Lorelai

About

Lorelai is a single player survival survival game with a horror theme. It was developed by Harvester Games and was released on April 26, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"Lorelai," by Harvester Games, is the final installment in R. Michalski's Devil Came Through Here trilogy. This horror action game features an intriguing coming-of-age story about a young girl, Lorelai, fighting to escape the horrors in her family home. With beautiful game mechanics, outstanding visuals, and a haunting soundtrack, "Lorelai" promises a dense and emotional experience, available in full HD with English voice acting and Xbox controller support.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 813 reviews

story226 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a unique art style that blends 2D and 3D elements effectively.
The story is emotionally engaging, tackling heavy themes such as domestic abuse, addiction, and trauma, while still offering moments of hope.
The voice acting and soundtrack are excellent, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.

The pacing can feel uneven, with some chapters dragging on and lacking the intensity found in the previous games.
The puzzles are overly simplistic, often feeling more like a formality rather than a challenge, which detracts from the gameplay experience.
Some characters lack depth and development, making it difficult for players to form a strong emotional connection with them.

story
693 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
The story of "Lorelai" is a dark and immersive exploration of trauma, resilience, and the struggle for identity, set against a backdrop of psychological horror. Players navigate the life of Lorelai, a young woman dealing with a dysfunctional family, as the narrative unfolds through emotional depth and surreal elements, blending the real with the supernatural. While some reviewers found the story engaging and well-presented, others noted it felt less impactful compared to its predecessors, with certain character arcs and plot points lacking development or resolution.
- “Like its predecessors, it blends psychological horror with deeply human storytelling, using surrealism and emotional intensity to explore themes of trauma, despair, and resilience.”
- “Through her eyes, the player is drawn into a story that blurs the boundaries between the real and the supernatural, confronting not just monsters and death but also the invisible horrors of everyday suffering.”
- “The story is dark, grim, depressing, and everything you're hoping for and more.”
- “Some supporting characters are underdeveloped, and a few story arcs end abruptly or without the emotional closure they seem to promise.”
- “The story is simple, but the presentation makes it so confusing.”
- “The story goes exactly where you’d expect it to, with no real surprises or tension to keep you hooked.”
graphics
260 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
56%
1%
The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style and significant improvements over previous titles in the series, blending 2D and 3D elements effectively. Many players noted the visuals as a highlight, contributing to the game's atmospheric and emotional depth, although some experienced performance issues and felt that the new graphical style detracted from the unique aesthetic of earlier games. Overall, the combination of beautiful artwork, detailed environments, and a haunting soundtrack enhances the storytelling experience, making it a visually captivating title.
- “The graphics are haunting and beautiful.”
- “The art direction and atmosphere is fantastic; it’s a lot of the same 2D hand-drawn graphics, but it feels polished and colorful while mixed in with 3D animations.”
- “The visuals were absolutely beautiful, and most of the time I was in awe.”
- “Graphics, even when set to 'potato', make my laptop burn in five minutes.”
- “Unfortunately, even though this game has improved graphics (2D characters with 3D models for buildings and objects), this 'upgrade' took away from the creepy yet fitting art style that had been consistent in the first two games (2D character in a 2D environment).”
- “My only real issue with that is that the graphics setting has seemingly no effect on the lights, so I had to play through half of the game with 2 to 5 fps (still a bit salty about that).”
music
239 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
35%
1%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its atmospheric and haunting qualities that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack features a mix of genres, including rock and ambient tracks, and is noted for its emotional depth, particularly the standout opening song sung by the main voice actress. While some found the music overly familiar or not as memorable as previous titles, the consensus is that it effectively complements the game's narrative and visuals, making it a significant highlight.
- “The music and ambiance also help with the immersion, with each area's music helping set the tone, but the highlight is definitely the main theme that plays on the main menu.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely awesome.”
- “The music is dark and evocative, helping to create a sense of tension and unease that is essential to the psychological thriller experience.”
- “I also really hated the pop culture references and the metal music in these games always makes me immediately roll my eyes.”
- “The soundtrack used in Lorelai was however just okay.”
- “It's a compilation of all the worst aspects of the previous games made by the devs. Just like in the previous games, the art style and the soundtrack are the only highlights while the rest is subpar.”
gameplay
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
78%
5%
The gameplay in "Lorelai" adheres to a simplified point-and-click adventure format, focusing heavily on narrative and emotional engagement rather than complex mechanics or challenging puzzles. While some players appreciate the streamlined approach and improved visuals, others criticize the slower pacing and reliance on cutscenes, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of familiar mechanics with a more polished presentation, though it may not satisfy those seeking deeper gameplay challenges.
- “Gameplay-wise, Lorelai remains true to its roots as an adventure game, but it is more streamlined than its predecessors.”
- “Lorelai's gameplay is centered around a point-and-click approach, typical of classic adventure games, but with an added depth that enriches the experience.”
- “The gameplay is a bit more straightforward compared to The Cat Lady and Downfall, with fewer puzzles to solve and a heavier focus on the story itself, putting you in Lorelai's shoes without taking you out of her headspace.”
- “I'd say at least half to two-thirds of gameplay is essentially just watching, which combined with the lackluster story, does not make for a compelling experience.”
- “Gameplay is just filler - puzzles are just obvious 'pick up and use here' without much sense.”
atmosphere
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and emotional depth, effectively enhancing the storytelling through striking visuals and a haunting soundtrack. While some players appreciate the blend of colorful aesthetics and psychological horror, others feel that the shift from darker tones has diminished the overall tension and creepiness compared to previous titles in the series. Overall, the game successfully creates a unique atmosphere that captivates players, though opinions vary on its effectiveness in maintaining the franchise's signature dread.
- “Together, these elements create a deeply immersive atmosphere where every detail reinforces the story’s emotional core.”
- “Lorelai's aesthetic is striking and effective in creating the desired atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is much more intense than in the previous games.”
- “This looked a lot better but lacked atmosphere in some places.”
- “Gone are the gloomy dark atmosphere, feeling of lostness and not knowing what's behind the next door, and quirky characters we meet along the way are replaced by ordinary folk or shoed-in deus ex machinas.”
- “Tcl has various disturbing twists, and df was itself a disturbing game but sadly, Lorelai didn't deliver the same atmosphere, and never really gave the cruel lessons other titles did.”
emotional
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its blend of psychological horror and human storytelling, exploring themes of trauma, resilience, and despair through immersive design and character development. While some players noted underdeveloped characters and abrupt story arcs, the overall emotional impact remains strong, with many describing it as a deeply moving experience that evokes a wide range of feelings. Despite some criticisms regarding emotional engagement and narrative depth compared to previous titles, the game is praised for its heartfelt moments and ability to resonate with players on a profound level.
- “Like its predecessors, it blends psychological horror with deeply human storytelling, using surrealism and emotional intensity to explore themes of trauma, despair, and resilience.”
- “Together, these elements create a deeply immersive atmosphere where every detail reinforces the story’s emotional core.”
- “This game had me in almost tears, made me feel angry, made me laugh, made me really think on the choices you have to make, regret choices you had to make and made me want to play again to make different choices.”
optimization
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
50%
22%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, particularly due to its use of the Unity engine, which has resulted in significant performance issues, especially at higher resolutions. Players report frequent stuttering, long loading times, and a lack of smooth gameplay, with many noting that the heavy use of 3D elements and effects detracts from the overall experience. Despite the strong voice acting performances, the technical shortcomings overshadow the game's narrative and atmosphere, leading to a recommendation to wait for potential patches or improvements before purchasing.
- “There are some optimization issues.”
- “However, it doesn’t run smoothly in HD resolution on my PC (which isn’t a very good PC, by the way), but I do think the game sometimes has too many effects on screen, and this is the reason for the low frame rate.”
- “The only cons of the game don't come with the story, the ending, or the game's atmosphere nor the characters, but of its optimizations.”
- “I'm a big fan of the series, but using the Unity engine unoptimized was a grave mistake.”
- “However, beautiful light effects and a depth of field that weren't present in the previous games in no case justify the game's astonishing lack of optimization for a (mostly) 2D point-and-click.”
- “But at the current state, I am not willing to battle the game's clumsy optimization for a story that is not giving me anything close to the emotional response I was getting in The Cat Lady and Downfall.”
humor
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in these games is often described as a surprising contrast to their dark themes, with moments of genuine wit and self-referential jokes that enhance the storytelling without trivializing serious topics. While some players appreciate the clever and subtle humor woven into the narrative, others find it jarring or inconsistent, particularly when juxtaposed with the heavy subject matter. Overall, the humor is seen as a valuable element that adds depth and relatability to the characters, though its effectiveness may vary depending on individual taste.
- “This was a fantastic game that had cool horror sections and quite a few funny jokes, so while the story is not as hard-hitting as The Cat Lady or as deeply complex as Downfall, this game is certainly worth the price.”
- “The protagonists in each of these games are understandable and relatable, and even though their stories are extremely gloomy, there are also moments of bittersweetness. In fact, there were a few instances where I actually laughed due to the intentionally funny writing, and I think these moments really shine as a good portion of the story is intensely dark.”
- “Having an in-game character that is a game developer criticizing the garbage heap of Steam releases like Ice Cube Simulator and lamenting how he had to make a zombie game to find commercial success might be a tad self-indulgent, but goddamn is it funny.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and emotional impact, while others criticize its lack of growth and reliance on prior knowledge from the series. Many players feel that the character arcs are underdeveloped compared to previous titles, leading to a less immersive experience. Overall, while some appreciate the story's richness, the consensus indicates a significant disappointment in character development.
- “The character development is deep, and the plot is skillfully constructed to create an emotionally impactful and immersive experience.”
- “Brilliant story and rich character development with the most surreal atmosphere that can only be experienced in a game created by Harvester Games.”
- “The most positive side of the game is the story and the character development.”
- “The lack of character development, the way we’re sort of expected to use our previous knowledge from other games in the series to ‘know’ the situation while the characters within know nothing… it all contributed to robbing the experience of meaning.”
- “The character development that went into the other games in the series isn't here with this game.”
- “The worst aspect of this whole game is the disturbing lack of character development.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Lorelai offers considerable replayability due to its branching narrative and multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different choices. However, its short length and lack of save/load options limit the overall replay value, with some players feeling that other titles in the genre provide a better experience. While the morality mechanic adds some depth, the game ultimately has a mixed reception regarding replayability.
- “Lorelai’s replayability is considerable due to its branching narrative and multiple possible endings.”
- “There is also significant replay value—after finishing the game, I wanted to see how events unfold if you make different choices.”
- “Multiple choices and endings to experience give good replay value.”
- “As with all story games, the replay value isn't that high.”
- “The length of the story is also shorter and replayability does drop a bit because getting the golden ending is very easy.”
- “Not being able to save/load is a big issue when it comes to replayability and seeing all the possible options.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs and glitches, including disappearing characters, game freezes, and issues with cutscenes. While some users appreciate the strong narrative and character development, the overall experience is marred by a buggy engine that detracts from gameplay. Frequent loading issues and wonky controls further contribute to a frustrating experience, despite the game's engaging story.
- “My only issue with Lorelai is that the final few chapters are buggy.”
- “This game, for all its faults, is also a buggy nightmare.”
- “The only annoying downsides I have personally experienced - and still am experiencing - are regularly occurring game freezes (usually while loading) that force me to restart the game, and sometimes pretty long loading times when the scenery changes.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant playtime for tasks like card farming and item collection. While the puzzles are relatively easy, the slow gameplay and repetitive mechanics can lead to a sense of monotony, though the strong narrative helps mitigate some of the frustration. Overall, the grinding can feel excessive, prompting some players to take breaks from the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Where shall I start - the gameplay itself is slow and can be tedious at times; I'm currently still playing, but I need a break.”
- “Downfall is even worse since you need to collect all cat skulls, which is tedious.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as potentially exploitative, with some users labeling it a "shameless cash grab."
- “Nothing more than a coincidence (or shameless cash grab perhaps?) I'm sure.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending.”