Lisa: The Painful
A father searches for his adoptive daughter in a lawless wasteland.
Lisa: The Painful is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game released in 2014 by American indie studio Dingaling Productions. Austin Jorgensen handled writing, design, and music for the project, which launched on Windows, OS X, and Linux on December 15, 2014. It is the middle chapter of a trilogy, coming after *Lisa: The First* (2012) and before *Lisa: The Joyful* (2015), a standalone piece of downloadable content that wraps up the series. Critics generally responded well, highlighting the story, gameplay, darkly comedic writing, and soundtrack.
The player controls Brad Armstrong, a balding middle-aged man with a troubled history, as he crosses the wasteland of Olathe searching for his adoptive daughter, Buddy. His journey forces him into decisions that permanently impact both his own condition and the survival of his party members. Combat blends turn-based role-playing mechanics with a 2D side-scrolling overworld. Brad and many characters are addicted to a drug called Joy, which supposedly makes users "feel nothing" while greatly boosting their attack power, but causes severe withdrawal when not taken. The overworld contains settlements with shops and bars where potential party members can be recruited. There are thirty possible companions, but all except Brad can die permanently through scripted events like Russian Roulette or from certain enemies that use instant-kill moves.
In battle, Brad and some allies can perform combination attacks using the "Dial Combo" system, where the player inputs a sequence of keys to unleash powerful moves like fireballs. Other party members employ various offensive and defensive techniques, applying status effects such as stun or paralysis. Each character has a distinct playstyle; for example, the anti-Joy crusader Ajeet uses Pokes that deal no damage but guarantee status effects, relying on special moves for direct harm. Player choices can cause Brad to lose one or both arms, or lose party members. Losing arms drastically lowers his stats and increases Joy withdrawal frequency; armless, he cannot use Armstrong Style and can only bite enemies.
In *Lisa: The Joyful*, Buddy—the last female on Earth—takes over as protagonist. The gameplay is similar, but Buddy has more movement options and is generally stronger than Brad, using timing-based attacks.
Both games are set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Olathe.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Lisa: The Painful
- Developer
- Dingaling Productions
- Publisher
- Dingaling ProductionsDefinitive Edition published by Serenity Forge.
- Artist
- Austin Jorgensen
- Platforms
- Linux · OS X · Windows · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Xbox One · Xbox Series X/S · Android
- Released
- Linux, OS X, Windows · December 15, 2014 · PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S · July 18, 2023 (Definitive Edition) · Android · April 24, 2025 (Definitive Edition)
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Lisa: The Painful takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland called Olathe. Following an unseen cataclysm known as 'The Flash', all women have perished, leaving humanity with no way to reproduce. Lawlessness ravages most of Olathe, though certain areas are overseen by warlords, the strongest of which is the 'Rando Army', led by the masked martial artist Rando. Many have resorted to a highly addictive drug named Joy, spread by a gang leader named Buzzo, which makes users 'feel nothing'. Joy was developed by a man named Doctor Yado in partnership with the military to create super soldiers, but was deemed a failure as it eventually turns users into deformed, mindless Joy Mutants controlled by Yado.
The player controls Brad Armstrong, a balding, middle-aged ex-martial arts instructor with a troubled past. After discovering a baby girl in the wasteland, Brad raises her in secret as his adoptive daughter, Buddy. When Buddy is seemingly kidnapped, Brad journeys across Olathe to rescue her. The game features a combination of turn-based combat in a 2D side-scrolling overworld. Brad and some companions can use the 'Dial Combo' system for powerful attacks. The game includes thirty possible companions, all except Brad susceptible to permanent death through scripted events or enemy moves. Brad is forced to make choices that permanently affect his well-being and that of his party members, including the potential loss of his arms, which drastically lowers his stats and increases Joy withdrawal frequency.
Reader's Guide
Lisa: The Painful is notable for its uncompromising narrative and permanent consequences. The game forces players to make choices that affect core mechanics, such as losing limbs or party members permanently. The drug Joy serves as a central gameplay element, drastically increasing attack power while causing serious withdrawals when unused. The game's darkly comedic writing and soundtrack were praised, and its story explores themes of abuse, addiction, and obsession through flashbacks to Brad's childhood with his sister Lisa and their abusive father Marty. The game's plot culminates in Brad's violent confrontation with his former party members and his relentless pursuit of Buddy, who repeatedly rejects his attempts to save her. Expanded versions of Lisa: The Painful and Lisa: The Joyful, bundled as Lisa: Definitive Edition, were released on July 18, 2023.
Did You Know?
- The game was written, designed, and composed entirely by Austin Jorgensen.
- Brad can lose one or both arms depending on player choices, which prevents him from using the Armstrong Style combat system.
- All party members except Brad are susceptible to permanent death from scripted events or enemy attacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lisa: The Painful?
It is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game released in December 2014 by the American indie studio Dingaling Productions. Austin Jorgensen was responsible for the writing, game design, and soundtrack, and the title serves as the second entry in the Lisa trilogy.
Who is the player character in Lisa: The Painful?
You control Brad Armstrong, a balding, middle-aged father who travels through a lawless post-apocalyptic wasteland in search of his adoptive daughter.
Where does Lisa: The Painful sit in the trilogy?
It is the middle installment, following Lisa: The First (2012) and preceding Lisa: The Joyful (2015), a standalone downloadable-content episode that wraps up the series.
What platforms is Lisa: The Painful available on?
The game launched on December 15, 2014, and runs on Windows, OS X, and Linux.
What did critics praise about Lisa: The Painful?
Reviews were largely favorable, with particular attention to the narrative, the gameplay loop, the darkly comedic tone of the writing, and the soundtrack.
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