Lisa: Definitive Edition (The Painful, The Joyful)

I've been thinking a lot about how to start talking about Lisa: Definitive Edition. On the one hand, we have a (not one, but two!) classic-style RPG adventure game, inspired by the Mother series (here in Europe we know it as EarthBound) in its artistic and technical aspects. On the other hand, this is one of the most heart-breaking, hard and uncomfortable stories I've ever seen in a video game. And keeping the balance is its sole developer, creator, composer and developer, Austin Jorgensen, also known as Dingaling. So then, is Lisa: Definitive Edition a good video game? The answer is as variable as each player who gets to try it.

For starters, the first thing that will come as a surprise is, even if this is a 'definitive edition', the foundational game of the series is missing. Lisa: The First is not included, and the character that gives the series its name (and who appears partially in certain moments with the titular characters here) also serves as one of the threads that connect its entire narrative. It's a partly understandable decision. First, because Lisa: The First is an amateur game made with RPG Maker. Second, because its tragic story can be extracted precisely from the scenes and dialogues with the characters in The Painful and The Joyful. But if you don't want to miss too much, here's the only premise you need to know: Lisa committed suicide as a child, and her memory continues to haunt her older brother, Brad.

As I've already mentioned, Lisa: The Painful and Lisa: The Joyful draw directly from EarthBound in their gameplay (one of the biggest crimes of the 90s is that in Europe we didn't have access to this marvel until the Wii U's digital shop, although it can currently be enjoyed through Nintendo Switch Online). At its core is an RPG with turn-based combat and a strong focus on conversations and dialogue between characters. The unexpected events and simple animations contrast with the deep narrative and character development.

But whereas Shigesato Itoi's 90s story was more colourful and childish, here it is a fully adult tale that talks about the consequences of our actions, how we face the end, and what our legacy will be. There is no denying that its main appeal is its stories: Brad's story, and Buddy's story.

Brad's story - The Painful

The fact that the opening sequence of Lisa: The Painful is a child being beaten up by a group of bullies is just an appetiser for what is to come. Brad is a tormented young man suffering from his father's abuse and the absence of his sister Lisa. The next scene takes place many years later, when Earth (or Olathe, as it is called in this universe) has suffered an apocalypse that has wiped out all women and social order, reducing humanity to warring clans, maniacs, and warlords bidding for scraps. Brad is now an adult, living with his lifelong friends and hooked on Joy, a drug that suppresses his visions and paranoia about his father and sister Lisa. One day, while wandering through the wasteland, he finds a baby crying and takes it home. When he gets there he discovers that it is a girl (the last one on Earth) and decides to make amends for his sins by raising her as his own, and keeping her hidden from the world. This may sound great in theory, but the truth is that as this child (Buddy) grows up, she increasingly sees herself as a prisoner rather than a human being.

After returning home one day, Brad finds that all his friends are dead and Buddy is missing, and he sets out on a crusade to get her back, taking on anyone who stands between them. Along the way, he will meet friends (up to 30 characters can join the group as allies for combat) and enemies, all of whom have a unique development and backstory, making each game unique. In the final version, new dialogue sequences and side quests have also been added. Not only are the friends unique because of how they can help us, but also because of the weight that their lives take on, with the difficult choices that the game soon puts on the table. These choices can be choosing between the life of a friend or our belongings, other times it can be losing an arm, and others it can be selling our body as a mere sex toy. I've already talked about how disturbing Lisa: Definitive Edition can be, but issues like rape, child abuse, drugs, gratuitous violence and suicide are normalised in this world. And every step we take may be the last for us or our friends.

That's also because you rarely know who or what is lurking around the corner. Encounters are scripted, yes, but you never know if you're ready to take down the enemy or group of enemies ahead. Item management becomes crucial, both in consumables to regain life and to perform powerful attacks. Empty bottles can be used to store soup or to make firebombs, and it never hurts to have a good supply of Joy in case you get the jitters and your physical attacks lose their effect (there are so many constraints and character modifiers here that it's overwhelming).

Blessed Molotov cocktails. I'm now thankful I spent an hour and half, a dozen lives to get three of them, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to defeat the first abomination. These are some of the strongest opponents in the game, and possibly the ones that will give you the most aggravation and permanent ally deaths. Yes, they have now introduced a Painless Mode (an easier mode), but that only mitigates what is a tough and demanding game like few others.

If you've made it this far, it may seem like I've suffered through every step of the game, but nothing could be further from the truth. Lisa: Definitive Edition is pain, but it's also tons of laughs. Every event or situation has a comic edge to it that oscillates between the madness of this world and the surreal dialogue of men who sometimes pin their hopes or their lives on a song, or even a chicken. However, when Brad's story in Lisa: The Painful comes to an end, we feel an emptiness and unease that is rarely conveyed by such a visually simple work. And after Brad, it's Buddy's turn.

Buddy's Story - The Joyful

Identical in tone and gameplay, Lisa: The Joyful focuses on Buddy's solo adventure around the world as the only woman on earth. This means that, in addition to constant physical and sexual danger, she has developed a borderline psychotic distrust of the rest of the world, making this (with few exceptions) a solo odyssey. The Joyful also features some of the new dialogue and harsher situations, such as remorse for the ending of the previous game.

You could say that Lisa: The Joyful is about redemption and self-forgiveness, but that's something for the player to discover. Also, if you've been left wanting more epic combat, The Joyful has the hardest to offer yet (and some new endings), so you can replay this story and never experience it the same way.

All in all, Lisa: Definitive Edition is the best way to enjoy this tough story that engages and judges you as a player in a way that few games could offer, even among the big budget ones. Although Dingaling promised official translations into 12 new languages, that post-release patch has not yet arrived, and is only available in English. Perhaps that puts some people off, perhaps its story is too much for others. Its difficulty (although it now has an easier mode) will also leave some brave players by the wayside. But those who make it to the end will be truly touched by something special, and changed forever. And isn't that what we all play for?