The concept of human beings on the verge of extinction is something that has been done numerous times in every medium, but nothing really does it in the way that Lisa does. The game's setting isn't a place where everyone is constantly fighting for their own survival, but rather one where the boredom and cabin fever from the futility of living in a doomed world has driven everyone towards a unique brand of wackiness. Elements like the vast amount of possible party members, permanent consequences like losing an arm or having playable characters die for good, and the game's perfectly fitting soundtrack certainly do a great job of making Lisa's setting come to life and feel worth learning about. The game is held back by a couple of flaws, however, like subpar art, locations that are pretty forgettable, and avoiding consequences by reloading saves being too easy, but all-in-all it's really one of the best RPGs of the past decade. It's a game that I find really sticking with me more and more as time goes by, and in a time when everyone's trying to create their very own Earthbound, Brad's story is possibly the only one that feels as worth experiencing as the original.

LISA: THE PAINFUL REVIEW
Note: I give spoiler warnings for spoilers.

There's so much I could say about LISA. Honestly, I could probably talk about it forever.
I first played it in April of 2017. I then promptly replayed it a second time in May, and recently finished a third run (with a fourth unfinished one in between.) It has been amongst my very favorite games since that first run, and I expect it to remain there... Probably forever.
I truly think it's one of the best of all time, and something everyone should play, if they can stomach it. It certainly isn't a story that everyone will be able to sit through, but it's absolutely worth it if you can - for both the serious moments, and the humorous ones.
Here is a TW guide for LISA that I think people should see before heading in, because it really does deal with a lot of triggering topics. Still, don't let the dark nature deter you, unless you're really not good with that sort of thing. LISA has a lot to say, and it says it exceptionally well.
TW list: Parental abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual. The first two are shown on-screen, the last is implied.) Child rape (implied, talked about, common theme.) Drug usage and addiction (shown on-screen.) Suicide (shown on-screen.) Animal death (shown on-screen, once.)


SHORT REVIEW

Visuals: 4.5/5
Sound: 5.5/5
Story: 5.5/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Worldbuilding: 5.5/5
Achievements (Does not count toward overall score.): 5/5
Overall score: 5/5 [5.1/5]


IN-DEPTH REVIEW

Visuals:
LISA is a simple 2D pixel game, but I honestly really love the style. I think that, in general, it's an underrated choice (especially with the current trend of AAA studios tending towards hyper-realistic graphics.) It suits LISA perfectly, and it looks great for being made by a single person. It's not anything groundbreaking, but it's really good.
Most of the character designs are great, too. There's so many unique-looking people, both allies and foes. The companions, the human enemies, the joy mutants - they're all so memorable. On the surface, there are many designs that seem like they would feel out of place - but they don't. A guy with a goose head who reads poetry? A spear-wielding tiger man named Tiger Man? Fish people? Angry snowmen with guns? Yeah, that all works. Because the humor and the world of LISA are already so absurd, all of the weird designs it presents you with just work.
(My only complaint with this aspect is that I'm not a fan of how some of the POC are portrayed. It's very stereotypical at times.)
I also love the use of color. Most apocalypse settings will refrain from palettes outside of browns, grays, and maybe reds. LISA doesn't take this road, though. There are lots of colors in the game - both in the locations and in the character designs. It's something that makes the world pop. (Side note, this is something I think Fallout 4 actually did right, too.)
The graphics are simple, yet charming. That, plus the designs and colors, make LISA a memorable visual experience.
Overall, 4.5/5.

Sound:
This game has, hands down, one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. I cannot overstate how much the music contributes to the atmosphere, and how good of a job it does. I really can't explain to anyone why it's so good, either - all of the tracks are just so catchy and fun (or unnerving, in some cases.) It's very unique, too. I've never heard any music like it, and I doubt I ever will again.
Besides that, there's not much sound design to review here, minus some audio cues and a few one-off jokes during dialogue. LISA doesn't really need a lot of sound, though. The cues serve their purpose, and the rest of the focus is given to the music (or the absence of it in some parts, which is just as effective.)
Overall, 5.5/5.

Story:
I truly believe that LISA has one of the most tragic, heart wrenching plots in any medium. It's one that you have to experience, instead of just reading about.
LISA has the capability of shifting perfectly between darkly comedic and downright nauseating in a heartbeat - and it often manages to do both at the same time. The world of Olathe is a dark reflection of toxic masculinity. Men who solve their problems with violence. Men who feel entitled. Men who are willing to hurt and traumatize to satisfy their own pleasures.
It's a story of a father chasing after his adoptive daughter, in an effort to keep her safe from the immeasurable danger she faces on her own... But then, the game makes you question whether he does so because he really loves her, or if it's because of his own deep-seated guilt related to his past.
Almost none of the people in LISA are good people, and almost none of them are innocent. There are times where, emotionally, it feels like a hopeless endeavor to continue trying. And yet Brad keeps marching forward, so why shouldn't you? No matter how difficult it gets, he is committed to mowing down every man who stands between him and rescuing Buddy - [SPOILERS] despite the fact that she doesn't WANT to be rescued by him. [SPOILER ENDING]
There are so many different plot threads, all interesting, all which tie together perfectly. Every one of these people are haunted by the death of one girl, years ago; even the title screen is haunted by her. Whether the people knew her or not, it doesn't matter. She's always there, lingering in the background.
The writing is amazing, too. The dialogue between characters is great. All of the serious moments feel natural and real. And the game is so funny. The jokes nearly always land, and are super entertaining.
Lastly, the ending is perfect. It genuinely makes me emotional every time I play through it again.
I will never forget the final words spoken in LISA, or everything leading up to them.
Overall, 5.5/5.

Gameplay:
The combat system is fairly simple. That's a complaint I hear often, but I don't personally see it as a negative. I don't think it NEEDED to be overly-complicated. What it does provide is fun and interesting. There are some cool combinations you can pull off, if you think about who you utilize as companions. There's a few different mechanics in the combat itself, too, such as the status effects (of which there are many), and the use of SP and TP on different characters.
I do think it's notable that, at some point, the combat CAN get pretty easy (minus some of the boss fights.) This largely depends on which route you take. I won't spoil much, but there is a chance to make the fighting much less taxing than it could be, at the cost of other in-game consequences.
There is also a Painful mode, which can add a new layer of difficulty. I've played it once, and it's a fun way to make replays a bit more challenging. I'm sure that when I inevitably play the game again in a year or two, I'll be playing this mode.
Overall, 4.5/5.

Worldbuilding:
Olathe is such a unique and interesting setting. It perfectly blends the dark aspects of the setting with the humor, creating an experience that no other game can offer. It is chock-full of fascinating characters, both one-off and recurring. There's endless little details, encounters, and jokes to discover. There are a lot of hints toward the plot and what's really going on, but it's left just vague enough to give you something to think about and theorize on even after the credits roll.
There is never a dull moment in LISA. Every in-game location has something to keep your attention and/or make you laugh.
(Side note, I love all of the wrestling jokes and references, given that I'm a huge wrestling nerd.)
Overall, 5.5/5.

Extra Category - Achievements:
This game has 68 Steam achievements total, which is quite a lot. I got the last one I needed for 100% on my last playthrough.
I really like the achievements themselves - the pictures, names, and descriptions are cool and build upon the world a bit. They're also fun to get, ranging from story progression, to simple world exploration, to defeating difficult side bosses.
Overall, 5/5.

Overall score: 5/5. LISA is nearly perfect in my eyes. There's so much to appreciate about it.
I highly recommend playing through it at least once. The story, characters, world, writing, and music will keep you entertained and engrossed from beginning to end. If you play it and enjoy it, I also recommend checking out The Joyful, which is a (much shorter) sequel that builds upon the characters and world further.

Pretty rare to find any piece of entertainment, let alone a videogame, that's both hilarious and unsettling. Got both of those with LISA and I'm glad I took the time to try this game out and see it for myself. Its spin on turn-based combat and use of action commands sets it apart from other JRPG rabble, and the game's not afraid to challenge you either. The story works as a comedic romp and a bleak tragedy and stays engaging all throughout. Its also got replay value thanks to a worthwhile Hard Mode and the multiple party members to experiment with.

LISA is far and away more than just an 'Earthbound-clone', and deserves the following and hype its gotten.

lisa es un juego que saco muchas sonrisas con su sentido del humor, su soundtrack y sus personajes
es un rpg muy unico como sistema de progresion te hace sentir inmerso en su mundo, algo que tambien hace bien es su ambiente y como esta diseñado para hacer que seas cauteloso con tus decisiones ya que el juego no perdona y es muy duro con el jugador justo como debe ser un mundo post-apocaliptico como el de lisa, los personajes alocados y el soundtrack ayuda mucho a marcar este ambiente, todos los personajes son unicos hasta los enemigos que enfrentas todos siempre tienen nombre unicos y casi siempre sprites unicos, lo he re-judado varias veces para conseguir todos los logros es una muy buena experiencia y de los mejores juegos hechos con rpg maker

Probably the most bleak, depressing and soul-crushing game I've ever played. So many sections in this game leave you feeling completely empty inside, and even its attempt at humour is so dark that it just comes off as depressing. First of all we have the setting. The world has no females, which means that the men left are essentially just waiting for their doom. Just that is an incredibly bleak concept, but it gets worse, because it portrays all the different ways people act during this apocalypse. The world is riddled with corpses, hanging bodies, people who are broken or have simply lost the will to live, and much more. But the worst thing is the concept of Joy, a drug that makes you feel nothing. The main character, Brad, is addicted to this because of his traumatic past. This is interesting, because Joy is an actual item in the game, which makes Brad a lot more powerful and increases his health, but makes him eventually suffer from withdrawal, which reduces his damage. This makes you consider taking Joy to make the game (and by that, the pain) easier to handle. Another thing this game heavily features is a world where your party members can and will die. You can recruit up to thirty people, but when a central part of your team dies, it just feels painful. I definitely felt a lot of pain towards area 3, so much in fact that I had to shut off the game and do something else. I completed the game after returning to it, and BOY, the ending is surely something. Without spoiling anything, it is bleak as hell and will make you feel empty as all hell. Luckily, this game has some quite amazing gameplay to balance out all the bleakness, so it isn't like a Drakengard completely. It succeeds a lot better than that game did by somehow making the game both fun and painful to play at the same time. I cannot give this game any less than a 9. It was that impactful!