LISA: The UNDONE

About

In "LISA: The Painful," you play as Brad, a middle-aged man searching for his lost daughter in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The game is a dark, grim adventure filled with challenging battles, tough choices, and a unique art style. With heavy themes of despair, humor, and determination, players must survive and protect their party in a bleak world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,066 reviews

story1.4k positive mentions

grinding177 negative mentions

The emotional depth of the story is profoundly impactful, blending dark humor with heart-wrenching tragedy, making it a standout experience in indie RPGs.
The unique and eclectic soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere, evoking a range of emotions and complementing the bizarre narrative style.
The gameplay intertwines traditional RPG mechanics with moral choices and character permadeath, creating a compelling and engaging experience.

The game suffers from various bugs and glitches, including softlocks and performance issues, which can detract from the overall experience.
Some players find the graphics to be bland or unpolished, which may not appeal to everyone despite their nostalgic charm.
The humor can be hit or miss, with some players feeling that it falls flat and does not effectively complement the game's heavy themes.

story
3,740 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The story of "Lisa: The Painful" is a deeply emotional and dark narrative that follows Brad, a flawed protagonist navigating a post-apocalyptic world devoid of women, as he embarks on a quest to rescue his adopted daughter, Buddy. Players are drawn into a complex tale filled with themes of trauma, addiction, and moral dilemmas, often juxtaposed with absurd humor that lightens the otherwise grim atmosphere. The storytelling is praised for its depth and character development, making it a standout experience in the indie RPG genre, though it may not be suitable for those sensitive to its heavy subject matter.
- “A really memorable story with absolutely heartbreaking moments, great moments of black comedy, an interesting and unique take on a post-apocalypse setting and an amazing soundtrack.”
- “The story is one of the main reasons why people play this game, and I can definitely say it is incredible, taking the first few minutes of the game as an example, it is genuinely incredible how much the creator can make you feel in such a short timespan and with almost no spoken word.”
- “The story flips from deeply tragic to hilarious on a dime and somehow pulls it off every time.”
- “There's a lot of silly writing in between the unsettling atmosphere and heavy storytelling that makes the whole package goofy, tense, disgusting, and curious all at once, all of this heightened by an eccentric soundtrack that fits the game perfectly.”
- “The story is dark and twisted, and I would definitely not suggest people of a young age or weak constitution play it, as it can be truly disturbing. Please, listen to me, it's not for the faint of heart; for people like me though, it makes for a wonderful artistic influence, and simply an engaging story.”
- “The story is filled with violence and abuse. Even though the music is comprised of mostly basic synth presets, it's put together so well and modified around the game to create the exact right atmosphere, dragging your emotions along with the game and the story as the author/creator intended.”
humor
2,168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Lisa: The Painful" is a complex blend of dark, absurd, and often crude elements that juxtapose the game's heavy themes of despair and trauma. Players frequently note the game's ability to oscillate between gut-wrenching moments and laugh-out-loud scenarios, creating a unique emotional rollercoaster that keeps them engaged. While the humor can be hit or miss, many find it to be a vital component that enhances the overall experience, making the bleak narrative more palatable and thought-provoking.
- “I cannot fully explain how it does it, but this game is so devastating and hilarious at the same time.”
- “The story flips from deeply tragic to hilarious on a dime and somehow pulls it off every time.”
- “It's a game that is simultaneously heartbreaking and yet hilarious, with an absurdist sense of humor that really feels like it's its own thing.”
- “This game is not funny; I bought it because it had a tag called dark humor.”
- “It's got some dad jokes, some bad jokes, some unfunny jokes.”
- “It's not funny, incredibly undetailed, and actually makes you feel like shit inside.”
music
1,649 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
47%
2%
The music in "Lisa: The Painful" is widely praised for its unique and eclectic style, blending dark, eerie, and humorous elements that perfectly complement the game's bizarre atmosphere. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from joy to despair, and note its memorable tracks that often stick with players long after they finish the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience significantly.
- “A really memorable story with absolutely heartbreaking moments, great moments of black comedy, an interesting and unique take on a post-apocalypse setting and an amazing soundtrack.”
- “The music is perfect for this style of game and really carries the experience for me.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, and I could recommend this game on that merit alone.”
- “The music is awful, yeah really it's unbearable, especially the battle music. I'd even go as far as saying that only 20% of the OST is either decent or good, which means 80% of the OST is bad.”
- “The music, while somewhat repetitious in a few places, is fantastic, yet it almost feels ill-fitting of the game you are playing due to the strangeness of the world; yet at the same time it somehow comes together to create something absurdly beautiful.”
- “The music follows this same trend - often so cheesy and low budget that you can't tell if it's intentional or... well, that low budget.”
gameplay
1,550 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
62%
6%
The gameplay of "Lisa: The Painful" is a blend of traditional turn-based RPG mechanics with unique elements that enhance player engagement, such as character permadeath and moral choices that significantly impact gameplay. While some players find the mechanics repetitive or frustrating, particularly due to punishing elements like falling off ledges or the joy withdrawal system, many appreciate the depth and strategy involved in combat and character management. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to intertwine gameplay with a compelling narrative, making each decision feel weighty and consequential.
- “The gameplay is a perfect entryway into the turn-based RPG genre, and as it was one of my first, it made me realize how fun this type of gameplay really was, with it being a fairly unique game for being made in RPG Maker.”
- “The way gameplay and narrative mix together to the point it's hard to tell them apart is compelling; the party system and character-specific mechanics and strategies are extremely fun to play around.”
- “The gameplay is surprisingly solid, allowing a variety of play styles, and is quite engaging in how you go about winning each battle with the group you choose, and how much synergy they have together.”
- “This is a game that suffers from the 'I want to be difficult' mindset without actually considering how those mechanics affect the game.”
- “The gameplay is a lot of running around at snail pace and praying the game doesn't softlock and force you to restart from your last save, and the saves are fixed placements so significant progress was lost every time.”
- “The gameplay simply is not fun.”
emotional
1,007 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Lisa: The Painful" is overwhelmingly impactful, with players describing it as a profound rollercoaster of feelings that oscillates between dark humor and heart-wrenching tragedy. Many reviewers noted that the game made them cry, often due to its exploration of heavy themes such as trauma, addiction, and the complexities of human relationships, all while maintaining a unique and absurd narrative style. Overall, it is celebrated for its ability to evoke genuine emotional responses, making it a standout experience in the realm of indie RPGs.
- “I'm beyond speechless, what a heartbreaking, depressing, sorrowful journey, yet at the same time, a self-aware comedic one at times.”
- “You made me feel something again... things no one has ever made me feel.”
- “What I was not expecting was it to be an absolutely heart-breaking, dark emotional rollercoaster of a game that has haunted me ever since I finished it.”
graphics
500 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
66%
4%
The graphics of "Lisa: The Painful" are characterized by a simplistic pixel art style that evokes nostalgia while effectively conveying the game's dark themes and atmosphere. While some players find the visuals charming and fitting for the narrative, others criticize them as bland or unpolished, noting that the graphics may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the art style is seen as a unique blend of quirky and grotesque elements that enhance the storytelling experience, despite its limitations as an RPG Maker title.
- “Despite really being a relatively stock RPG Maker combat game, there's nothing that really matches its vibes, aesthetics, or sound.”
- “The pixel art style visually adds to a unique and dark atmosphere that perfectly complements the game's theme.”
- “The graphics are simple, yet convey more character than a detailed 3D model could.”
- “A lot of the game's visuals are lazy or plain terrible.”
- “What's lacking: the graphics (the minimalism is effective but very cheap looking and overly reused).”
- “The graphics are dull.”
atmosphere
259 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
52%
1%
The atmosphere of "Lisa: The Painful" is widely praised for its unique blend of dark humor, bleakness, and emotional depth, creating an immersive experience that captivates players. The game's sound design and soundtrack significantly enhance this atmosphere, contributing to a sense of dread and absurdity that complements its post-apocalyptic setting. Reviewers note that the juxtaposition of quirky elements with heavy themes results in a compelling and memorable atmosphere that resonates long after gameplay.
- “The peculiar, both depressing and humorous atmosphere manages to get you immersed inside its minimalistic, colorful world right from the beginning.”
- “The atmosphere is so well designed that even before and after really shocking events, it has room for a lot of comedy that doesn't feel out of place.”
- “The atmosphere is thick, the mood is gritty, the storyline is depressing; you'll feel absolutely terrible.”
- “The game creates an atmosphere of paranoia and depression that is all too familiar to some of us in a world that is not familiar to any of us.”
- “The art style and the initial atmosphere of the game is a masterclass in deceit as the cartoonish visuals and the hilarity rife within the game contrast with the dark and bleak storyline coupled with the game world inhabited by men whose continued existences reek with absurdity.”
grinding
195 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
2%
91%
The reviews highlight a mixed reception regarding grinding in the game, with many players finding it tedious and frustrating, particularly in the early stages. While some appreciate the lack of traditional grinding mechanics, noting that exploration and unique encounters replace repetitive battles, others criticize the game for requiring excessive backtracking and grinding in certain areas. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing take on RPGs that minimizes grinding, but some players still experience moments of tedium related to combat and exploration.
- “As an RPG, it manages to avoid the traps that similar games fall into by having a large variety of party members and requiring no grinding to beat the game with a fair but sometimes brutal difficulty curve.”
- “The battling system is easy to sink into and not grindy, making for a smooth experience the whole way through.”
- “My favorite thing about this game is that there is no grinding.”
- “The limited save points also create a scenario where the player needs to decide whether they should continue grinding in the game before they use the save point since they are unsure of when the next save point will appear.”
- “If you are not properly prepared for fights, you are going to get your butt kicked, which leads you to the boring grinding of killing the same weaker enemies over and over again while barely making any currency in the meantime before the big fights.”
- “Overall, there's a very small amount of genuinely fun gameplay or engaging dialogue, and it's scattered amongst a seemingly endless string of tedious tasks.”
replayability
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
58%
6%
The game is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its diverse cast of characters, multiple endings, and various gameplay choices that significantly alter the experience. Players appreciate the depth of strategy and the emotional weight of decisions, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes and secrets. However, some reviews note that while there is substantial replay value, certain aspects may feel repetitive after the initial experience.
- “Despite this, I see this game with tons of replay value.”
- “The wide array of strategies available in the game makes for a lot of replayability, with the knowledge of previous playthroughs aiding in the path you take.”
- “Lisa has insane replayability for the quality of characters, choices, multiple endings, and overall experience.”
- “I don't think the game has much in replay value.”
- “I'm so sick of Lisa the Joyful; it is a glorified movie with no replay value, with the only exception being forced to go through it again to get the other ending since one overrides the other.”
- “The game has decent replayability with multiple 'bonus endings' should certain conditions be met, forcing at least two playthroughs to see it all and potentially three playthroughs to get all achievements, if you are a perfectionist.”
character development
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
45%
5%
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and emotional impact, particularly for main characters like Brad and Buddy, though some secondary characters lack sufficient backstory. The unique and often humorous character designs complement the serious themes of the narrative, creating a multifaceted experience. While many players appreciate the strong storytelling and character arcs, some note that certain characters feel underdeveloped, which can detract from the overall emotional resonance of the game.
- “Lisa really nails it with its storytelling and character development.”
- “Character development is magnificent.”
- “The character development and the clever use of its art makes Lisa's plot multifaceted.”
- “Buddy spends the whole game running away and cursing Brad, with whatever character development she might have clearly reserved for the DLC.”
- “My one major criticism is that the emotional moments late in the story fall flat due to insufficient character development.”
- “The character development is somewhat lacking for certain party members in the game.”
stability
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
97%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a variety of bugs and glitches, including softlocks and visual issues, particularly after certain gameplay events. While some users noted that many bugs have been patched, others still experienced significant problems, such as freezing and game-breaking glitches, especially on specific platforms. Overall, while the game is playable and enjoyable for some, its stability issues detract from the experience for many players.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck, by the way.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs; the stability is impressive.”
- “20 bucks for a game full of softlocks and glitches?”
- “The definitive edition is an extremely forced, buggy release that completely ruined Lisa's identity as a game.”
- “But it does have its fair share of glitches and bugs, including enemy sprites disappearing mid-battle, getting stuck in places, frame drops, and I suffered a couple of game freezes for a few seconds too.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including stuttering combat inputs and poor overall performance, especially on older systems. While some users noted minor performance hiccups that didn't detract from the experience, the consensus highlights a frustrating lack of optimization for a game with relatively low graphical demands. Overall, the game's performance problems have led to disappointment among players eager to enjoy its engaging story and style.
- “Some grinding may be necessary here and there, and that could be because of my somewhat poorly optimized teams, but it's otherwise very engaging.”
- “Just enough strategy, team planning and management, optimization, etc., to feel like you're not just mashing out moves.”
- “The game suffers from some very minor performance issues at times, though it doesn't detract from the game very much at all.”
- “The game runs like absolute dogshit with combat inputs constantly stuttering.”
- “I really wanted to play it, as the story seems really interesting, and I like the style (humor, art, etc.) of the game, but it's got too many performance issues.”
- “I like the concept of the game but it's the performance and options that are so poorly done for such a low resolution game to begin with.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly discussed in the reviews, but players express initial skepticism about its value based on advertising, which suggests a potential concern about the game's perceived quality versus its price. However, positive experiences from friends can lead to a change in perception, indicating that word-of-mouth may play a significant role in its sales.
- “The monetization in this game feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra money.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The in-game purchases are not just optional; they are almost necessary to progress, which feels unfair.”