Who’s Lila?

Who's Lila? certainly isn't your typical point-and-click adventure game. This indie title, developed by Garage Heathen, turns the conventional gameplay mechanics upside down by focusing on the facial expressions of its protagonist instead of dialogue choices. Placed in a surreal, Lynchian world, Who's Lila? combines elements of psychological horror with a story that requires the player to piece together a haunting mystery.

Facial Expressions as a Gameplay Mechanic

The very original mechanic of facial expressions lies at the heart of Who's Lila?. Players take on the role of William Clarke, a teenager unable to express emotions in a natural way. By using the game's dialogues, players have to tune William's facial features so he displays a happy, scared, surprised, sad, angry, or neutral emotion. This is what makes communication with other characters a form of a puzzle where each expression influences the development of the story and responses of other characters in large part.

This mechanic further gets elevated by the neural network-powered emotion detection system, which takes the input from the player and shapes the narrative accordingly. In place of these rigid dialogue trees, this system brings fluidity and unpredictability into storytelling and each interaction and its emotional undertones meaningful. The multiple endings, represented in the form of tarot cards, warrant that each playthrough on the mystery will be from a different perspective—replayability.

Atmosphere and Comparisons to Other Games

It's visually inspired by the unsettling, dreamlike feelings from David Lynch's work. This aesthetic—the one largely referred to as "ditherpunk"—drastically plays with shadows, toned-down colors, and surreal environments to create unease. It seems this visual approach is going to evoke the feel of titles like Silent Hill, where the environment is key to the psychological horror experience.

While Silent Hill focuses on survival horror, Who's Lila? It gets much deeper—to the point where players will start to question reality and identity. However, perhaps a more apt comparison would be with Doki Doki Literature Club!, for it is a game that similarly subverts player expectation and fuses psychological horror with unconventional storytelling. The way both games lull players into a false sense of security before revealing their true, unsettling nature is very similar. Whereas Doki Doki Literature Club! It just uses the façade of a dating simulator to explore dark themes. Who's Lila? uses the point-and-click adventure framework to deliver its mind-bending narrative.

Final Verdict: A Unique and Haunting Experience Who's Lila? is not for everyone, but for people who enjoy psychological horror and narrative-driven games, it truly offers something different. The facial expression mechanic puts it at a niche within its genre—refreshing player choice and consequence. Its eerie atmosphere, coupled with the nonlinear narrative structure and multiple endings, will keep playthroughs compelling on successive sessions. However, its unconventional gameplay may turn off players looking for something a little more traditional.

Review: 8/10

Who's Lila? is not for everyone, but for those who enjoy psychological horror and narrative-driven games, it offers a truly unique experience. The facial expression mechanic sets it apart from other games in the genre, providing a fresh take on player choice and consequence.

Pros:

• Innovative facial expression mechanic
• Stylized, atmospheric, and surreal art style
• Multiple endings add to replayability
• Engaging nonlinear narrative

Cons:

• Non-conventional gameplay may not sit right with everybody
• Emotion detection system somewhat tricky
• Storyline sometimes confusing for some gamers

Who's Lila? - is a very unusual point-n-click quest, in which communication with the world around you takes place by means of your character's facial expressions. The player gets the role of a detective named William, who investigates the mysterious disappearance of a girl named Tanya, and who needs to interview a large number of witnesses. Smile, frowning eyebrows, wrinkled nose - from the setting of such subtleties and depends on the outcome of all dialogues in the game.

Pros:

• Unusual graphics that resemble a very old movie from the tape
• A fascinating and mystical story