Is anyone genuinely beyond redemption? Are there people who have done so much evil they can’t even start to atone for the past? What happens when that person’s past catches up to them, and they are forced to accept it? These aren’t easy questions with simple answers. These questions filled my head as I played The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty. It’s a dark tale not for the faint of heart but one I could appreciate through it all.
The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty is a visual novel set in ancient China. You play as Liang, a bandit tasked with taking a job he’s not too fond of. You’ll have to escort some girls to the city of Luoyang, but the journey is long and dangerous. Along the journey, you’ll have to make decisions that question your morals and make you uncomfortable. The Hungry Lamb is a dark story, and it’s one some players might not even finish. However, those who can will be given an experience they won’t soon forget.
A Wolf Among Us in The Hungry Lamb
The Hungry Lamb takes place in ancient China during the final years of the Ming Dynasty. Many small villages suffer from famine, leading to many traveling East or becoming bandits and rebels. We follow Liang, a survivor of the Great Tianqi Explosion who is now a bandit. Liang takes different jobs for money and has killed his fair share of men for his gain as well. He associates people with animals and calls himself a wolf. In his travels, he meets a man he calls Tongue, another wolf.
Tongue is the smooth talker of the two, secures their jobs, and has connections with some questionable people. After entering town one day, Tongue stumbles upon a job opportunity. They must escort four young girls to a wealthy lord in Luoyang. Liang is hesitant because no matter how much they try to sell it, this is human trafficking. He is eventually convinced when he is told the girls are going to a safe home and sees the pay. Liang and Tongue set off to transport these girls, who Liang calls “Lambs.”
The Lambs are Hong’er, Cui’er, QiongHua, and Sui. Hong’er and Cui’er are two sisters who their parents sold. Despite their situation, Hong’er—the older sister— does her best to look after Cui’er and keep her smiling in this brutal world. QiongHua is from a high-ranking family that was abducted. Due to her family, it’s not easy for them to reunite, but she holds out hope for it.
The last girl is Sui, who is very obedient and mute. On the first night of the journey, you discover Sui’s other side, as she takes out a knife and rushes towards you. After thwarting a potential stabbing, Sui opens up, revealing her desire to go to Luoyang and confront the lord known as the “Swine Demon.” Sui claims he Swine Demon eats children, with one of the victims being Sui’s sister. She wants revenge, but the problem is you don’t know if this is true, and you have to escort these girls with a looming thought of a terrible fate.
Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty
The journey to Luoyang is a long and dangerous one. Along the way, you’ll have to make decisions that will question your morals along with Liang. It’s up to you how you want to treat the girls, but remember that all your decisions impact your journey with them. Be careful, as one wrong choice will leave you dead in your tracks. Decisions certainly matter, and it kept me invested in this story.
I enjoyed the journey here, even if it had some problems. The story is well written and excels at developing Liang’s relationships with the core group. Liang is a great character with many flaws, and I enjoyed his character growth throughout the game. His relationship with Sui is a highlight of the game as we learn more about them. Sui’s story is heart-wrenching, and I wanted to do everything possible to help her. Her story is not for the faint of heart, but it is still worth reading.
One aspect I can’t ignore about The Hungry Lamb is the game’s mature and gruesome content. This story’s content involves partial nudity, alcohol consumption, cannibalism, human trafficking, bodily injury, and involuntary servitude, just to name a few. I cannot fault anyone who gets uncomfortable and does not want to read through the game, even if I feel the end is rewarding.
One other issue I have with the story is some pacing issues. The characters are great, but the story often slows between significant events, especially after the second chapter. While I never wanted to stop playing, I did take a few breaks as well. The Hungry Lamb still has good moments, and it picks up again in the back half, making up for these slower parts. Even with these issues, I still enjoyed it overall and made sure to get the true ending, which was pretty satisfying.
A Shadow Play
Another aspect The Hungry Lamb excels at is art. The backdrops and character models are very eye-catching. Some more backdrops would be great, as you see them a lot, but this isn’t an issue. There’s also a good amount of full art spreads that all look great, especially when the game recreates a shadow puppet style of sorts. There are a handful of moments and animations done with this paper-like backdrop with dark brushstrokes I can’t praise enough. I wish it had more, but I appreciate the scenes we got.
The game also has voice acting, which I enjoyed. All the core characters’ voice actors do a great job and help convey some of the heavier scenes. In this regard, Liang and Sui are highlights, and the actors elevate these already great characters. I can’t remark on the music as much, but one track stuck in my head whenever it played. This elevates the game and greatly helps during some of the slower parts.
At Journey’s End With The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty
The Hungry Lamb is not a long visual novel, and I was able to finish it in close to 10 hours. The game has some issues, but it’s still a satisfying read worth experiencing. If you aren’t sensitive to the subject matter, you will be greeted with a compelling narrative about survival and redemption. The art is a treat, even if I wish there were more. It’s not perfect; the story has some serious pacing issues, and it made me take a couple of breaks. With all that, I’m glad I finished The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty and can still recommend it, faults and all.
The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty is coming to Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop on March 13.
Disclaimer: 2P Games provided Final Weapon with a Nintendo Switch copy of The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty for review purposes.
