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Lisa: The Painful

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Lisa
File:Lisa RPG Logo.png
Logo of Lisa
Developer(s)Dingaling Productions
Publisher(s)Dingaling Productions
Designer(s)Austin Jorgensen
Artist(s)Austin Jorgensen
Writer(s)Austin Jorgensen
Composer(s)Austin Jorgensen
EngineRPG Maker VX Ace
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
OS X
Linux
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Lisa is a post-apocalyptic role-playing video game developed and published by Dingaling Productions. The game was written, designed, and composed for by Austin Jorgensen, and was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux on 15 December 2014.[1]

In Lisa, the player controls Brad Armstrong, a middle-aged man with a drug addiction who must journey through the fictional wasteland of Olathe in search of his adoptive daughter, Buddy. Along the way he is forced to make choices that permanently affect both his own well-being and that of his party members.

The game received mostly positive reviews, with praise for its writing and soundtrack, but criticism for its unforgiving difficulty and pacing, and a lack of technical polish. Reviewers especially enjoyed the game's emotional story and use of dark humor.

Gameplay

Fighting a Snake in Lisa using "Armstrong Style".
Brad using the combo-based "Armstrong Style" in combat against an enemy snake.

Lisa features a combination of traditional turn-based RPG combat in a 2D side-scrolling overworld. Players control Brad (and his accompanying party) as he struggles to overcome his addiction, suffering from withdrawal that limits his effectiveness in battle. The overworld features an assortment of settlements with shops and bars, where recruitable party members can often be found.

In battle, Brad and some of his companions are able to use combination attacks using the "Armstrong Style" system, allowing the player to press a sequence of keys to use powerful attacks like fireballs. Other party members use a variety of techniques for both offense and defense, applying status effects such as poison or paralysis.

Plot

Years before the game's start, a mysterious event called the Flash brought about the downfall of society in Olathe. This apocalyptic event caused the death of nearly every human female, leaving only one known living woman. Brad finds her as a baby and raises her in secret, naming her Buddy. However, she is eventually found and kidnapped, and Brad embarks on an adventure to rescue her. Throughout the game, flashback scenes depict a pre-apocalyptic Olathe, shedding light on Brad's early life, including his upbringing and relationship with his abusive father, Marty.

Development

Lisa was funded through Kickstarter with a goal of $7,000. The campaign raised $16,492 from 847 people, and reached both of its stretch goals. As a result, Dingaling also developed a sequel expansion, Lisa: The Joyful, which features Buddy as its protagonist.[2]

Dingaling has cited EarthBound as his main source of inspiration working on Lisa, drawing from both its art style and use of comic relief in a serious setting.[3]

Reception

Lisa received mostly positive reviews from critics. Praise was specifically given for the game's soundtrack, which was released as a separate download on Steam, along with an art collection featuring character profiles and concept drawings.

References

  1. ^ "LISA on Steam". Steam. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Lisa - the painful RPG by Austin Jorgensen — Kickstarter". KickStarter. KickStarter PBC. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  3. ^ Smith, Adam (November 26, 2013). "The Sacrificial Limb: Lisa – The Painful RPG". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on July 6, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "LISA for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  5. ^ "LISA for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  6. ^ Barnhard, Thijs (15 February 2015). "LISA: The Painful RPG - Earthbound voor weirdo's". Gamer.nl (in Dutch). Sanoma. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  7. ^ Carmichael, Stephanie. "LISA Makes A Monster Out Of You". Kill Screen. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  8. ^ Welhouse, Zach. "LISA - Review - Joy to the World". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
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