Lenin - The Lion
- September 24, 2017
- Lornyon
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Get on itch.io Store"Lenin - The Lion" is a game following an albino lion named Lenin, who faces bullying and discrimination due to his unique appearance. Feeling hopeless, Lenin discovers a strange ability and encounters other animal species that help him understand himself. As he travels between normality and this strange place, Lenin must confront both inner and outer fears to survive.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful art style and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience.
- It effectively tackles serious themes such as depression and anxiety, providing a heartfelt narrative with relatable characters.
- The gameplay offers a surprising amount of variety, with engaging puzzles and multiple endings that encourage replayability.
- The lack of a multiple save system can be frustrating, forcing players to restart the entire game if they miss important actions.
- Some players found the dialogue to be lengthy and repetitive, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story.
- There are occasional bugs and technical issues that can detract from the overall experience, including stiff character movement and minor visual glitches.
- story23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is highly praised for its creativity and emotional depth, effectively addressing themes of depression and anxiety through relatable characters, particularly the protagonist, Lenin. However, some players find the narrative's complexity and lack of multiple save files frustrating, as it complicates the exploration of hidden meanings and character development. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, making the game a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven gameplay.
“The story is really fun and sweet, dealing with lots of themes regarding depression and anxiety, and tackles the subjects really well in a way that's fun, cute, and very heartfelt.”
“The story and message is great; Lenin's story makes me want to give him a hug the entire time, and the music and puzzles are nice too.”
“The story and narratives are written very well and are highly enjoyable.”
“However, one downside of the story is the lack of multiple save files, which can become quite frustrating, especially if you forget to perform certain actions.”
“I do feel like there are more hidden meanings inside the main storyline, but for me this game makes it too complicated to discover/unlock them, and it doesn’t really allow you to retry stuff without having to redo the entire game itself.”
“I feel that a big part of this is because the story lacks enough depth to make these characters unique personas.”
- music11 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience and fitting seamlessly with the game's themes and scenarios. Many players find themselves captivated by the soundtrack, often listening to it on loop and feeling a strong connection to the characters through the music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and replayability.
“The music, I can't mention enough how beautiful it is, and I don't care if I'm sitting around just letting it loop because it's just fantastic!”
“Beautiful art, amazing music that may surpass that of your well-known games, that reaches to the soul and makes you feel your character, how he feels and everything around him, especially if you are able to relate to that said character, like me.”
“And man, the soundtrack is fantastic!”
“The music, on the other hand, fits the scenario pretty well.”
“It's just cute and it fits the game entirely from top to bottom, just like the music in the game.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by meaningful choices that impact the story and ending, alongside a creative plot that encourages exploration and interaction with unique NPCs. While it features typical JRPG movement mechanics, the inclusion of engaging mini-games and puzzles adds variety, although some glitches may occur without significantly affecting the overall experience.
“One of the most important things about the game is that almost every choice matters and it can affect your gameplay and the ending.”
“Really creative plot and quite enjoyable gameplay; it makes you want to explore every little bit of the map and talk to all NPCs, they're all unique.”
“The mechanics of the game are not well thought out.”
“The gameplay is typical JRPG movement; there's nothing bad or special about it. The mini-games are fun and interesting, but they don't elevate the overall experience.”
“Like most games of this type, there's no turn-based combat, but it mixes up its gameplay with some puzzles and different mini-games like matching cards and timing button presses.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their charming and cute art style, reminiscent of classic RPGs, and reflect a significant amount of effort. While there are minor visual bugs with character sprites, the overall aesthetic complements the gameplay well, enhancing the experience. Users appreciate the combination of appealing visuals and a captivating soundtrack.
“The graphics are charming and the soundtrack is really good.”
“I liked the 'old RPG' feel of it in graphics, while also offering a lot of freedom of where to go, who to talk to, and what plot points to unlock.”
“There can be some minor visual bugs with character sprites, but the graphics work well for this type of game and obviously had a lot of work put into them.”
“Graphically, sprites look alright.”
“I hate to admit it, but when I saw a screenshot of this game on Twitter, I was just interested in the art style, but this game is much more than that (although it is pretty cute, too).”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, with many players finding it to be a moving experience that evokes strong feelings, even leading some to tears. It effectively addresses themes of depression and anxiety in a heartfelt and engaging manner, though some feel it could benefit from more emotional peaks and clearer choices. Overall, it is regarded as a beautifully crafted piece of art that resonates deeply with players.
“A piece of art, the most emotional and sympathetic game I've ever seen.”
“This is the first game that made me cry like a baby, amazingly done.”
“The story is really fun and sweet, dealing with lots of themes regarding depression and anxiety, and tackles the subjects really well in a way that's fun, cute, and very heartfelt.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's impressive replayability, driven by its rich content, beautiful music, and a unique world filled with secrets. While the experience unfolds over a single day, allowing for quick playthroughs, some find the dialogue pacing to be slower, which may affect the overall replay experience.
“From the surprising amount of replayability, content, beautiful music, and worlds.”
“It all happens during one day of Lenin's life, therefore replayability is fast, but the dialogue is a bit slow.”
“Such a unique yet familiar world that the developers built, with so many secrets and replayability; no words, only emotions.”
“[spoiler] It all happens during one day of Lenin's life, therefore replayability is fast, but the dialogue is a bit slow.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by likable characters and a dialogue that varies from amusing to unsettling, particularly when players make negative choices.
“The characters are likable, and the dialogue can range from funny to rather unsettling, especially if you're going down a bad path.”
“The humor is cleverly woven into the storyline, making even the darkest moments feel lighthearted.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the witty banter between characters; it's a refreshing take on the genre.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players emphasize that the game is not focused on grinding or quickly reaching end goals, encouraging a more leisurely and immersive experience instead.
“Don't rush through it; this is not a game about grinding, and reaching end goals as fast as possible is not the focus.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its cute and charming art style, which contributes to a unique and engaging environment.
“The art is cute, atmospheric, and has a unique charm about it.”
