 would be more…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story and art are ok.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am 32 years old. My ex-wife and I have a daughter together, and we adopted our son together. Both are now 4 years old. When we were going through our separation, I felt lost and unhappy. I was self-destructive. One day, I was so angry with everything spiraling out of control that I punched a concrete wall in a moment of overwhelming emotion. This resulted in breaking my fifth metacarpal in my right hand—the hand I worked with, played games with, and used to carry my children to bed—the hand…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed this game. It's a nice little prequel to "An Octave Higher". Nice work, Kidalang crew.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As other reviews point out, this prequel to An Octave Higher can be played as its own stand alone visual novel. While not as long or focused on world building as its predecessor, It's interesting to learn about some new characters and old ones too in this now short series. It's focus on mental health, while it might not be interesting for everyone, I thought was well done. I was less impressed that some of the dialogue was presented in paragraphs at times instead of the individual characters…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty good prequel of An Octave Higher. It's enjoyable and it touches themes that regard mental health without being stigmatizing which is always nice. I must admit that overall the story seems cut at a certain point: between Candela's death and the execution there's story time that hasn't been used and could have been used to give some depth to the other characters, which overall seem pretty monodimensional although enjoyable, except for Drake. Would I recommend it? Yes but not at full…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like its predecessor "An Octave Higher", One Small Fire at a Time has an interesting enough premise, decent world building and engaging characters (for the most part), however a lot of that is undone thanks to the story being extremely rushed. This game suffers from it even more than its predecessor; at times you're given the impression that this game's story is just moving from scene to scene with no breathing room (this is especially prevalent towards the end). The main character, Janis…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely Beautiful
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One Small Fire at a Time is almost like a little masterpiece. This is the story of Janis. A strong willed child that has been sentenced to the mad house for her inability to use magic in a world dependant upon magic for life's daily needs. But even in a mad house the world of Overture still relies on magic. Forcing Janis to adapt to survive. Relationships with the other characters are still paramount and your actions will determine towards which ending the game branches. Everything begins to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really good quality story! Well-written story and characters. Good for starting a difficult conversation about mental illness/handicap. Visual aspect highlights the storyline, safe for work.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One Small Fire At A Time is a really moving story about mental illnesses and also about Girl, who can't use magic in a world where nearly everyone can use magic. The game can be played without playing an Octave Higher, but I recommend playing both as they are moving stories.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's been a while since I sat through this VN, but I mentioned it in a review for Highway Blossoms, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And just like that, This. Was. Something. Maybe it was the beers playing me up on that day, but I felt a great sense of emotion when reading One Small Fire At A Time. A unique (and surprisingly chilling) story, focusing on a topic that entertainment properties are starting to look at a little more in recent memory (that of psychology and 'mental illness'), and then…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As usual, the developer has created another wonderful story set in Overture. A thinking man's story, intelligent and engaging, addressing sociopolitical issues in Overture. All very well thought out.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game ticked all the boxes for me. Interesting and developed setting, good characters, a gripping story and nice art. I loved the short chapters which made it easy to follow - a recent spell of depression has done a number on my concentration span, so the short chapters and clear-cut scenes were really nice. There are lots of interesting ideas explored here, particularly about mental health. I'm always a little wary when I see something set in an asylum (as in countless horror games), but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very nice game with a great story. Great for kids
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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