The Lion's Song is a point-and-click episodic adventure game first released for PC on July 7, 2016. It was later released on Android and iOS on August 10, 2017. It was also released on Nintendo Switch on July 10, 2018. Developed by Vienna-based studio Mi'pu'mi Games, it is set against the backdrop of early 20th century Austria with every episode following a different character. Each character possesses an exceptional mind, and the game draws players into a story of personal struggle for creativity, human connections, and inspiration: a talented composer suffering from writer's block just before her breakthrough concert, an up-and-coming painter growing through his challenges, and a brilliant mathematician trying to make her voice heard in a men's world.
The game experiments with undulating or quivering text to convey tone or emotion, making the dialogue more vivid. The choices players make in the first episode will have a direct impact on the storylines of all future and past episodes, connecting The Lion’s Song to one overarching narrative. The decisions made will ultimately determine if the protagonists find the success they are working for. The other episodes can be played in no particular order, allowing for a nonlinear narrative. Decisions made can be replayed after the ending, so that the player can experiment with different outcomes. The interplay between the episodes offer interesting situations where players can see their choices affecting circumstances.
Each episode takes about an hour to play, but there are variations of outcomes at several points. Some achievements rely on players doing several playthroughs to unlock. Some outcomes are inherently tied up with achievements. In 2016 the game was awarded the German Developer Award for Indie Game of the Year and in 2017 it received an Honourable Mention from IGF in the category Excellence in Narrative. It was originally created as a Ludum Dare project in 2014.
