How to Retrieve Kidnapped Companions in LISA: The Painful

It's a hassle but at least they're not dead (yet)
Terry and Cheese Legs in LISA The Painful
Screenshot via Dingaling Productions

LISA: The Painful is a challenging and emotionally charged indie role-playing game developed by Dingaling Productions. This unexpectedly dark RPG presents players with multiple high-intensity situations fraught with morally dubious decision-making, forced sacrifices, and ethically ambiguous interactions with others.

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One of the many unfortunate situations that players will inevitably find themselves in while playing is when their companions get kidnapped for ransom by bandits. Thankfully, they are rescuable, but their safety comes at a cost. In this guide, we will provide you with essential strategies and tips to help you successfully retrieve your captured allies in the unforgiving world of LISA: The Painful. Prepare yourself for a perilous journey into the unknown to retrieve your kidnapped companions in LISA: The Painful!

How to Retrieve Kidnapped Companions in LISA: The Painful

Dealing with having your companions kidnapped is just another grim aspect of the LISA: The Painful experience. Every single time you rest, there’s a chance that one of your companions will be kidnapped and held for ransom.

Thankfully, however, just because your companions have been kidnapped, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re gone forever; you can still rescue your captured allies as long as they were captured in either of the first two areas of the game and you’re able to pay the cost.

If your companion was kidnapped in Area 1 or Area 2, then they can still be rescued for a price. If your companion was kidnapped in Area 3, however, then they’ll simply be killed and are unable to be rescued. Make sure you always save your game before resting in Area 3!

Here’s how to rescue your kidnapped companions in Area 1 and Area 2 in LISA: The Painful:

How to Rescue Companions in Area 1

Blue Rockets Hideout in LISA The Painful
Screenshot via Dingaling Productions

If your companion is kidnapped in Area 1, then their kidnappers will take them to the Blue Rockets hideout in the village. Once you get to the village, you’ll need to enter the hideout and pay the kidnappers 100 Mags to free your friend.

Once they’ve been paid, the kidnappers will free your ally and disappear. Your freed friend will then join your team again, no worse for wear and like nothing ever happened. (Hint: Make sure you don’t try to fight the kidnappers instead, they’ll just kill your companion before the fight even begins and it’ll all be for nothing.)

How to Rescue Companions in Area 2

Pretty Boy HQ in LISA The Painful
Screenshot via Dingaling Productions

Rescuing kidnapped companions in Area 2 is a relatively similar process to rescuing them in Area 1, with a few noticeable differences. Instead of the Blue Rockets hideout, your companion’s kidnappers will take them to the Pretty Boys HQ.

Once you reach the Pretty Boys HQ and go inside, you’ll need to pay the kidnappers 200 Mags to release your companion. Once the kidnappers have their ransom money, they’ll disappear, and your companion will be free to join your team once again.

Related: Can You Save the Orphans in LISA: The Painful? Answered

How to Avoid Companion-Kidnapping in LISA: The Painful

Rescuing your kidnapped companions in LISA: The Painful can be a hassle, not to mention expensive. If you want to avoid the whole kidnapping process altogether, then there are a few things that you can do to keep your companions safe.

As previously mentioned, your companions will only ever be kidnapped if you happen to rest at an unguarded location. Most of the resting campfires in LISA: The Painful are unguarded, but there are a few that you can rest at for free or for a low price that are guarded: the Schoolboy Shufflers Inn, the Construction Inn, the unoccupied bed in EWC, or any of the attended camps that have tents.

If you choose to rest at any of these locations, you can relax knowing that you and your companions will be completely safe from bandits looking for a quick buck.

In addition to sleeping at guarded camps, you can also just save your game prior to resting at any campfire. If bad luck happens to rear its ugly head and you wake up to find one of your buddies missing, then you can simply reload your save and try again!


Rescuing your kidnapped companions in LISA: The Painful requires a lot of patience, a lot of cash, and a whole lot of determination. By investigating, collecting cash wherever you can, preparing for battles, navigating dangerous areas, and forcing yourself to face moral dilemmas, you enhance your chances of a successful rescue mission!

If you love games like LISA: The Painful where every single choice you make matters, then you’d love I Was a Teenage Exocolonist! I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is remarkably similar to LISA: The Painful in a surprising number of ways, though it is noticeably less dark and grim (as long as you make good choices, that is).

Both of these games engage players in strategic turn-based combat and decision-making, with choices influencing the outcomes and overall direction of the story. Emphasizing character growth, survival, and moral dilemmas, these indie gems captivate players with their unique blend of gameplay mechanics and rich storytelling. Check out Gamer Journalist’s guides for I Was a Teenage Exocolonist for more information!

About the author

Allysen Pierce

Allysen Pierce is a freelance writer with a passion for gaming who has been a part of the Gamer Journalist team since May 2022. Her main passions are horror games and dating sims (especially combinations of the two), but she has been known to play literally anything that is put in front of her. Her current favorite games include Skyrim, I Was a Teenage Exocolonist, Cult of the Lamb, Slaughter Horse, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. When she's not playing games (or writing about them), she can be found reading, baking, watching horror movies, or playing with her cat.

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