Leila

Amazing presentation, questionable execution. To begin with the positives, the art-style of Leila is gorgeous! The pop-up book aesthetic—alongside beautiful illustrations and animation—perfectly encapsulate the game’s reflective, yet intently introspective tone. The backgrounds are fantastic too! There’s unmistakeable detail within them (something I adore for some reason.) Through this, the interactivity is seamless and easy to engage with. I could sense the love poured into this... work of art, within every CG. It bleeds with uniqueness; a style I’ll reminisce on randomly in a few months and go “that was a great game, wasn’t it?” Moving on, the puzzles have simplicity to them, as they are embedded fluidly into the (aforementioned) backgrounds. They link with the narrative, each presenting a puzzle that serves a different purpose. The cafe level for example: brainstorming ideas; finding inspiration is gamified—lacking any clear-cut start/end point for “this is a puzzle” or “this is where the puzzle ends.” Inviting puzzles and narrative to intertwine makes for such a more immersive experience. Adding onto that, they’re defined by fairly simple premises. Convenient shapes, c…

[h1]This game is so true, I’m about to cry.[/h1] [i]Every time I'm convinced that a game from a small indie studio, made with love, turns out to be much better than cash-grab AAA titles.[/i] [h3][i]The story.[/i][/h3] Our protagonist, Leila, receives a futuristic console from her daughter. It links directly to her consciousness, turning her memories into an interactive game. As she explores the vast landscapes of her own mind, she talks to us, opening up about every chapter of her life. We get to see the struggles she faced both as a child and an adult, and how those moments shaped her. [h3][i]Gameplay.[/i][/h3] I’m honestly blown away by the attention to detail here. You can interact with almost everything, and a lot of items are needed to unlock the achievements. Moving from one location/memory to another, you solve puzzles, dive into deeply psychological struggles that many will find very relatable, and just enjoy the atmosphere. [h3][i]Visuals.[/i][/h3] And speaking of atmosphere, the art style is absolutely breathtaking. It was pure eye candy from start to finish. The seamless blend of 2D and 3D elements, the ultra-detailed environments, and that soundtrack!! The mix of ch…

I'm so grateful that Leila exists. I really hope everyone gets to read this story. Every minute of it is simply fascinating and could come into your life at exactly the moment you might need it. Thank you for letting me experience this game.

Such a beutiful game. I loved the moment when child-Leila has unexpected visitors :) Especially her tail :)

A pretty decent artsy story game with point-and-click puzzles! Good: The artwork and animation is absolutely top notch. Fantastic music, too. Story is also fascinating - while fundamentally it's just about the twists and turns of the protagonist's ordinary life, it's very interestingly presented through the game. I liked the story and how it integrated into the game very much. Bad: Not much to complain about. The puzzles are, generally speaking, pretty neat, but sometimes a little bit... obtuse. Most of the time I ran into a wall was because I didn't just notice what I was supposed to be looking at or that something was interactable. The hint feature (which [i]is[/i] nice to have!) just doesn't give enough hints at times, I guess. Achievements weren't too bad (though I had to play through the game twice), but there's a [i]special[/i] place in hell for people who invent a whole new variant of Towers of Hanoi. Come [i]on.[/i] But other than small problems, this was great!

A breathtaking piece of interactive storytelling. Walking through the chapters of a woman's life and seeing her memories transformed into puzzles feels deeply personal and human. The gorgeous hand-drawn animation is pure eye candy, and the soundtrack is stunning. It handles the fragile struggles of growing up with so much empathy, offering a relatable, cozy experience that feels like a gentle hug for your soul.