Lisa is a lot of things. It's disgusting, hilarious, beautiful, interesting, fun, and above all else, important. As a game, there are enough unique mechanics to set itself apart from most other indie RPGs, but as a story, it is truly stomach sinking.
One of Lisa's most impactful aspects is its integration between story and gameplay interaction. Without spoiling too much, your choices have very real consequences on the story and gameplay, despite the sequence of events remaining the same. One choice may lead you down a different cutscene, skewing your perspective of the story. Another choice may shift the way you approach battles entirely. This kind of mechanic is best suited for a first time playthrough, however. Of course, on my second playthrough, I have no reason to choose any gameplay altering decisions, as I'm most likely not as invested in the story the second time around. This is partly circumvented through Lisa's branching story and expansive cast of characters, offering an entirely new experience for the first 4 or so playthroughs.
Lisa's worst sin is its difficulty. I breezed through this game. A lot of challenge in Lisa is imposed on the player BY the player. Again, that works for a first playthrough, but I'm less inclined to create disadvantages for myself simply because I know more about how the game operates when I replay.
It's hard to talk about Lisa without mentioning its story and I'd rather avoid talking about it at all to avoid expectations, but like I said, it's a lot of things. It's as funny as it is repulsive. It's as hopeful as it is tragic. It's as ""quirky"" as it is genuine. As a whole, it's a game worth playing and immersing yourself in. Nu-indie RPGs take notes.
One of Lisa's most impactful aspects is its integration between story and gameplay interaction. Without spoiling too much, your choices have very real consequences on the story and gameplay, despite the sequence of events remaining the same. One choice may lead you down a different cutscene, skewing your perspective of the story. Another choice may shift the way you approach battles entirely. This kind of mechanic is best suited for a first time playthrough, however. Of course, on my second playthrough, I have no reason to choose any gameplay altering decisions, as I'm most likely not as invested in the story the second time around. This is partly circumvented through Lisa's branching story and expansive cast of characters, offering an entirely new experience for the first 4 or so playthroughs.
Lisa's worst sin is its difficulty. I breezed through this game. A lot of challenge in Lisa is imposed on the player BY the player. Again, that works for a first playthrough, but I'm less inclined to create disadvantages for myself simply because I know more about how the game operates when I replay.
It's hard to talk about Lisa without mentioning its story and I'd rather avoid talking about it at all to avoid expectations, but like I said, it's a lot of things. It's as funny as it is repulsive. It's as hopeful as it is tragic. It's as ""quirky"" as it is genuine. As a whole, it's a game worth playing and immersing yourself in. Nu-indie RPGs take notes.