LISA

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 194 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 169 out of 194
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 194
  3. Negative: 13 out of 194

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  1. 3ls0ul
    Mar 7, 2023
    9
    Este juego aún no lo eh jugado o completado, así que pondré una reseña y nota diferentes cuando lo haga.
  2. edxtan
    Jan 11, 2023
    10
    LISA: The Painful's punishing mechanics and absurd world perfectly match its goofy, yet heart-wrenching exploration of abuse.
  3. Dumpster_Child
    Aug 28, 2022
    9
    Underappreciated with emotional and funny moments.
    Pacing may be a bit bad with random encounters and not knowing where to go blocks your way, but definitely worth it for the story and humor.
  4. TheCoBalt
    Jun 19, 2022
    10
    Apart from being a miserable game that might make you fall into a rabbit hole of depression and sadness the game can be considered one of the best of its genre. Lisa is a life ruining experience that is focused on a broken world as we join Brad, a broken man, to rescue his adopted daughter Lisa, a broken girl.

    The world of Lisa does not only take a really interesting approach on post    Apart from being a miserable game that might make you fall into a rabbit hole of depression and sadness the game can be considered one of the best of its genre. Lisa is a life ruining experience that is focused on a broken world as we join Brad, a broken man, to rescue his adopted daughter Lisa, a broken girl.

    The world of Lisa does not only take a really interesting approach on post apocalyptic scenarios but also expands on the idea that Video games can be art by showcasing a story that can be considered one of the best in the gaming industry, I don’t even want to spoil it cause it gives me PTSD.

    The gameplay and battle system is exhaustive and odd with values such as depression to affect on the enemies and your allies but it fits perfectly in the world of Lisa making a good union between story and gameplay.

    The music in the game also makes you feel like you’re on a crack den in Birmingham at 3am, it’s peculiar and broken with different rhythms within the same song which also ads to the world of Lisa more immersion.

    This game is one of the best you can find in the market and I fully recommend it to everyone that wants to find a game with a fantastic story and an odd world that will make you commit suicide once you finish it.

    PS: Don’t play it if you have a stable life.    … Expand
  5. Demodestroier
    May 6, 2022
    10
    This game is absolutely insane, its the darkest, funniest and best written game i have ever experienced. this is truly a win for gaming.
  6. Nnorv
    Apr 29, 2022
    10
    My favourite RPG
    With fascinating and engaging story that is directly tied to the gameplay. And a great playstile variabilty, as well as replayability. I have played 40 hours in total - 4 times for the Lisa and 2 times for the expansion to it, I loved every minute.
  7. GregLobstery
    Feb 18, 2022
    9
    Like other Earthbound inspired RPGs, this one's a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute its funny, the next its depressing, the next its zany, and then scary. So many different choices you can make which will determine your path.
  8. Losers_inc
    Jan 25, 2022
    10
    How do I put this?
    This is the game that evoked the greater amount of sublte emotion than any other that I've ever played, really. Its story of horrible people in a tongue in cheek world of perverts and mad men, where everywhere is a desert, and everyone is miserable in their own special way. I've never missed a game after I played it fully. I'm not saying about replayability, I'm    How do I put this?
    This is the game that evoked the greater amount of sublte emotion than any other that I've ever played, really. Its story of horrible people in a tongue in cheek world of perverts and mad men, where everywhere is a desert, and everyone is miserable in their own special way. I've never missed a game after I played it fully. I'm not saying about replayability, I'm genuinely enthralled by this world and it's characters and cannot get over the fact that it is done. It all felt too real, too real for me to not see it as masterful craft of art. I was crippling depressed sometimes and others I was laughing maniacally of the jokes. Sometimes I was chilling out going through some empty places, and other times I was raging because a party member that I loved just died. This game is stupid, in almost every way, and yet feels more like real life than stories that actually try their absolute to feel real.

    This has entered my top 10 favorite games of all time, and if you have the balls to take on the life-ruining experience that is Lisa: the painful, you'll understand why.    … Expand
  9. Rosbifz
    Dec 5, 2021
    10
    One of my personal favorites, the game can be hard to talk about especially with the themes its dealing with and how uncomfortable it can be but it's such an amazing and different experience.

    The gameplay is surprisingly good, I'm not a fan of turn based combat but this one managed to be fun and challenging, items can be rare and expensive and the game will often want to take it all    One of my personal favorites, the game can be hard to talk about especially with the themes its dealing with and how uncomfortable it can be but it's such an amazing and different experience.

    The gameplay is surprisingly good, I'm not a fan of turn based combat but this one managed to be fun and challenging, items can be rare and expensive and the game will often want to take it all away depending on your decisions making the game feel pretty tense at points.

    The story hit me like a truck, it's hard to talk about without spoiling but the themes of abuse, trauma and trying to move on from it makes it a pretty difficult experience to go throught at points. It is unpleasant, you hate the protagonist at certain points in the story but you never question why he's done what he's done and it's very easy to empathise with him. I was so surprised by how ballsy this game was.

    So yeah this is top 5 at least for me, just an amazing experience.    … Expand
  10. yertre
    Feb 15, 2021
    9
    This is one of the most interesting indie games I've played. It uses the medium of games to tell a rather unsettling story that probably won't sit well with many people. I'm reminded of the Yakuza games, which have absurd humour and lighthearted moments between a serious story.

    As the title suggests, the game is quite painful. I'm reminded of Rain World a lot, where the game will just    This is one of the most interesting indie games I've played. It uses the medium of games to tell a rather unsettling story that probably won't sit well with many people. I'm reminded of the Yakuza games, which have absurd humour and lighthearted moments between a serious story.

    As the title suggests, the game is quite painful. I'm reminded of Rain World a lot, where the game will just blow you up or poison you without giving you any real chance to avoid it. Your choices REALLY matter here. You're constantly losing party members, items and your ARMS, believe it or not. And they have real consequences, and can get you killed very easily, even on normal difficulty.

    The game is a RPG with turn based combat, and the gameplay is solid enough, even though I don't enjoy turn based combat very much. You have a party of characters with you, each one of them colourful and unique. As I said, the best thing about the gameplay is how much your choices can affect actual, real gameplay and not just story beats.

    I'm not going to talk about the story very much. It's rather messy and disturbing, which is fine if you're into that sort of thing, I guess. I'd much rather talk about the presentation and atmosphere. The soundtrack is ... weird. In good way for sure, but I highly doubt everyone will like it as much as I did. That fits more or less with the general tone and atmosphere of the game. Weird, sort of messy, quite dark, but endearing if you can manage to get into it.

    My thoughts on Lisa mirror those on Rain World. A rather dark, brutal and weird game, but if you can get into it, you'll love it. If ANY of what I've said sounds appealing to you, if you're tired of conventional games and want to take a risk, I'd recommend this game in an instant.    … Expand
  11. Autho
    Jan 2, 2021
    10
    Fun, interesting, and heartbreaking. What more could you want? It's one of the best singleplayer games I've ever played, and one of my favourite stories I've ever watched/played/read/listened to, period. It's criminally underrated and I highly recommend it.
  12. cytoplasm
    Dec 9, 2020
    9
    Probably one of if not the best RPG's I've ever played. It has quick-witted and quirky humour, and the atmosphere is set very well. The characters are also very unique and pop out. The game can also be unnervingly dark at times. I whole-heartedly recommend buying this game on steam
  13. lapkina
    Oct 16, 2020
    8
    Truly unique piece of game. Story... God, this story. I love it. It has no voice actors, no fancy animations, no cinematography. And you know what? It is still masterful. Because man that worked on this game know how to use jrpg medium to tell a story, he knows his **** Beautiful. Sounds and music are catchy, design of the characters is even catchier! Many dumb jokes and visual humour asTruly unique piece of game. Story... God, this story. I love it. It has no voice actors, no fancy animations, no cinematography. And you know what? It is still masterful. Because man that worked on this game know how to use jrpg medium to tell a story, he knows his **** Beautiful. Sounds and music are catchy, design of the characters is even catchier! Many dumb jokes and visual humour as well as genuinely creepy moments. But nothing is perfect. Sadly, a lot of back-tracking and combat system that gets boring VERY fast. And also confusing repetitive map, very hard to memorize. Otherwise great game.… Expand
  14. TheRealRalph
    Oct 9, 2020
    10
    There's a kind of games that can change your life

    Lisa is one of them...

    Let's see, Lisa The Painful is a game that forces you to take hard dessisions

    Also, it's a game about hurt, hurt so much people

    A game about leaving your past gor another opportunity
  15. fuyuyuki
    Sep 7, 2020
    10
    unique, engaging and emotionally moving. this game is a modern masterpiece. from the graphics, to the level design and even to the soundtrack, the game is one of the greatest indie rpg's ever created
  16. tommydlbass
    Aug 16, 2020
    8
    Great RPG with stuning story about a post apocalyptic world. The gameplay is basic but works, and it's a hard game. Worth your time.
  17. vufzoody
    Jul 7, 2020
    10
    A fresh take on storytelling, has a lot of humor and some references here and there, and I found it very refreshing after playing the games that come out nowadays, especially because of the weirdness of it. Definitely one of the best games that I have played to this day. When you go through a doorway or to the next screen you never expect what's gonna be there. Like the title suggests,A fresh take on storytelling, has a lot of humor and some references here and there, and I found it very refreshing after playing the games that come out nowadays, especially because of the weirdness of it. Definitely one of the best games that I have played to this day. When you go through a doorway or to the next screen you never expect what's gonna be there. Like the title suggests, this game will be painful, and your choices affect your game-play instead of story like other games do. The fighting is similar to Earthbound's fighting in the way that the characters work and when attacks happen. Items are very important in this game and for a good reason, they're pretty powerful. The only bad thing I could think of was that the Pain Mode was way too difficult for me, and a normal play-through was pretty easy. Also a bit of an advice if you're going to play the game for yourself, make sure you go through any place you think you can, there are a lot of characters in this game.… Expand
  18. Underpants158
    Mar 23, 2020
    9
    I first tried this game out a couple years back and fell off of it. Even though I liked the humor the music and atmosphere was at times unsettling to me. For some reason now I am totally fine with it and in fact love it now. It actually reminds me of Yakuza games in that it can go from being completely absurd with its humor to gripping with its serious story telling. Characters you runI first tried this game out a couple years back and fell off of it. Even though I liked the humor the music and atmosphere was at times unsettling to me. For some reason now I am totally fine with it and in fact love it now. It actually reminds me of Yakuza games in that it can go from being completely absurd with its humor to gripping with its serious story telling. Characters you run into are either goofball funny, disturbing, horrific, murderous, sociopathic, rapey, or a combination. I would have liked the party members to have more of a personality outside the short introduction and level up quotes but I still felt an affinity for them none the less. The game is PAINFUL even in regular difficulty. I don't necessarily mean difficulty of enemies though those can be the case too. Just in the random cases when the game decides to make your life even more annoying by blowing **** up in your face that you couldn't possibly have been prepared for. For instance, when you sleep at a camp fire there is a high likelihood that something negative will happen. Maybe lose your stuff, poisoned, party member kidnapped, etc. Sooooo, I cheesed the game a bit (I fully admit) and would save every time I slept and if I got a back outcome I would reload. In fact I frequently back traveled (with my fast travel truck keys) to rest instead of using resources likes potions because everything feels so valuable in this game. The game is very dark, tonally, and I completely love it for it. The enemy designs are all unique and full of personality. Also some enemies are complete pushovers while others will literally kill your party members (not KO, KILL) if you don't get a little lucky and or kill them first. Overall I highly recommend this game.… Expand
  19. Andrya
    Feb 18, 2020
    10
    I am big fan of RPGs,played:OFF,space funeral,Mario RPG,Undertale,Deltarune,Earthbound,Mother 3,Final fantasy 6,yume nikki,Chrono trigger even South park:the stick of truth and more (in other words I know my crap).And this game LIsa:the painful RPG is one of best things I played and have 2 main reasons why!

    Game design:It is almost perfect the side scroll perspective is really a breath    I am big fan of RPGs,played:OFF,space funeral,Mario RPG,Undertale,Deltarune,Earthbound,Mother 3,Final fantasy 6,yume nikki,Chrono trigger even South park:the stick of truth and more (in other words I know my crap).And this game LIsa:the painful RPG is one of best things I played and have 2 main reasons why!

    Game design:It is almost perfect the side scroll perspective is really a breath of fresh air and makes game more interesting (looking into caves to get to other end),I love the ''main hub'' idea where you have multiple separated paths where you can go in any way to finish that part,also this game makes exploration so rewarding with not just some extra jokes and story,you get actual items that you will need and cant grind for and yes there is no grinding,there is set amount of characters (ever one is original)and you will need to explore to level up and get their items.the game design is at some times scary because of bad things and choices that effects not just story but how you actually play the game.

    Story:I don't to spoil anything but this is only game that made me feel something and made me sad.
    the games story is something that even games like Undertale cant get on same level cause Lisa is mature, know what its story is about and does not brake 4th wall for cheap ''kek's'',it has great and dark humor.Story doesn't pull any punches and it will hit you in the groin and will kick your ass (mentally)!
    The people that think that story is without a point need to replay it or just stop thinking that every game has to have happy ending or optional ending.    … Expand
  20. fernando8biondi
    Jan 18, 2020
    5
    A brave game, but with an annihilating lack of rhythm.
    Dialogues seek humor ceaselessly, and when jokes don't work (which happens 95% of the time), dialogues become extremely boring.
    Poor gameplay, since on the PC the use of the game pad requires the joint use of the keyboard.
  21. DJKrimson
    Dec 8, 2019
    8
    Very unique game. Would recommend.

    The story in this game is amazing. Without revealing anything i'll just say that it's type of game where you don't really know anything in the beginning but learn more of the events that led up to the situation as you progress, and it's done in a really good way. Apart from the story, the game keep suprising you with dark humor jokes/trolls/etc. A big    Very unique game. Would recommend.

    The story in this game is amazing. Without revealing anything i'll just say that it's type of game where you don't really know anything in the beginning but learn more of the events that led up to the situation as you progress, and it's done in a really good way. Apart from the story, the game keep suprising you with dark humor jokes/trolls/etc. A big part of how the story progresses is the players choice, and the choices almost always have consequences.    … Expand
  22. Xploitsss
    Nov 5, 2019
    10
    A simply amazing experience. Playing as a character that is willing to do anything to protect his daughter shows just how desperate Brad is, and lets the player sympathize for him, and that's what the game does best, as it allows the player to either dislike the actions Brad is presented, or justify them, no matter how awful they are. Lisa is an example of how much of an impact one gameA simply amazing experience. Playing as a character that is willing to do anything to protect his daughter shows just how desperate Brad is, and lets the player sympathize for him, and that's what the game does best, as it allows the player to either dislike the actions Brad is presented, or justify them, no matter how awful they are. Lisa is an example of how much of an impact one game developer can leave on those wiling to step out of their comfort zone and play something new. With a combination of great 2-dimensional graphics and an amazing soundtrack, both of which surprisingly fit the post-apocalyptic atmosphere, Lisa has become a favorite rpg of mine.… Expand
  23. FefeDoppio
    Nov 5, 2019
    9
    One of the darkest rpgs i've played, it will break your heart into pieces and make you feel depressed, but give you a once in a lifetime experience.
  24. Brunz
    Jun 30, 2019
    9
    In a world without women, you follow the post apocalyptic story of Brad Armstrong. You meet interesting characters with masterfully done sprite work. The game has great combat and battle animations,but the most important thing is the depressing story of olathe and its inhabitants. The currency in the game are dirty mags, and that just put a smile on my face. There are two ways to play theIn a world without women, you follow the post apocalyptic story of Brad Armstrong. You meet interesting characters with masterfully done sprite work. The game has great combat and battle animations,but the most important thing is the depressing story of olathe and its inhabitants. The currency in the game are dirty mags, and that just put a smile on my face. There are two ways to play the game, normal mode or pain mode. Normal mode is a more story driven experience, but pain mode is as the name describes PAINFUL, with a higher focus on combat. The only thing that prevents this game from getting a ten is that when you find your perfect party, the game becomes a cakewalk. I can't give the story justice in this review so if you were having any doubts of playing the game, you should take my word and play this art.… Expand
  25. Aplucity
    Nov 26, 2018
    9
    Even though the gameplay is a bit draining and lifeless, the story just whoops ass when it comes to originality and lore. This game is worth the wait.
  26. sulpher
    Nov 15, 2018
    10
    I got farted in the face while sleeping. And that was the best thing that happened to me in this game!

    This game is a rollercoaster of emotions - love, sadness, hate, rage, frustration, desperation, hilarity and many more. This is one of the few games that made me laugh out loud while playing it. No other game made me feel and regret some of my in-game decision like LISA. This game    I got farted in the face while sleeping. And that was the best thing that happened to me in this game!

    This game is a rollercoaster of emotions - love, sadness, hate, rage, frustration, desperation, hilarity and many more.
    This is one of the few games that made me laugh out loud while playing it. No other game made me feel and regret some of my in-game decision like LISA.
    This game was definitely the most interesting experience of video gaming for me ever.
    I even think playing LISA made me a better person. I am serious about that.
    This game taught me something that no one else has ever accomplished: coping.
    Coping with bad decision you made. Coping with bad stuff that happens to you without you making any wrong choices. Coping with whatever life throws at you.

    Thank you Austin Jorgensen for taking me onto that journey and making me a better person on the way.    … Expand
  27. TrumpetBoiZ
    Oct 23, 2018
    10
    epic sauce man this is good yes very much it is over 5 so it is positive score yes
  28. Blazegamingpug
    Oct 12, 2018
    9
    LISA the painful RPG (And it's DLC, LISA the Joyful) is one of the few games to make me cry, with it's touching and depressing story following a man named Brad, trying to protect his adopted daughter Buddy, (Who is the last woman alive) From a world of thirsty men. This game has some of the best RPG gameplay I've ever seen for a RPG maker game. Making status effects matter, and restingLISA the painful RPG (And it's DLC, LISA the Joyful) is one of the few games to make me cry, with it's touching and depressing story following a man named Brad, trying to protect his adopted daughter Buddy, (Who is the last woman alive) From a world of thirsty men. This game has some of the best RPG gameplay I've ever seen for a RPG maker game. Making status effects matter, and resting into a game of risk-reward. Also, some enemy's can perma kill party members. Also, the choices.
    None of them really effect the overall plot aside from a few pieces of text, but where they really matter is the gameplay. Their is a part of the game whre you have to Chose between a party member, or one of Brad's arms, permanently weakening the one party member who will always be on your team.
    One last way I could describe it is Undertale for messed up people.    … Expand
  29. HomerSimpson99
    Oct 10, 2018
    9
    LISA is a hard-core turn-based, narrative driven game, with a focus on perma-death and survival. The narrative and game-play intrinsically linked choices in the narrative, and this is where the main strengths of LISA lie, the story overall is decent, but the characters and exploration really elevate LISA beyond a game and into an experience. The interpretation left by the creator meansLISA is a hard-core turn-based, narrative driven game, with a focus on perma-death and survival. The narrative and game-play intrinsically linked choices in the narrative, and this is where the main strengths of LISA lie, the story overall is decent, but the characters and exploration really elevate LISA beyond a game and into an experience. The interpretation left by the creator means each experience is guaranteed to be unique, and unforgettable, but enough flesh on the bone to still create an amazing experience.… Expand
  30. Crysan
    Jan 4, 2018
    9
    The humor, the game play, the story, the character, just great. If you die you will experience the meaning of an "unforgiving" game.
    If you like dark humor, a lot of references and a rather disturbing story. Feel free to check this game.
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Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
77
#77 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. RPG Fan
    Dec 5, 2019
    67
    While LISA: The Painful attempts to do something unique and bold, it misfires and instead tells a story that works against its own ends, ultimately feeling gratuitous and pointless.
    Read full review
  2. GameOver.gr
    Mar 11, 2015
    85
    With superb writing, clever humour and a unique kind of drama, Lisa proves that sometimes you don't need great technology and high quality graphics in order to tell a great story.
    Read full review
  3. CGMagazine
    Feb 21, 2015
    50
    There’s potential to be found in LISA, but so much of it feels like a rough first draft.
    Read full review
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