*The Lying Princess* Earns a “Very Positive” Rating on Steam — Is It Worth 99 Yuan?

In recent years, it has become fairly common for older titles to arrive on Steam, but earning strong acclaim again on a new platform usually means the game still has solid fundamentals. The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is exactly that kind of title: it doesn’t win by sheer scale, but by relying on a clear aesthetic identity and steady emotional design to find a new audience on PC.

Developed by Nippon Ichi Software, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince—known to NS players as The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince—launched on Steam on March 11, with a debut price of 99.16 RMB in the China region, and the discount lasting until March 26. So far, the game has received 222 reviews on Steam, with a 95% positive rating, earning an overall “Overwhelmingly Positive” status. By region, it has 109 reviews in English-speaking regions with a 98% positive rate, and 56 reviews in Simplified Chinese with a 93% positive rate.

From a design perspective, the game’s core appeal is very clear. It is a 2D puzzle adventure game in which players switch between two forms, the “wolf” and the “princess,” escorting the blind prince through dangerous areas while advancing the main storyline of “healing his eyes.” This premise itself resembles a common strategy for smaller-scale premium titles: using a simple, easy-to-understand mechanic to carry a complete fairy-tale narrative and emotional arc.

Player feedback has largely centered on this aspect as well. The most praised elements are its hand-drawn art and story setup, which are also the key reasons it can still move new players years later. Objectively speaking, the purchase logic for this kind of game differs from that of highly replayable action titles; it is closer to a one-time visual and narrative experience with a high level of polish. Some players’ high praise is indeed influenced by nostalgia, but that does not undermine the overall validity of its reputation.

Of course, its shortcomings are just as clear. As the article notes, many players feel that it is somewhat lacking on the gameplay side, which is not surprising. If judged purely by puzzle density, control feedback, or system depth, it is difficult to place it on the same level as other games in the genre that place greater emphasis on mechanical iteration. It feels more like a stylized early experiment before a second-generation version—its art and concept lead the way, while its gameplay is more in service of the narrative.

That said, the Steam version has one practical advantage: the port has been well executed, and players have praised this aspect. For a game that excels in atmosphere and a seamless overall experience, a stable port is often more important than extra features. This is especially true when older games come to PC, where users tend to be more sensitive to compatibility, display settings, and control adaptation—and at least in this respect, the game delivers.

If judged purely on value for money, 99.16 RMB is not exactly an impulse-buy price, nor is it in the typical “buy without hesitation” range. It is better suited to two groups of players: those who enjoy hand-drawn fairy-tale aesthetics and are willing to pay for art and story, and those who had been interested in it on NS but never picked it up. By contrast, if you care more about gameplay depth and level challenge, then this price is something you may want to think over more carefully.

Overall, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince’s Steam release performs in line with its position within its niche: it does not win over the market through the scale of its systems, but through a distinctive identity that earns goodwill. A 95% positive rating already shows that most players who are receptive to its mode of expression get the experience they expect. As for whether it is worth 99 RMB, the answer is simple—if what you are buying is gameplay intensity, it is on the expensive side; if what you are buying is fairy-tale atmosphere and polish, then it more or less justifies the price.