# Liyla and The Shadows of War

> Narrative-driven survival game set in a war zone, based on actual events. (iPhone/iPad app by Rasheed Abueideh.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/liyla-and-the-shadows-of-war/id1100839270 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Rasheed Abueideh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1100839269)
- Category: Games, Reference, Adventure
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 160 App Store ratings · 103 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 6.0 · 79 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2016-05-22
- Data updated: 2026-09-03
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/liyla-and-the-shadows-of-war/id1100839270/reviews.md

## What is Liyla and The Shadows of War?

Liyla and the shadows of war is a game  based on actual events, it tells a story of little girl lives a war zone.

Description

When you live in war zone and death is hunting everyone, things will look different and choices become harder. Face your fate in an unjust war to survive with your family from the shadows of war. 
 
Time is running against you, your family is in danger and there is nowhere to hide or to do but to get them out of home through a hero journey to a safer place. 
 
Shooting and bombing everywhere and it will hunt you unless you make fast decisions as you progress through different events where death is inevitable. These events are real and they will make you choose the hard way. Live or die!​ 

Features 
A story based on Actual events.
Witness the actual events of war from different point of view.
Emotional experience that will touch your heart.
Provoke different feelings in a short space of time.
Explore amazing atmosphere.
Challenging decision, events and puzzles awaiting for you.
Epic music and Sound effects.​

## Key features

- Story based on actual events
- Witness war from a different point of view
- Emotional and touching experience
- Challenging decisions and puzzles
- Epic music and sound effects
- Explore amazing atmosphere

## What do users think of Liyla and The Shadows of War?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 💔 Emotionally powerful and moving experience
- 🎨 Beautiful visuals and artwork
- 🎵 Excellent sound design and music
- 📖 Compelling and meaningful narrative
- 🎮 Thought-provoking artistic expression
- 👁️ Eye-opening awareness about war impacts
- ⚡ Quick, impactful storytelling
- 🌍 Raises important humanitarian issues

**Cons**

- ⏱️ Very short gameplay duration (5-20 minutes)
- 🎮 Minimal actual gameplay mechanics
- 🎯 Limited challenge or interactivity
- 📊 Lacks depth and character development
- ⚙️ Feels more like interactive story than game
- 🔄 Limited replay value
- 🎬 One-sided narrative perspective
- 😕 Can be emotionally draining

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Control scheme placement (controls on right instead of left)
- Some gameplay mechanics feel unpolished

**Most requested features**

- Longer, more detailed storyline
- Enhanced gameplay mechanics and challenges
- More graphic death animations
- Additional sound effects and audio cues
- Episodic content expansion
- Control scheme options (left-side controls)
- Multiple story perspectives or endings
- More character development and backstory

## Recent user reviews (10 of 103)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/liyla-and-the-shadows-of-war/id1100839270/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Must play

*2026-08-28, version 6.1*

After seeing live action footage of this for years, you can become desensitized. At this point, when I see photos and videos, I have no emotions left to feel. I just feel hopeless and empty inside.
Somehow, seeing these now-everyday events in a different medium unlocked a hidden reserve of emotions. I cried for the first time in a year after completing this game.

### 1/5 — Brainwashing for Children

*2026-08-26, version 6.1*

This is not a game!
It is a propaganda tool designed to brainwash children.
In the opening scene it claims the events in the game are based on real events.
Then, with no context, explanations, or balance, it shows civilians and children being killed.
This app has no place on App Store and should not be easily accessible to children. Kids have no understanding of politics, and one-sided messaging like this pushes them toward false information, or even encourages support for dangerous ideologies like terrorism

### 5/5 — Wow

*2026-05-05, version 6.1*

Omg 🙁

### 5/5 — I’m not sure how to explain this but

*2026-04-22, version 6.1*

The setting, the monochrome, and the narrative come together to form a very heartbreaking picture of the horrors Palestinians unfortunately still face today. Its short but very impactful. The mechanics and choices presented incite a sense of fear, despair and anxiety from the threat of death looming at every corner. And real statistics for tragedies that are included in the game are also shown.

### 5/5 — 🇮🇶

*2025-12-21, version 6.1*

بكتينا يا ليلى الله يلعن كل الاسرائليين وكل من له يد في دماركم ودمار جميع الشعوب  حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيا اللهم عجل لوليك لفرج لاخذ حق الفلسطينين اللهم امين

### 5/5 — 🇵🇸❤️

*2025-09-23, version 6.1*

beautiful game free palestine

### 5/5 — From libya

*2025-08-20, version 6.1*

all love for you 💟💟free palastine 🇵🇸🇱🇾

### 5/5 — Based on actual events and likeness of a darker reality despite the games’ brief, fleeting nature

*2025-06-04, version 6.1*

💔💔💔💔💔

### 5/5 — Sad reality of being Palestinian

*2025-03-26, version 6.1*

I’m surprised Apple let this game be on this app since they are Zionist supporting Israel

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2025-03-22, version 6.1*

This is not anti semitic it is anti evil creatures

## Frequently asked questions about Liyla and The Shadows of War

### What is Liyla and The Shadows of War about?

This game is a narrative-driven experience based on actual events, placing players in the shoes of a young girl living in a war zone. The core gameplay involves making difficult choices to survive and guide her family to safety amidst the chaos of conflict.

### What are the key features of the game?

Key features include a story rooted in actual events, offering a unique perspective on war. Players will encounter challenging decisions, puzzles, and events that evoke strong emotions, all enhanced by an amazing atmosphere and epic music and sound effects.

### How much does Liyla and The Shadows of War cost?

The application is a paid game. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned, indicating a one-time purchase model for the full experience.

### What kind of experience can I expect from this game?

You can expect an emotional and challenging journey through a war-torn environment. The game focuses on storytelling, forcing players to make tough choices with significant consequences, aiming to provoke a range of feelings and provide an immersive atmosphere.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 6.1 — 2017-07-27

New Languages 
Simplified Chinese 
Traditional Chinese

### 6 — 2017-01-04

Spanish translation added

### 1.0 — 2016-05-22

No release notes.

## Apps similar to Liyla and The Shadows of War

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Into The Fragment](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/into-the-fragment/id1613104125) | 4.1 (24) | Free | Games |
| [This War Of Mine Companion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/this-war-of-mine-companion/id6747403073) | 1.0 (1) | Free | Games |
| [Dungeon Traps](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dungeon-traps/id1386510489) | 3.0 (4) | Free | Games |
| [Nightmares Inside Game Escape](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nightmares-inside-game-escape/id6745247657) | 2.1 (15) | Free | Games |
| [Monocular Enemy 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monocular-enemy-2/id1608147637) | 4.7 (143) | Free | Games |
| [Bunny Trapped In Badland](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bunny-trapped-in-badland/id1347049814) | 3.8 (36) | Free | Games |

## Related topics

[liyla and the shadows of war](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/liyla-and-the-shadows-of-war) · [rasheed abueideh](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/rasheed-abueideh) · [liyla](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/liyla) · [rise of fearless](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/rise-of-fearless)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-03.*
