LISA: The Painful

Item: LISA: The Painful
Rating: 80
Author: VaporLens

Last updated: 2026-01-20

Summary

Masterful storytelling and narrative depth
Balanced humor with dark, engaging themes
High replayability through meaningful choices
Unique and strategic turn-based combat system
Punishing and often unfair gameplay difficulty
Inconsistent pacing and slow gameplay experience

Emotions

Frustration10%Admiration10%Amusement7%Disappointment6%Curiosity5%

Sample precision
Helpful reviews: 16%
Unhelpful reviews: 83%
Protest reviews: 0%

80%
Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
20%
Helpful reviews with negative sentiment

Positive points: 340
Negative points: 170
Gameplay points: 216
Perf. points: 12
Rec. points: 50
Misc points: 19

Point	Description	Importance
Masterful storytelling and narrative Description The game is praised for its engaging, dark, and emotionally impactful story, blending tragedy and comedy seamlessly. Players highlight its well-developed characters, intricate plot, and deep themes like trauma and addiction. Importance 99%	The game is praised for its engaging, dark, and emotionally impactful story, blending tragedy and comedy seamlessly. Players highlight its well-developed characters, intricate plot, and deep themes like trauma and addiction.	99%
Balanced humor and dark themes Description The game effectively balances dark, mature themes with humor, often using absurdity or dark comedy to enhance emotional impact. Players appreciate how comedy never undermines the seriousness of the narrative. Importance 93%	The game effectively balances dark, mature themes with humor, often using absurdity or dark comedy to enhance emotional impact. Players appreciate how comedy never undermines the seriousness of the narrative.	93%
High replayability and meaningful choices Description The game offers high replayability through narrative branches, multiple endings, and recruitable characters. Choices significantly impact gameplay and story, adding depth to each playthrough. Importance 89%	The game offers high replayability through narrative branches, multiple endings, and recruitable characters. Choices significantly impact gameplay and story, adding depth to each playthrough.	89%
Unique and engaging combat system Description The turn-based combat is praised for its strategic depth, character-specific abilities, and psychological elements (e.g., taunting, storytelling). Players enjoy the variety of playstyles and dynamic encounters. Importance 84%	The turn-based combat is praised for its strategic depth, character-specific abilities, and psychological elements (e.g., taunting, storytelling). Players enjoy the variety of playstyles and dynamic encounters.	84%
Outstanding soundtrack and atmosphere Description The soundtrack is frequently highlighted for its ability to enhance the game's tone, blending chaos, emotion, and immersion. The atmosphere is described as cohesive, oppressive, and emotionally resonant. Importance 74%	The soundtrack is frequently highlighted for its ability to enhance the game's tone, blending chaos, emotion, and immersion. The atmosphere is described as cohesive, oppressive, and emotionally resonant.	74%
Creative worldbuilding and art style Description The game's bizarre, post-apocalyptic world and distinctive art style (e.g., pixel graphics, unique character designs) are celebrated for their creativity and immersion. The setting is often compared to a 'downer Mad Max.' Importance 72%	The game's bizarre, post-apocalyptic world and distinctive art style (e.g., pixel graphics, unique character designs) are celebrated for their creativity and immersion. The setting is often compared to a 'downer Mad Max.'	72%
Definitive Edition improvements Description The remastered version is praised for refining rough edges, adding new content (e.g., secret boss, visual effects), and enhancing the overall experience without compromising the original vision. Importance 9%	The remastered version is praised for refining rough edges, adding new content (e.g., secret boss, visual effects), and enhancing the overall experience without compromising the original vision.	9%
Drug mechanics and psychological depth Description The game explores addiction and trauma through mechanics like the 'Joy' drug, which adds depth to the protagonist's struggles. Players appreciate the meaningful choices tied to these themes. Importance 5%	The game explores addiction and trauma through mechanics like the 'Joy' drug, which adds depth to the protagonist's struggles. Players appreciate the meaningful choices tied to these themes.	5%
Developer generosity and preservation Description The developers are commended for preserving the original engine, offering the remaster for free to original owners, and maintaining transparency about the game's content. Importance 3%	The developers are commended for preserving the original engine, offering the remaster for free to original owners, and maintaining transparency about the game's content.	3%

LISA: The Painful

Categories

Emotions