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Sacred Reviews: Lily's Renewal

Introduction
"This is the only game we played on our lets play channel, so far, to have made us cry." Steel and Teal from Studio Blue.


Well, I'll admit up front that this game's story didn't make me cry. Though, that's probably because I'm a heartless monster that wouldn't know what sadness was if it came up and slapped me in the face. Though, I suppose some would point to other games I've played like "To the Moon" or "Remnants of Isolation" to prove otherwise, but this game didn't even come close to bringing me to tears. That aside I largely picked up Lily Renewal because I was looking for a quick game to Let's Play and decided to give this game a chance.

Story

"Lily Renewal" is a simple tale that is told entirely through visuals and music. A combination which is truly potent when done correctly. And for the most part this game nails that combination with brutal effectiveness. So much so, that I don't have anything major to complain about. Though, I do wish the game could have ended on some sort of quote in order to enhance the overall message of the story.



Gameplay

While, I'm not the biggest fan of puzzle games. I will admit that when I do spend time on a game like this that I want it to challenge my ability to solve problems, but this game really doesn't push the player all that hard. In fact, I imagine most players will be able to finish this game in around 15 to 25 minutes on their first play through. Though, I suppose one could counter that if the game took ages to beat that it would undermine the story and it's ability to hit the player with it's bittersweet combination of joy and sorrow.


Yeah, it does annoy me a bit that the characters don't move in tandem while moving the stone here.

On the plus side, the game does dedicate two of its four stages to explaining the basics of the game through the usage of visuals which can be a bit funny in their own right. So, at least the game's tutorial is a bit more bearable then the stuff you get in a game like "Something Something Ninja RPG" which feels the need to slap the player with the most basic of information at the oddest times and in the most uncreative ways imaginable.

Conclusion

"Lily Renewal" is a puzzle games whose keys strengths are all tied up in it's focus on story telling. Which is a major strength for those looking for a game that places it's emphasis on story and one that goes about it in a way that goes against the norms on this site for the most part.

But if your looking for a puzzle game that will challenge you to think outside of the box or require you to plan several steps ahead. Then, I'd suggest you look into KiyoKi.