Game: Leila
Genre: Point & Click, Puzzle
System: Steam (Windows, macOS)
Developers | Publishers: Ubik Studios
Controller Support: Yes
Price: US $TBC | UK £TBC | EU €TBC
Release Date: April 7th, 2025
A review code was provided; many thanks to Ubik Studios.
Leila is an upcoming point-and-click puzzle game that has been developed and is to be released by Ubik Studios.
The Premise of Leila
In Leila, we play Leila, an everyday woman who embarks on a deeply personal quest to uncover her past. This engaging point-and-click narrative game immerses us in her world, allowing us to traverse through various pivotal moments in her life.
As we guide Leila, we are presented with critical choices that have shaped her journey, touching on themes such as balancing a career, creating and nurturing a family, and contemplating the broader significance of a woman’s life. Each decision unveils different aspects of Leila’s character, challenges, and aspirations, inviting us to reflect on our own experiences and the societal expectations placed upon women.
Gameplay
Leila is a brilliant reinvention of the puzzle point-and-click genre. It has all the classic elements the very best of the genre have—clever puzzles, well-developed characters, an intriguing story, and gorgeous graphics.
The puzzles and the mini-games are clever and varied – besides the point-and-click mechanics, no scene has the same puzzle type. We have a hidden object scene, some color and shape-based puzzles, connecting wires without them touching, and so on. We get hints for some of the puzzles; for some, we don’t. All the puzzles lack instructions on what to do- part of the puzzle is figuring out what we should do. The game relies on our instincts, and nearly every element in each scene is interactable, even on the menu page.
At all times, we also have Leila narrating this trip down memory lane, traversing through all phases of her life and uncovering pivotal life moments and decisions and the motivations behind them.
The game has four chapters, each encompassing a period of Leila’s life. At the beginning of each chapter, Leila asks us if we want to do this now or choose a different moment to play through. This decision doesn’t have any big consequences—it’s just a bit of rearranging of the story.
Visually, Leila is a stunning game. It boasts clear and colorful hand-drawn animations. Most of the scenes are built around an interesting point of view—from above or from the side—making hidden object scenes feel more challenging and yet more dynamic.
I can’t rave enough about the seamless transitions between the menu screen, chapters, and scene changes. They make the whole gaming experience feel cohesive from the start to the very end. Leila’s narration complements the visual transitions between scenes and chapters in an impeccable way. There’s also a sense of whimsy throughout the game, even when it deals with more serious real-life issues.
Some Other Things
Leila has basic audio and video settings. The game features Steam achievements but does not yet have Trading Cards. A demo for the game is still available on Steam.
Conclusion
Leila is an enchanting adventure that seamlessly combines a rich narrative, stunning visuals, and immersive gameplay. While it may not be suitable for younger audiences, older players will find themselves drawn into a world that feels like diving into a captivating novel—one that challenges the mind and resonates deeply, leaving a lasting sense of fulfilment.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up: 
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