Games, particularly indie games, tend to be labors of love. Like most forms of media, those who create them intend for their creation to be shared with others and to leave an impression on those who give the game their time. In this,LISA: Definitive Editionrepresents a rare chance for a solo developer to refine what he meant to say to the world.
Working with publisher Serenity Forge,Austin Jorgensen reflected on how his worksLISA the PainfulandLISA the Joyfulhad been seen and took the chance to refine his message, and it was a message as much as it was a game he explained. As the Definitive Edition looms, Jorgensen sat with Game Rant for an interview about depression, humanity, and how video games approach high art.
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The games compiled inLISA: Definitive Editionwere heavily inspired by the cinematic storytelling ofNaughty Dog’s hitThe Last of Us,so much so that the central relationship in LISA was changed to honor the relationship between Joel and Ellie. That game, Jorgensen said, is what made him realize the power video game narratives can have.
“We’re used to games being something you play as like a toy, not so much something you consume and really take seriously. But that’s where Last of Us is a great inspiration because things like that are breaking the mold. Now you have the TV show, which is doing that even more. So people are finding out like, ‘What this is a video game story. Like, that’s crazy!’”
Jorgensen said that the process of developingLISA: Definitive Editionhas helped him confront questions he has about what being a video game developer means to him, and how an artist can communicate the ideas they want to share. It isn’t a matter of being direct, he explained, but rather a matter of getting the audience to see the world from certain perspectives.LISAis, likeThe Last of Usbefore it, art.
“I mean, it’s maybe a little cheesy to say like, there’s a message here. But I value that, and I value when media tries to have a message … A preacher is someone, a coach is someone who can get in your face and tell you exactly what they think, and that’s their job. Being a game developer, I’m kind of also flirting with being an artist a little bit, at least that’s what I like to think. And so in doing that, I think when trying to deliver a message, you can’t just be blunt. You have to hide it behind symbolism and let people discover it. Hopefully, it is meaningful for people because that’s what I’m trying to do.
The message Jorgensen wanted to approach was one that reaches deeply into the human experience. Mental health is a core piece of whatLISAtackles, including heavy themes likemental healthand suicide, and the game aims to speak meaningfully on those topics. He didn’t want to dive too deeply into specifics, but emphasized the statement his game makes on the subject: there’s help for people who need it.LISA, he says, is a game about what it is to be human, about personhood.
In that context, he hopes thenew content added byLISA: Definitive Editionmakes the meaning behind the game a bit clearer. The dark topics the game explores had meaning to them, but finding that meaning was more on the player’s shoulders. The new content, he hopes, will help illuminate what he is trying to say.
“Mental health, self-worth, self-image, value, all of it, you know, it’s more or less under this umbrella. That’s why I tried to use the word personhood. I do think something about having your own identity, personhood, purpose, this thing is very important…I don’t know how upfront to be about this in any sort of writing, but it is important to me to reflect this stuff back in a positive way … There are a lot of themes of suicide and generational trauma, and this sort of thing. That’s always been there in LISA, that’s existed. Hopefully, this new content is an opportunity to make a definitive statement on it without just leaving it as open-ended as the current game does. Maybe that’s the best way.”
At the end of the day, for a solo developer, it is the chance to reach someone with his meaning, with his reflections on pain and hope and art, that really matters to him.
“I really am proud and hopeful that it can be meaningful to someone and help somebody out. That’s the biggest hope, above all else. Have fun? Sure, that’s great. But I really hope that it can reach someone if there is someone that is in need of some type of… guidance is such a bad word that postures me like I’m like a know-it-all or something, but just like a helping hand or like in affirmation. There are tools out there, there are ways of thinking about things. There are different ways of thinking about things, you know, and we can be open to that.”
For those struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the United States, calling or texting 988 connects those in crisis with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
LISA: Definitive Editionreleases July 18 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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