If you are digging through PC games for something that completely subverts your expectations, LISA: Complete Edition is a journey you will not soon forget. Bundling both LISA: The Painful and its sequel, The Joyful, this side-scrolling RPG hides a brutally dark world underneath its charming retro pixel art. It is a post-apocalyptic adventure that masterfully blends laugh-out-loud, bizarre comedy with deeply unsettling tragedy. The game stands out by actively punishing your traditional gaming habits and forcing you to live with harsh, permanent consequences. If you want a unique title that genuinely challenges your morals and sticks with you long after you close it, this is an absolute must-play.
Storyline
The narrative kicks off in Olathe, a wasteland where a mysterious event wiped out all women, leaving the remaining men to slowly lose their minds. You play as Brad Armstrong, a flawed, middle-aged martial artist struggling with deep past trauma. When Brad discovers a baby girl named Buddy—the last female on Earth—he raises her in secret, only to have her violently kidnapped. Your quest to get her back is emotionally heavy, diving into mature themes like addiction, trauma, and sacrifice. The story pulls zero punches, consistently testing how far you are willing to go to protect her in a world that has completely lost its humanity.
Gaming experience
The gameplay is where things get brilliantly stressful. While it relies on traditional turn-based combat, the stakes are incredibly high. You will face agonizing, permanent choices—like deciding whether to chop off your own arm to save a friend, permanently crippling your own stats, or letting a beloved party member die forever. This Complete Edition brings excellent modern updates, including new campfire conversations, enhanced graphics, and a "Painless" story mode if the brutal difficulty gets too overwhelming. Every single encounter feels tense and meaningful, making it one of the most mechanically and emotionally gripping PC games you can add to your library.
