Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

“The cryptic Lorelei and the Laser Eyes may very well be the greatest puzzle game ever made.”

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"Lorelei and the Laser Eyes" is a non-linear mystery game set in an old hotel, where a woman must solve an eccentric man's illusions and handcrafted puzzles. The game is filled with surreal and dangerous scenarios, constantly presenting new riddles to decipher the enigma of Lorelei. Fans of Simogo's other games, such as "Sayonara Wild Hearts" and "Year Walk," will enjoy this immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 755 reviews

story83 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

Incredible puzzle design that challenges players without being unfair, leading to satisfying 'aha' moments.
Unique and captivating atmosphere with a striking art style that enhances the overall experience.
Engaging narrative that unfolds as players progress, intertwining with the puzzles and encouraging exploration.

Clunky controls with a frustrating one-button scheme that complicates menu navigation and puzzle interactions.
Lack of a hint system or back button, making it easy to get stuck on puzzles without guidance.
Some puzzles can feel arbitrary or disconnected from the narrative, leading to moments of confusion.

story
240 mentions
35 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as intricate, cryptic, and often surreal, weaving together themes of art, mystery, and existential exploration. While many players found the narrative engaging and rewarding, some noted its complexity and non-linear structure could be challenging to follow, requiring careful attention to detail and piecing together clues. Overall, the integration of story and puzzles is praised as a standout feature, enhancing the immersive experience despite some critiques of vagueness and abstraction.
- “The story is wonderful, and the storytelling is unlike any other.”
- “A beautifully intricate puzzle box that melds a surreal, fascinating story with difficult, yet fair puzzles into one amazing experience I'm not soon to forget.”
- “The story and atmosphere are probably the best part of this game.”
- “The story is obscure and hazy, only revealing itself slowly, through obscure riddles.”
- “This was disappointing as we should really have been encouraged to glue the plot together as the game progressed, but the reality was that the story was parallel to the puzzles, not a part of them beyond theme, which meant that the story elements could largely be ignored.”
- “The story itself, while integral to the puzzles, isn't terribly easy to follow.”
graphics
103 mentions
46 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and immersive art style, blending noir elements with retro aesthetics, creating a visually stunning experience. Players appreciate the meticulous attention to detail in the visuals, which complement the engaging narrative and challenging puzzles, enhancing the overall atmosphere. The combination of striking monochromatic visuals with selective color highlights contributes to a captivating and emotionally resonant gaming experience.
- “The game has a beautiful art style.”
- “From the stunning visuals and beautifully haunting soundtrack, to its thought-provoking storyline, every detail of this game feels intentional, creating an immersive atmosphere that completely draws you in.”
- “The art style, storytelling, music, and atmosphere are all incredible.”
- “I'm also not fond of the entire game being in a pseudo dark mode due to its noir aesthetics, yet having paper documents be blindingly white - if you care about accessibility, people with eye issues would probably appreciate not being flashbanged by every document.”
- “The sharp graphical style leads your eyes to certain places and phrases, while the numerical repetition in the puzzles leads your mind.”
- “The surprisingly wide array of settings and visuals echoes the variety of the puzzles and every one will catch you off guard when you first come into contact with it.”
atmosphere
85 mentions
66 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, drawing comparisons to classic titles like Resident Evil and blending elements of mystery and surrealism. Players appreciate the meticulous visual design, eerie soundscapes, and the way the atmosphere enhances the puzzle-solving experience, creating a captivating and memorable environment. Overall, the combination of stylish aesthetics, engaging storytelling, and a chilling ambiance makes it a standout for fans of atmospheric puzzle games.
- “This game is an evolving masterpiece of an atmospheric thriller mixed with some of the best and most intuitive puzzles I've ever seen.”
- “The stylized atmosphere is haunting, with a mix of modernized Resident Evil, feelings one must have of perusing an old magic shop, and being lost in a maze-like mansion full of secrets.”
- “From the stunning visuals and beautifully haunting soundtrack to its thought-provoking storyline, every detail of this game feels intentional, creating an immersive atmosphere that completely draws you in.”
- “The atmosphere is what really sells it, though.”
- “Outside the puzzles, the game creates a really eerie atmosphere, somehow both incredibly disjointed and cohesive at once with a genuinely intriguing story that comes together brilliantly by the end.”
- “It can make the atmosphere feel on the duller side, as the eerie ambience of several rooms is more subtle, understated.”
music
56 mentions
55 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its outstanding quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its haunting and immersive qualities. While some noted that the music is often localized to specific rooms, which can diminish its impact, others praised the soundtrack's ability to complement the game's visuals and narrative effectively. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's engaging experience.
- “The music is outstanding, and weirdly good for a game like this, especially the two songs with vocals.”
- “From the stunning visuals and beautifully haunting soundtrack, to its thought-provoking storyline, every detail of this game feels intentional, creating an immersive atmosphere that completely draws you in.”
- “The unsettling ambient music enhances the atmosphere, perfectly complementing the beautifully designed hotel—a maze of levels and rooms, mirrored worlds, and layers of locked secrets.”
- “However, the fact that music is localized to rooms made this less impactful than it could have been, which was a bit of a shame.”
- “The music was largely unremarkable; the side content was shallow, and going the extra mile to complete it didn't have a substantial payoff.”
- “The smaller nitpick I have is how the music coming from the phonographs gets muted upon trying a puzzle.”
gameplay
50 mentions
24 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes" is characterized by a blend of exploration and puzzle-solving, with a unique narrative that intertwines with its mechanics. While many players appreciate the innovative design and the depth of the puzzles, some criticize the repetitiveness and simplicity of certain mechanics, as well as the occasional tediousness in navigation. Overall, the game is praised for its captivating story and artistic presentation, making it a compelling experience despite some gameplay drawbacks.
- “The main gameplay is exploration and puzzle solving.”
- “Lorelei and the laser eyes delivers a unique experience blending puzzle-solving and narrative-driven gameplay.”
- “Incredibly innovative design and great use of mechanics as narrative.”
- “Aside from mechanical complaints, there is one sequence which involves answering tons of trivia questions which is extremely and uncharacteristically boring.”
- “The game is incredibly simple in all its mechanics and execution, and once the story is known, that is it, there is no more to do.”
- “My main gameplay gripe with this game is that most of the puzzles are of the 'key a for door a' variety with key a being a longwinded document you have to parse to figure out which part is which.”
grinding
19 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, primarily due to clunky menu navigation and a lack of intuitive controls. The single-button control scheme, while aimed at accessibility, often leads to frustratingly slow interactions and repetitive gameplay, detracting from the overall experience. Many reviewers express that the game's design choices contribute to a sense of unnecessary filler and disorientation, making it difficult to stay engaged.
- “I have given up on trying to play it anymore because of two reasons: how tedious the game already is at the very start, and how filled with filler 'puzzles' it is, even at the very start of the game.”
- “It makes the experience feel like the developers decided to knowingly be needlessly tedious for no reason other than 'because we can'.”
- “Striving for accessibility only to make the game more tedious to operate for everyone does not seem like the way to go.”
emotional
7 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke a deep sense of fulfillment and introspection, reminiscent of classic gaming experiences. Players express a mix of frustration and satisfaction, feeling both challenged and emotionally connected to the narrative, which is seamlessly woven into the gameplay. Overall, the game offers a unique emotional journey that resonates with players, making them reflect on their experiences in a profound way.
- “Not every game can be for everyone, but I believe anyone who gives this game a try is in for a fulfilling and emotional experience, and I am so jealous of them that they might wander the halls of the hotel naive to the incredible journey they are about to take.”
- “While all of it is well done, its main strength is its storytelling: like the team's prior work, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Lorelei deeply integrates its emotional conceits into the presentation and the gameplay.”
- “Much like Sayonara Wild Hearts, an excellent 'video game' on the surface, with a touching human introspection as the custard filling.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes" is highlighted as a standout feature, blending clever and intricate comedic elements with its horror and puzzle mechanics. Players report numerous laugh-out-loud moments and appreciate the inclusion of classic Resident Evil easter eggs that add to the game's charm. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it both entertaining and engaging.
- “Lorelei and the laser eyes is half Resident Evil style fixed-camera puzzle horror, and half brilliantly funny and intricate mystery.”
- “There is a classic Resident Evil easter egg in the game and it was hilarious encountering it.”
- “The game is also extremely funny; I've had several laugh-out-loud moments.”
replayability
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is significantly enhanced by its random and unique puzzle answers tied to each save file, ensuring that every playthrough offers a different experience. This design choice makes it challenging to rely on guides, further encouraging players to revisit the game.
- “Best of all, the answers to puzzles are completely random and unique to each save file, meaning that every playthrough is going to be different. The locations and other aspects of the puzzles also vary, which was a brilliant move that makes using guides nearly impossible and significantly enhances the replay value.”
- “The game offers a multitude of choices that lead to different outcomes, encouraging players to explore various paths and strategies in subsequent playthroughs.”
- “With its dynamic world and evolving storylines, each playthrough feels fresh and engaging, making it hard to put down.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making subsequent playthroughs feel repetitive and uninspired.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return, as side quests feel like filler rather than engaging content.”
- “While the initial experience is enjoyable, the lack of varied outcomes means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than a choice.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized for significant glitches that not only disrupt gameplay but also pose serious health risks, such as triggering migraines and epilepsy. This indicates a lack of consideration for player safety in the design.
- “It's bad enough with the single glitches, but this is really poor design when there is no ability to remove what is a serious migraine and epilepsy trigger.”