A Little Lily Princess

About

A Little Lily Princess is a single player simulation game with romance and drama themes. It was developed by Hanabira and was released on May 19, 2016. It received very positive reviews from players.

"A Little Lily Princess" is a visual novel game based on the classic novel "A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The game follows the story of Sara Crewe, a kind and wealthy girl who experiences hardship and growth after losing her fortune. With beautiful artwork and multiple endings, this game offers a charming adaptation of the beloved novel.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 204 reviews

story68 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game beautifully adapts the classic novel 'A Little Princess' with charming artwork and well-developed characters, making it a delightful experience for fans of the original story.
The protagonist, Sara Crewe, is a relatable and sympathetic character whose journey through hardship and kindness resonates deeply, evoking strong emotions throughout the gameplay.
The gameplay mechanics, while simple, effectively enhance the narrative by allowing players to engage with different character routes, leading to a variety of heartwarming and touching endings.

The stat-raising mechanics can feel tedious and somewhat random, leading to frustration when trying to unlock specific character events, which may detract from the overall experience.
Some routes feel rushed or underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more depth and resolution in the character relationships, particularly in the second act.
The lack of meaningful choices throughout the game can make it feel more like a kinetic novel rather than an interactive experience, which may disappoint players looking for more agency in their decisions.

story
217 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
67%
2%
The story of "A Little Lily Princess" is a charming and heartfelt adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's "A Little Princess," focusing on the protagonist, Sara Crewe, as she navigates life in a Victorian boarding school. While the narrative is divided into two acts, with the first allowing for broader interactions and the second locking players into specific character routes, it effectively captures themes of hope, resilience, and the complexities of relationships, including well-handled LGBTQ+ elements. Despite some critiques regarding the lack of meaningful choices and a rushed conclusion, the writing and character development resonate deeply, making it a touching experience for fans of the original novel and newcomers alike.
- “A Little Lily Princess tells a beautiful story of hope, kindness, and resilience -- while also managing to largely avoid the problematic implications Cinderella-like stories can sometimes have.”
- “The story is charming, endearing, and uplifting.”
- “This is a game that focuses more on telling a story than on particular dialogue choices, but damn if it isn't a good story (and one that makes me curious about the material it's based on, in fact)!”
- “The biggest let down, however, is the story.”
- “As some people have mentioned before, you don't make any real choices throughout the story.”
- “Since the game 'locks' you into a single character arc during the second act anyways, I really think they should have given every character their dedicated story.”
emotional
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartwarming and poignant storytelling, with players noting the depth of character relationships and the balance of bittersweet moments. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke a range of feelings, from joy and friendship to heartbreak, all while maintaining a wholesome tone. The music and writing further enhance the emotional experience, making it a memorable and touching visual novel that resonates with players on multiple levels.
- “Emotional suppression is not glamorized, and I can see that care was taken to make it clear that one's lot in life is not determined by what one 'deserves' (i.e., bad circumstances don't mean you're a bad person, and good circumstances don't mean you're above those less fortunate).”
- “Delicate and poignant, just as the lovely music that carries it, it is bound to make you shed a tear.”
- “But overall, it does a great job of drawing you in and making you care, able to move you on a number of emotional levels, from childlike joy and wonderful friendship to crushing heartbreak and even rage.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
76%
11%
The gameplay is primarily focused on simple stat-raising mechanics that allow players to unlock character events, but it often feels tedious and reliant on RNG, especially after multiple playthroughs. While the mechanics are straightforward and thematically appropriate, they lack depth and meaningful choices, leading some players to question the game's classification as a true game. Overall, the gameplay is light and serves more as a vehicle for the narrative rather than a challenging or engaging experience.
- “The gameplay is simple stat-raising: you choose activities to raise different stats, and use the stats gained to unlock the girls' events.”
- “The beautiful artwork, simple gameplay mechanics (that don't distract from the story), and the beautifully written story are something to be experienced.”
- “I had a lot of fun; the gameplay was light, graphics and music were beautiful, it was very well done!”
- “The gameplay is literally just resetting at save points over and over again to get good RNG.”
- “Some mechanics get tedious by your third playthrough, such as a random chance of learning nothing for a day.”
- “There aren't really any meaningful choices to make; nothing that in any way constitutes gameplay.”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
14%
11%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall storytelling experience. Players appreciate the well-placed tracks that evoke strong feelings, with many describing the soundtrack as beautiful and memorable. The combination of music, art, and narrative creates a captivating and immersive environment that resonates with players, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Delicate and poignant, just as the lovely music that carries it, it is bound to make you shed a tear.”
- “The music gave me goosebumps because it was so beautiful and very well placed regarding to the story.”
- “The music too was very fitting for the setting and various moods of the story, light and princess-like for the earlier game, with somber, heart-wrenching pieces for the latter half, and all of it very dreamy in the way a fairy tale might sound.”
- “The music too, was very fitting for the setting and various moods of the story, light and princess-like for the earlier game, with somber, heart-wrenching pieces for the latter half, and all of it very dreamy in the way a fairy tale might sound.”
- “I've just finished Jessie's route, and I'm almost in tears (sad stuff + music always gets me).”
- “Often times it's good, and sometimes it's great, but there is one particular track (I'm sure you'd know it if you heard it) that will have me tracking down its sheet music so that I can try to replicate it.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
81%
19%
The graphics in the game have received high praise for their beautiful and adorable art style, which enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the consistency and charm of the character designs and artwork, noting that it effectively complements the story's themes. While some wished for more special scenes, the overall visual presentation is considered a standout feature that captivates players.
- “The characters are nice and stand out, and the artwork is absolutely lovely.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the writing is smooth, the music is atmospheric, and each interaction presented to the player easily flowed into the subsequent consequences from making said choice.”
- “The art style is gorgeous, if pretty anime-esque, but it matched the feel-good tone of the game.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be manageable and not overly tedious, with effective stat raising mechanics and a useful skip function that alleviates repetition. While some note that pursuing all routes can be somewhat tedious, the engaging artwork and storyline keep the experience enjoyable.
- “The stat raising is easy and not too tedious.”
- “It involves stat raising, but it is not tedious or annoying.”
- “The gameplay can get tedious, but I wasn't too bothered by it.”
- “Black Closet is fun, but a bit tedious to get all the routes. I think this game gets everything right; the artwork and story are amazing, and you won't bore yourself trying to see all the routes you are interested in.”
- “At no point did going over the same content feel tedious due to the useful skip function.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of funny, heart-breaking, and fantastical elements, effectively evoking the original novel's spirit. Players appreciate the comedic moments, such as the contrast between character design and personality, which adds a light-hearted touch to the overall narrative.
- “Each of the routes were at times funny, heart-breaking, touching, and fantastical -- evocative of the original novel it was based on.”
- “It is funny, heartbreaking, happy, and sad.”
- “Random aside: I felt like laughing whenever I saw Sara's 'princess' dress, mostly because it was the most frilly and cutesy thing I have ever seen and didn't quite mesh with her character, but whatever, I loved it anyways.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Character development in the game is praised for its engaging storytelling and beautiful character design, with unlockable scenes enhancing the depth of interactions. Players appreciate the well-crafted adaptation of the story, which allows for meaningful conversations and growth among characters, making the experience feel worthwhile and visually appealing.
- “It just offers more conversation and character development with each event.”
- “This is a very good adaptation to the story and the character designs are absolutely gorgeous.”
- “I personally think that 'A Little Lily Princess' is well worth the money; it offers cute and appealing character design, a unique main character, and it tells stories through a nice lens.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression throughout the game.”
- “I found the characters to be one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with their stories.”
- “Despite the interesting premise, the character arcs are predictable and fail to evolve.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers significant replayability, allowing players to experience different narratives through five additional characters, despite being completable in a single 7-8 hour sitting.
- “I played the entire game in one sitting, which took about 7-8 hours, but the replay value is fantastic with 5 other characters to explore.”
- “The game offers incredible replayability, allowing you to experience different storylines and character arcs with each playthrough.”
- “With multiple endings and diverse character choices, this game keeps you coming back for more, making every playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “I finished the game in one sitting, and while it took 7-8 hours to complete, I don't see much replay value beyond the initial playthrough.”
- “After completing the game, I found that the different character routes didn't add enough variety to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
- “The game felt linear, and despite having multiple characters, the story didn't change significantly enough to encourage replaying.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive English setting, beautiful artwork, and smooth writing. Players appreciate the atmospheric music and the seamless flow of interactions and consequences, enhancing the overall experience.
- “This game is so good with its English atmosphere and setting, and I absolutely loved all the details in it.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the writing is smooth, the music is atmospheric, and each interaction presented to the player easily flowed into the subsequent consequences from making said choice.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a high level of stability, with no significant glitches or issues encountered during gameplay.