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Lynne

Lynne Game Cover
86%Game Brain Score
story, music
gameplay, grinding
86% User Score Based on 438 reviews

Platforms

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Lynne Game Cover

About

Lynne is a single player simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by ebi-hime and was released on July 13, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

Lynne is a short story about the scariest thing in the world - being a teenager.

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86%
Audience ScoreBased on 438 reviews
story81 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions

  • The writing is compelling and effectively conveys the protagonist's emotional struggles, making it relatable for many players.
  • The visual and audio design creates a haunting atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • The game tackles heavy themes such as anxiety, depression, and the pressures of adolescence in a thoughtful manner.
  • The pacing can feel slow, especially in the beginning, which may deter some players from fully engaging with the story.
  • The ending is abrupt and leaves many questions unanswered, which can be frustrating for players seeking closure.
  • Some players may find the lack of interactivity and choices limiting, as it is a kinetic novel with a linear narrative.
  • story
    341 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Lynne" is a psychological horror that explores the intense pressures faced by a teenage girl, delving into themes of mental health, self-esteem, and societal expectations. While the writing is often praised for its relatability and depth, many reviewers note issues with pacing, tonal inconsistencies, and an abrupt ending that leaves some plot points unresolved. Overall, it presents a compelling yet dark narrative that resonates with those familiar with the struggles of adolescence, though it may not appeal to all due to its heavy themes and lack of interactive choices.

    • “Lynne tells an extremely well-told story about a teenage girl and all her thoughts, desires, fears, and insecurities.”
    • “The story is deep; I liked it, good job :)”
    • “This visual novel is a confronting story of the natures and consequences of the protagonist Lynn had to experience.”
    • “The story is weak, even if well written, and doesn't work that well.”
    • “There's simply too many things in the story that go unexplained, which makes the ending feel rushed and nonsensical.”
    • “The story just ends rather abruptly.”
  • music
    75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is described as atmospheric and fitting, enhancing the overall experience with its eerie and unsettling tones that complement the narrative. While some players found the soundtrack to be haunting and immersive, others felt it was hit or miss, with certain tracks being loud or annoying. Overall, the music effectively contributes to the game's dark and surreal atmosphere, making it a notable aspect of the visual novel.

    • “The soundtrack matches the story perfectly, and the visuals look fresh.”
    • “Disturbing imagery coupled with outstanding yet atmospheric music really makes the dream sequences haunting and memorable.”
    • “Using descriptive language, some nihilistic characters, almost dream-like visuals and eerily haunting music, Lynne captures that terrifying time in your life when you aren't sure about your place in the world or among your peers, and it does it excellently.”
    • “The music uses atmospheric songs for the most part but also uses some electronic-style songs, and both genres are fitting for the game and its atmosphere but aren't anything special.”
    • “There are often areas that lack commas, areas that drone on, and that music... is just plain awful.”
    • “The ambient soundtrack was not for me.”
  • graphics
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique pixelated art style and the effective contrast between the colorful character designs and the grainy backgrounds. While some players found the visuals to be charming and fitting for the game's dark themes, others criticized them as simplistic or lacking depth. Overall, the combination of visuals and music is noted to create a compelling atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience.

    • “The graphics are surprisingly nice and make use of grainy, drab, pixelated background images that set the scene and contrast well with the colorful, detailed, and nicely drawn character art that is superimposed over the background and really pop on the screen as a result of the contrast.”
    • “The character graphics representing Lynn, her sister, her best friend, and the recurring 'better self' Lynne add an extra dimension to the story through association, and I feel the story benefits from this extra artwork overlaying the background images.”
    • “The pixel art-esque visuals are very nicely stylized and feel unique, even with how simple everything is.”
    • “To start, the art style in the game is very lazy all around.”
    • “The graphics are minimalistic and at times haunting.”
    • “Unfortunately, besides its neat aesthetic, I think Lynne is a visual novel that can be avoided if you prefer something with more substance.”
  • atmosphere
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its dark, eerie, and immersive qualities, effectively capturing a sense of dread and unease that complements the narrative. The combination of haunting music, unsettling sound effects, and detailed background art contributes to a psychologically rich experience, making it particularly engaging for fans of psychological horror. While some elements, like distracting sound effects, received criticism, the overall ambiance is described as memorable and impactful, enhancing the storytelling throughout the game.

    • “The atmosphere is nice, it's dark with a touch of realism, but would I recommend it?”
    • “Its eerie atmosphere matches perfectly its events and its story leaves you on the edge of your seat as it progresses.”
    • “Disturbing imagery coupled with outstanding yet atmospheric music really makes the dream sequences haunting and memorable.”
    • “The game presents this miserable atmosphere pretty well.”
    • “Both the stress meter along with the narrative, music and images build an oppressive, fearful atmosphere filled with something wrong.”
    • “The dialogue is very descriptive as you go through the game, even adding detail to the many spooky parts, leaving an uneasy atmosphere for me while playing (which is very good for a horror game, props!).”
  • emotional
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game "Lynne" resonates deeply with players, particularly those who can relate to the protagonist's struggles with pressure and numbness. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, from empathy to paranoia, enhanced by its unique art style that combines unsettling and wholesome elements. Overall, players find the narrative both relatable and impactful, making it a powerful experience that lingers long after completion.

    • “Lynne is a short visual novel that captures the overwhelming pressure and emotional numbness a high school student can feel.”
    • “I really liked reading Lynne because I can relate to so much of her struggles emotionally but also because it was just plain interesting to read.”
    • “I had never felt more emotionally connected to a game in my entire life, and I totally recommend it if you have an hour to spare.”
  • gameplay
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized as a kinetic visual novel with no interactive choices, leading to a passive reading experience that some players find unsatisfying. Reviewers express a desire for a choice mechanic to enhance engagement and emotional investment in the story, as the lack of traditional gameplay elements diminishes the overall gaming experience.

    • “I understand it wanted to be its own story, but I think some kind of choice mechanic would have really improved the experience.”
    • “The stress mechanic especially would be more interesting coupled alongside choices of some sort, and the ability to control the story would give me more reason to care about what happens to Lynn.”
    • “The gameplay is that of a kinetic visual novel where you have no choices in the game and merely read along with the story.”
    • “All the buildup in the main 'game' means absolutely nothing when the end sequence comes.”
    • “There is no traditional gameplay nor are there any choices to make.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive repetition and button spamming to progress. This has led to a perception that the experience can be monotonous and unengaging, particularly with certain characters.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The novel in itself is a bit tedious to read as you will be spamming your enter key or your mouse left button in order to pass through the single word screens at various points.”
    • “Or because I find characters like Lynn boring and tedious?”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has limited replayability due to its linear story, which does not encourage players to revisit the experience.

    • “The story is linear; there is no real replay value.”
    • “Once you finish the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The lack of branching paths means that replaying the game feels redundant.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is perceived as promising, particularly in relation to Lynne's insecurities; however, many reviewers feel that the supporting characters lack depth and individuality, often serving merely as reflections of her fears. Overall, there is a consensus that more attention is needed to enhance the complexity and distinctiveness of the characters.

    • “The character development sounds really good and seems to fit perfectly with Lynne's insecurities.”
    • “No, my bad review is strictly directed at the story and character development.”
    • “More time needs to be devoted to character development.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is characterized by a few unexpected moments, though it suffers from repetition, particularly with a single line used multiple times. Players found amusement in awkward descriptions, which sometimes distracted from the overall experience.

    • “There is also one line of unexpected humor in the game, but it falls victim to repetition as it is used three times throughout the short game.”
    • “Or maybe it's because I spend too much time laughing at the occasional awkward description instead of being drawn in.”
    • “The funny thing is, it didn't occur to me that it was also made by Ebi-Hime until the credits.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy primarily revolves around microtransactions, which have received mixed feedback from users. While some appreciate the optional nature of these purchases, others feel they can create an imbalance in gameplay or lead to a pay-to-win scenario. Overall, the approach to monetization is seen as a significant factor influencing player experience.

    • “The microtransactions in this game are excessive and feel like a cash grab.”
    • “I can't enjoy the game without being constantly bombarded by offers to spend more money.”
    • “The monetization model ruins the experience, making it feel like you have to pay to win.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate a critical perspective on the normalization of standardized testing and its correlation with academic performance, suggesting that these practices may not accurately reflect an individual's potential or success in life.

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4h Median play time
4h Average play time
3-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Lynne is a simulation game with horror theme.

Lynne is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Lynne.

Lynne was released on July 13, 2018.

Lynne was developed by ebi-hime.

Lynne has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Lynne is a single player game.

Similar games include Lucid9: Inciting Incident, Night in the Woods, Missed Messages, You Will (Not) Remain, Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk and others.