Who's Lila?

About

"Who's Lila?" is a narrative-driven adventure game that follows the story of a detective investigating the mysterious disappearance of a woman named Lila. The game features unique puzzle mechanics and a distinct 2D art style, immersing players in a dark and suspenseful atmosphere as they uncover the truth behind Lila's disappearance. With multiple endings and branching storylines, "Who's Lila?" offers a replayable and engaging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,340 reviews

story118 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

Unique gameplay mechanic of manipulating facial expressions to influence dialogue and outcomes.
Intriguing and complex narrative that encourages exploration and multiple playthroughs to uncover the full story.
Atmospheric visuals and sound design that enhance the unsettling and eerie experience.

Repetitive gameplay due to the need to replay sections for different endings, which can become tedious.
Some puzzles and endings require external resources or guides, which may detract from the immersive experience.
Bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with character movement and expression recognition.

story
356 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The story of "Who's Lila?" is a complex, non-linear narrative that intertwines elements of mystery, horror, and philosophical exploration, drawing comparisons to the works of David Lynch. Players navigate the tale through multiple endings and unique gameplay mechanics, such as manipulating facial expressions to influence dialogue and outcomes, which enhances the immersive experience. While the intricate plot captivates many, some find it convoluted and challenging to piece together without external guidance, leading to mixed feelings about its overall coherence and accessibility.
- “The story is weird, but in a good way, deep and powerful, and I just fell in love with Lila.”
- “But it’s the engrossing, non-linear story that touches on philosophy and identity in so many places that make it more interesting than many prestige TV shows.”
- “The story captivated me from beginning to end, truly a work of art.”
- “Finally, there isn't much point in going into this game without a guide due to the hyper-specificity it requires to uncover various story elements, so this is more like heavily stylized interactive fiction than it is a playable game, which I feel like they should either fix or be more upfront about.”
- “The problem is that the game leans heavily away from that after the first hour or two and instead starts shifting into an incredibly convoluted and confusing story with way too much meta-focus.”
- “It's not an issue of the story being 'hard to understand', but rather that there quite literally is no story and the developer leaves the plot and even the entire existence of characters purely to your own imagination.”
gameplay
233 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
69%
2%
The gameplay of "Who's Lila?" is characterized by its innovative facial expression manipulation mechanic, which serves as a unique method for navigating dialogue and story branches. While many players find this approach engaging and integral to the narrative, some critique it as a gimmick that can become tedious over time, especially when paired with convoluted puzzles and excessive backtracking. Overall, the game combines point-and-click elements with a distinct aesthetic and thought-provoking themes, making it a memorable experience despite its gameplay flaws.
- “The gameplay mechanics make reaching some of those branches a fun puzzle.”
- “I genuinely enjoyed the ARG elements, and the facial expression mechanic is novel, unsettling, and enhances both the themes and plot of the game.”
- “The central mechanic of having to manually sculpt a face into socially appropriate reactions is surprisingly hard, and helped me appreciate just how complex social interactions actually are.”
- “The gameplay itself was lacking.”
- “The main problem is that the game has too much stuff going on that's not the core of the gameplay.”
- “While I didn't fully experience the game, given that I only played for about 30 minutes, I did notice some areas where the mechanics could improve.”
graphics
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique, low-resolution pixel art style that effectively creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere, reminiscent of David Lynch's work. While some players find the visuals challenging to navigate due to their graininess and abstraction, many appreciate how they enhance the game's narrative and emotional depth. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “This game is unique in every sense of the word, unique visuals, unique sound design, unique story, and unique gameplay.”
- “Aesthetically stunning and creepy.”
- “The visuals help this enormously.”
- “The graphics have a low-resolution but semi-photorealistic feel, giving allowance for our brain to fill in the gaps with our worst nightmares.”
- “Exits are frequently hidden, leaving the player unsure where to go, or that there even is somewhere to go, and the over-processed visuals make everything murky.”
- “Due to the art style, some smaller elements (items in the medicine cabinet, for example...) are indiscernible.”
music
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its eerie, immersive, and varied soundscapes. The soundtrack is described as both haunting and beautiful, effectively complementing the game's unique visuals and narrative, while some players found certain music puzzles challenging due to the similarity of tracks. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and engaging experience.
- “The music is immaculate; and some of the endings cause a strong sense of familiarity.”
- “The visuals, music, and sound are awesome.”
- “The soundtrack is great, again made by the developer himself.”
- “I could not make sense of the music puzzle in the broiler room because I could not differentiate the music as it all sounded so similar.”
- “The atmosphere is phenomenal, the art style is truly uncanny compared to other horror retro games, and the music doesn't help lift the mood for the whole game; everything just keeps going downhill and it won't stop until the whole plot hits rock bottom.”
- “Music and visuals are very unsettling and have a dreamlike quality to them (objects are recognizable, but not distinguishable).”
atmosphere
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
45%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its surreal, dreamlike quality reminiscent of David Lynch's work, creating a deeply immersive and unsettling experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of visuals, soundtracks, and unique art styles that contribute to a thick, eerie ambiance filled with mystery and existential dread. Overall, the game is described as a captivating blend of horror and intrigue, making it a standout in atmospheric storytelling.
- “Incredible creepy and atmospheric horror game that goes beyond the bounds of what you might be expecting.”
- “Truly incredible experience for any fan of David Lynch; I do not know of any other game that more perfectly captures Lynch's uniquely dreamlike atmosphere of supernatural mystery and existential philosophy.”
- “The atmosphere is phenomenal, the art style is truly uncanny compared to other horror retro games, and the music doesn't help lifting up the mood for the whole game; everything just keeps going downhill and it won't stop until the whole plot hits rock bottom.”
- “The gameplay and atmosphere carry it for a couple of hours, but after that it really starts to get tedious.”
- “I like what the game is trying to do, and I think the atmosphere and design are genuinely creepy, but after all is said and done, there just isn't a good story here.”
- “Atmosphere in this game is a suffocating prison; if you treat the game with the respect it treats you, then you'll come to find just how much passion was put into every little detail.”
humor
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of unintentional comedy and intentional absurdity, primarily stemming from the quirky facial expression mechanics and eccentric character designs. Players find the humor both charming and unsettling, as it intertwines with deeper themes of identity and existentialism, creating a unique experience that is both funny and thought-provoking. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke laughter while also delivering a haunting narrative, making it a standout in the genre.
- “The central mechanic of twisting your face to fit certain emotions in dialogue is brilliant, hilarious, and downright terrifying at times.”
- “Genuinely one of the most haunting, existentially terrifying, hilarious, beautiful, weird as all hell games I've ever played.”
- “The narrative is so good, I was laughing, yelling, gasping, or straight up speechless just from reading the dialogue.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The grinding aspect of "Who's Lila?" is characterized by repetitive gameplay and the need for multiple playthroughs to unlock different endings, which many players find tedious. While the game offers intriguing story elements and visuals, the requirement to backtrack and replay lengthy segments can detract from the overall experience, leading some to seek guides to avoid the grind. Overall, the game's ambition is appreciated, but the mechanics can become a chore, especially after several attempts.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game also demands for it to be replayed a lot, which can make certain sections tedious if you don't have a good save ready.”
- “Ultimately have to rate this poorly - incredible concept with clearly a lot of time and effort put into it, but at the end of the day the game requires you to tediously backtrack and redo multiple drawn-out segments with minor actions changed up.”
- “It's just unnecessarily tedious for a game that seems to encourage finding different endings.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a profound and unsettling journey, blending psychological horror with moments of beauty and introspection. Players report experiencing a wide range of feelings, from unease and sadness to warmth and connection, as the narrative explores themes of identity and self-perception. Despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics, the overall emotional impact is noted as unique and deeply resonant, making it a memorable experience.
- “Sickening game that made me cry from how narratively satisfying it was.”
- “Its an emotional roller coaster the entire way through, in the best way possible.”
- “The story is an amalgamation of terror, 'wtf' moments, and wholesomeness as the character of William is brought to life, and how he came to be the 'person' that we see throughout the game.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of severe bugs and glitches that can lead to game-breaking issues and frustrating experiences. While some players noted occasional minor glitches, the overall consensus highlights a lack of polish, with many encountering significant technical problems that detract from the gameplay experience.
- “It has a very interesting concept, but I don't feel good recommending it since the game is extremely buggy.”
- “Excellent game, but I experienced some game-breaking glitches I can't get around and have been cut out of some ending cutscenes, just one of many very frustrating glitches I encountered during my playthrough.”
- “Tldr: no follow-up accommodation to the epilepsy warning, very buggy game and tedious mechanics.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The game boasts impressive replayability with 15 distinct endings that encourage players to explore different narrative paths, enhancing the overall experience. While it can be completed quickly, the intertwining storylines and engaging elements provide substantial replay value, making it a worthwhile investment for players seeking variety.
- “Super good game, love the variety of endings and replayability.”
- “This is a unique and wonderful gem of a game and encourages replayability to find different endings and discover more about who's lying.”
- “The way each ending intertwines with the other makes it an even better experience and gives it a lot of replayability.”
- “In my opinion, it should be priced higher considering the replay value and quality.”
- “With it seeming like there are a lot of endings (I haven't played through the whole game yet), this game delivers on its replay value and entertainment.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's optimization is praised, with users reporting a smooth performance at 60fps and no significant glitches or crashes. The experience is described as stable, allowing players to engage fully without technical interruptions.
- “There's an implied dissociation between an outward expression and the inner self; identity as a projection, persona as a mask we put on, a performance.”
- “Other than that, I encountered no other glitches, performance issues, or crashes.”
- “Performance: 60fps with no problems.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While the character designs and visuals are praised for their appeal, players find the process of achieving all accomplishments tedious, and the lack of helpful guides detracts from the overall experience.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character as their stories unfold.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, each with their own unique arcs that keep you invested in their journeys.”
- “The depth of character backstories and the choices you make really impact their development, making every decision feel meaningful.”