Why I'm as excited for LISA as any current gen game.

Game: LISA The Painful RPG

Platform: PC (Digital Download, also currently up for Steam Greenlight)

Genre: Side-scrolling RPG

By: Dingaling Games

Release Date: According to the creator? In a couple of weeks.

Destiny just came out on PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360. Super Smash Bros for 3DS and Wii U is just around the corner, but what am I excited for most!? An indy game by the name of LISA. In fact I've been waiting for it avidly the entire summer.

LISA was a project that popped up on Kickstarter and was successfully crowdfunded in December last year. From what I can understand the money raised went entirely into helping with the creators living costs, so he could focus all his time possible on the game and wouldn't have to work to make ends meet. LISA is a game built from the ground up in RPGMakerVX and alongside the usage of the crowdfunding money I have seen the projects credibility criticised because of this. I think these criticisms are completely unjust. This project, to me actually seems to have the most heart of any game I've seen recently. Who cares about what engine it's created in? It's the end product that matters most. With that in mind, let's take a look at what LISA has to offer.

If the choice is there, I imagine I will do this to most villages. I'm not much of a people person.

LISA is a side-scrolling RPG set in a post apocalyptic world. That type of setting these days actually sounds quite generic, it's up there with zombies at least... The main difference here is the post apocalyptic world actually has my interest. The world of LISA is inhabited by only men, there is literally only one female left in existence. That in itself is an interesting enough dynamic to get me to want to check out this game. From the Demo I've played (available at the Kickstarter page) alone, the presence of all these amped up and for the most part, brbrain-deaden, is very entertaining. I can't wait to see the effect that the lack of women has had on the rest of the games world.

I have always been and will always be a huge fan of pixel based games. Having done a bit of pixel art here and there myself, I know time consuming it can be. For one person to set out to design a game that looks like this and actually finish it is an achievement in itself. The Demo also contained some very funny dialogue and moments, both silly and dark. For example, if you explore the area properly you will find that the tutorial NPC character has introduced at the start of the Demo has hung himself back at his cave. It's little things like this that set a hopeless tone for the world and the game ahead.

LISA promises an abundance of choices in it's game play. I really hope it manages to deliver.

One of the main game play mechanics that LISA aims to implement is real consequences for your actions. Moments in the story will force you to make very important decisions, a rebel gang has caught one of your party members? You can have him back for one of your limbs, giving you permanent decrease in some of your stats, or you can lose that party member forever. It remains to be seen whether these types of choices will play out well, but I really hope they do. Depending on how much choice there is, it could make every play-through unique.

To round it all up, LISA to me really does feel like a pseudo-sequel/spin-off of the Mother series (known as the Earthbound series in the US and Europe). The graphics are vibrant, the dialogue is quirky, and the soundtrack sounds awesome. There's references to pop culture and as a massive wrestling fan I really couldn't help but smile at seeing the Road Warriors as NPC's.

Be sure to check out LISA, especially if your a fan of Earthbound. Vote for it on Greenlight and check it out when it's released very soon. I'll be doing a first for the blog and doing a Let's Play of the game as soon as it's out so check back soon for that!

(Austin, you can thank me for doing the PR you aren't doing in your own time! I'm just messing... But PLEASE GET THE GAME OUT SOON. I really really want it.)