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Paper Lily: Chapter 1

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 Game Cover
99%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music
Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, monetization
99% User Score Based on 4,592 reviews

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Paper Lily: Chapter 1 Game Cover

About Paper Lily: Chapter 1

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 is a single player role playing game with horror, mystery and anime themes. It was developed by Leef 6010 and was released on January 26, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Horror visual novel coming in January 2023.

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Games Like Paper Lily: Chapter 1

Looking for games like Paper Lily: Chapter 1? Here are top role playing recommendations with a horror, mystery and anime focus, selected from player-similarity data — start with Project Kat: Paper Lily Prologue, Sally Face or Mad Father.

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Reviews

99%Audience ScoreBased on 4,592 reviews
story954 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions
  • Exceptional story with well-developed, relatable, and charming characters.
  • Beautiful pixel art combined with anime-style illustrations and stunning visuals.
  • Immersive atmosphere enhanced by a fantastic, fitting soundtrack.
  • Multiple puzzle solutions and branching paths encourage exploration and replayability.
  • Fair difficulty with skippable mini games for accessibility.
  • Rich worldbuilding with many secrets, including numerous endings and achievements.
  • Smooth gameplay mechanics and well-placed checkpoints.
  • Impressive content and polish for a free game made by a small team.
  • Some puzzles are vague or require trial and error, occasionally needing external guides.
  • Frustration due to certain areas being easy to miss or irreversible choices without clear guidance.
  • The boss fight is challenging and can feel frustrating for some players.
  • Certain sequences may feel repetitive or drawn-out, especially some death or chase segments.
  • The true ending feels ambiguous and leaves many questions, as story is incomplete.
  • Minor technical issues like occasional freezes or high resource usage reported by some players.

  • story

    1,588 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    60% positive mentions, 39% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions

    The story of the game is widely praised for its compelling, emotional, and richly detailed narrative that deeply engages players from start to finish. It features well-developed, memorable characters and a unique world filled with mystery, multiple endings, and meaningful player choices that impact the outcome. The blend of psychological horror, heartfelt themes, and a captivating plot, complemented by beautiful art and music, makes the story a standout element that keeps players eager for the next chapters.

    • “The story is amazing, the gameplay is fun and interactive, takes a decent amount of time to fully play through everything, and it's free to play.”
    • “The mysterious and supernatural story grabs you from the beginning, with charming music, beautiful backgrounds and likeable characters.”
    • “The story telling medium in this game, coupled with the story being told, makes me cry, laugh, and fearful in equal measures.”
    • “The story is supposedly about this sad, lonely girl who gets rejected by everyone, Lacie; turns out, she's been cursed to be made so. This is as deep as the plot gets; the game is boiled down to an isekai with cute aesthetics and ever mild psychological themes so as to appeal to impressionable, culturally illiterate teenagers who find the task of reading a book to be too daunting; the dialogue is boring, the characters are one-dimensional and don't resemble in the slightest how people act in real life, they seem akin to caricatures more than anything; the anxiety and social isolation Lacie experiences are explained away as a literal spell cast on the main character, undermining the entire theme of the game, reducing it to a fantasy trope moreso than a real issue that people struggle with; the level of writing in general is on par with how I'd imagine a Tumblr fanfic to be, there is nothing remotely thought-provoking about it, and the generic Japanophile aesthetic only makes the vulgarity and tone deafness of the game even more apparent if it weren't so already.”
    • “Some side quests felt a little lacklustre in their payoff especially overall in the story (getting to the end is all you need to do for the 'true ending' none of the extra content matters).”
    • “- Considering the depth of the story as you're playing, the true ending is very lacklustre and makes it feel almost a waste of doing all of these puzzles and traversing through the game as you're not rewarded with absolutely anything.”

  • music

    656 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    71% positive mentions, 29% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The music in this game is widely praised as exceptional, deeply atmospheric, and emotionally resonant, with many players highlighting it as a standout feature on par with or even surpassing larger titles. The soundtrack is lauded for perfectly complementing the game's mood shifts—from eerie and tense to calming and melancholic—enhancing immersion and storytelling throughout. Many users expressed eagerness for future chapters and often purchased the soundtrack to support the developers, underscoring its impact and quality.

    • “The soundtrack deserves special praise — it adds so much atmosphere and emotion that it elevates every scene, whether it’s tense, sad, or mysterious.”
    • “The music is definitely one of my favorite things about the game; each song fits the scene perfectly well, sometimes it's a beautiful and calming melody, and other times the songs feel so melancholic, and I was so surprised at how incredible the music was during the fight at the end of the chapter!”
    • “Absolutely adore this game from the time I've played, the art, characters, writing, music, and themes are all absolutely amazing.”
    • “My only complaint is I can't buy the soundtrack to listen to it.”
    • “But, I wish the spooky parts were a little spookier - the music hits just right, the timing and changing of scenes is just perfect, but the monsters were really not that deformed or creepy, and honestly if the lore was more deep on the scary part, it would add so much to the scary parts.”
    • “[] there's no music”

  • graphics

    446 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    63% positive mentions, 36% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions

    The game features a beautiful and charming art style combining detailed pixel graphics with smooth, anime-inspired character portraits, creating a unique and immersive visual experience. Its graphics perfectly balance cute aesthetics with eerie, psychological horror elements, enhanced by high-quality animations and atmospheric backgrounds. Reviewers consistently praise the visuals for their polish, expressiveness, and how well they complement the compelling story and soundtrack, making the game stand out especially given it is free.

    • “The art style is truly a standout feature—every scene is like stepping into a hand-drawn piece of art.”
    • “From the visuals and music to the lore and characters, I saw Project Kat and expected something similar but damn.”
    • “The pixel art alone manages to blow my mind, with its ability to show the characters’ personality, and all the details of their designs, in sixteen bit graphics!”
    • “Game has a cute art style and the graphics are cute as well, but the puzzles are actually unfathomable; most of them (like the forest ones) are so impossible to solve that you literally have to pull up a YouTube tutorial. It's sad because I really like Project Kat and its puzzles, but this one felt way too over the top with the puzzles, and the story is boring for the most part, in my opinion.”
    • “Graphics and music are standard fare for an RPG Maker-like game; simple, colorful, charming, and occasionally grotesque (in a good way).”
    • “The pixel art style lends a sense of intimacy to the game, drawing players into its dark and twisted world.”

  • gameplay

    325 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    54% positive mentions, 45% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions

    The gameplay is widely praised for its engaging, well-designed puzzles, varied mechanics, and smooth, intuitive flow that blends exploration, story choices, and mini-games effectively. Players appreciate its balance between simplicity and creativity, with rewarding alternate puzzle solutions, notable battle mechanics, and a strong narrative integration that keeps the experience fresh and immersive. While some puzzles can be challenging or vague, overall the gameplay stands out as a polished, enjoyable, and innovative aspect, especially impressive given the game's free availability.

    • “There are so many mini-games, interesting mechanics, and characters who feel truly alive.”
    • “The puzzles that make up the bulk of its gameplay are well designed, and are filled with alternate solutions and reasonably achievable secrets.”
    • “The gameplay feels smooth and polished, with boss fights that are challenging without being unfair, and puzzles that often encourage you to think creatively.”
    • “The puzzles and the stalling this game made my gameplay 80% watching guides on how to proceed on every part and 20% of me playing.”
    • “Overall, while the game's potential shines through its captivating story and artistic prowess, its gameplay mechanics and design choices leave much to be desired.”
    • “World-building and narrative crumble due to the meandering, archaic gameplay mechanisms not capable of supporting such lofty ambitions.”

  • atmosphere

    188 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    68% positive mentions, 30% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its hauntingly beautiful, unsettling, and immersive qualities, expertly blending eerie horror with charming and emotional storytelling. The pixel art, soundtrack, and world-building work harmoniously to create a tense yet captivating mood that evolves across varied locations, drawing players deeply into its rich, psychological narrative. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that elevates the entire experience, making it both memorable and replayable.

    • “The pixel art is gorgeous, the atmosphere is perfectly unsettling, and the multiple endings give you a real reason to replay and explore every choice.”
    • “Playing it feels like being pulled into a slightly feverish dream, the kind of atmosphere that is creepy and genuinely funny at the same time.”
    • “The soft, muted pixel art gives everything a delicate, eerie quality, and the sound design — sparse, ambient, and intentionally subdued — reinforces the game’s intimate atmosphere.”
    • “Somewhat of a divergence from standard RPG horror, with brighter environments (generally) and less of a horror atmosphere (I didn't feel really scared once during this game, sadly); another more story-based game akin to Pocket Mirror, but it does have a better gameplay-story balance than that game, with better puzzles and a fun (in my opinion) Undertale-esque battle mechanic.”
    • “I really like the art and the atmosphere of this game, but the only thing that bothers me is that making a wrong decision in some parts of the game can soft lock you, forcing trial and error for up to 30 minutes before realizing you need to reload a previous save to figure out what you did wrong.”
    • “It leans much more on having a creepy atmosphere with the occasional light jump scare than throwing loud screaming things in your face, which keeps things tense without being obnoxious.”

  • humor

    114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's humor is widely praised for its clever, dry, and well-timed wit that balances perfectly with darker, unsettling moments, creating a unique blend of hilarity and suspense. Players enjoy its quirky character interactions, humorous dialogue, inventive achievements, and lighthearted easter eggs that enrich the experience without undermining the intense atmosphere. Overall, the humor adds charm and relatability, providing enjoyable breaks that enhance the storytelling and emotional impact.

    • “The writing strikes a harmonious balance of witty humor and serious moments, ensuring you'll constantly be engaged with the story and its characters.”
    • “The game definitely has its own voice, as all the comedy has the same snappy and quick-witted humor.”
    • “Characters are all likeable, game has plenty of funny moments, but also lots of dark moments, and even some that tug on the heartstrings.”

  • emotional

    109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    Players consistently praise the game for its deeply emotional and heart-wrenching story, resonant characters, and impactful soundtrack, which together create a powerful atmosphere that moves and occasionally brings players to tears. The blend of psychological horror, touching themes like mental health and trauma, and moments of warmth and humor make the experience uniquely immersive and emotionally charged. Many highlight it as a masterful indie title that evokes a broad spectrum of emotions, from fear and sadness to hope and connection.

    • “I was blown away by the art, the music was fantastic, the story was heart-wrenching, and the horror was genuinely well done!”
    • “The characters feel meaningful, and the emotional rollercoaster the game takes you on is surprisingly powerful for a pixel-art title.”
    • “Lacie is a protagonist who feels grounded and vulnerable, and her journey — however cryptic it may seem at first — carries an emotional weight that sneaks up on you.”

  • character development

    77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    73% positive mentions, 27% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The character development in the game is highly praised for its charming, unique, and expressive designs, particularly highlighting the protagonist Lacie's growth and personality. Reviewers appreciate the blend of humor, cuteness, and depth in characters, supported by strong writing and engaging interactions that enrich the story. Overall, the thoughtful and captivating character artistry significantly enhances the game's immersive and heartfelt experience.

    • “Amazingly deep and well written story combined with great soundtrack and outstanding character development makes this one of the best games I've played so far.”
    • “Beautiful story with great character development, hyped for chapter 2.”
    • “I personally loved Lacie's character development; she was so cute, shy, and brave.”

  • replayability

    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    54% positive mentions, 34% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions

    The game offers high replayability through numerous choices, multiple endings, hidden secrets, and diverse puzzle solutions, encouraging players to re-explore areas and experiment with different strategies. Its rich narrative and immersive world provide ongoing intrigue, making each playthrough reveal new details and experiences. Overall, the strong replay value is a consistent highlight praised by players.

    • “Overall, Paper Lily Chapter 1 is a really well made psychological horror RPG with heart, multiple endings, and good replay value.”
    • “The side content is packed and if you aren't careful you can miss it, so it adds crazy replayability to the game. The story is simple yet also complex with many different ideas fitting together, making an amazing experience which is free, by the way.”
    • “The multiple routes you can take (even the dead end routes) make the game great for replayability, and the more I played it the more I discovered of the world and how the choices affect your current route.”
    • “The numerous interactions possible created a very diverse set of routes and endings that give the game a limited amount of replayability.”
    • “I liked Project Kat a lot, but I've been concerned about how replayable the main game would be.”
    • “I feel there is a lot of potential for replayability.”

  • grinding

    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    5% positive mentions, 35% neutral mentions, 60% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is frequently described as slow, tedious, and sometimes frustrating due to precise timing, repetitive tasks, and trial-and-error elements. However, some players appreciate the challenge and unique combat, with options like skipping boss fights helping to alleviate some of the monotony. Overall, grinding may require patience and multiple attempts to fully enjoy or complete.

    • “No tedious, infuriating trial-and-error mechanics, so just enjoy it!”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Additionally, triggering certain events often demands precise timing or arbitrary item combinations, which feels more like a tedious chore than enjoyable gameplay.”
    • “The section in the forest past the gate is very awkward and tedious, and the bait near the end of the section is just annoying.”

  • stability

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game generally runs smoothly and performs well, though some segments can significantly strain system resources without a clear reason. Overall, stability is good with occasional demanding moments.

    • “Performance-wise, the game runs great most of the time.”
    • “The game runs great.”
    • “The art and the endings are well done and planned nicely.”

  • optimization

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game is generally well-optimized, running smoothly on most systems, including older laptops without a GPU. However, certain segments can unexpectedly strain hardware and cause performance issues.

    • “The game is really optimized, and it will certainly run fine even with an old laptop or without a GPU.”
    • “Performance-wise, the game runs great most of the time, although some segments pushed my laptop to its limits, and I'm not sure why.”

  • monetization

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Users find the monetization methods limited but see this primarily as a minor issue related to the presence of advertising.

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Play Times

5h Median play time
6h Average play time
4h Main story
9h Completionist
4-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 is a role playing game with horror, mystery and anime themes. Common tags for Paper Lily: Chapter 1 include indie, psychological, exploration, pixel graphics, psychological horror and others.

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

The main story can be completed in around 4 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 9 hours to finish. On average players spend around 6 hours playing Paper Lily: Chapter 1.

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 was released on January 26, 2024.

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 was developed by Leef 6010.

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Paper Lily: Chapter 1 for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Paper Lily: Chapter 1 is a single player game.

Similar games include Project Kat: Paper Lily Prologue, Sally Face, Mad Father, Saihate Station, Lily's Well and others.