Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

completely awesome. must play for fans of lateral thinking puzzles and mansionvanias (just made that up)

I have used this word in a few other reviews of games I particularly enjoyed, and it applies to Lorelei as well: the game is remarkably coherent. It is less a game about solving puzzles and more a game about how people create meaning. Its puzzles do not merely unlock doors, but also memories, works of art, and stories. The hotel merges clues, timelines, and identities together. What initially appears to be chaotic noise ultimately reveals itself as a collection of perfectly valid puzzle pieces - they had simply been assigned to the wrong picture. The hotel is not only highly atmospheric, but also a joy to explore thanks to how interconnected it is. You'll constantly be opening shortcuts or finding new opportunities to give Lorelei the caffeine kick she so desperately needs. Most puzzles are built around information gathered throughout the game and cleverly reuse recurring motifs in fresh ways. Having a pen and paper nearby for notes is highly recommended (though screenshots sometimes as well). The game also blends a surprising variety of styles without any of them feeling out of place. Whether it transforms into a point-and-click adventure or has you trudging through corridors in a classic PlayStation-era Resident Evil aesthetic, these ideas showcase Simogo at their best. The same applies to the puzzle design, which alternates between simpler challenges and more demanding brainteasers. Thanks to the game's non-linear structure, I always had something to work on, and it frequently created that irresistible "just one more puzzle" feeling. Only rarely did I get completely stuck and have to consult a guide - and usually the issue was that I had simply overlooked something. That's the price of non-linearity. What doesn't work nearly as well is the one-button control scheme. It makes everything clunkier than it needs to be because you cannot simply back out of actions. For example, leaving a menu requires selecting an on-screen "Exit" button. I'm also not a fan of Simogo once again choosing to explain the core plot near the very end. If they want to tell their stories in such an artsy and cryptic fashion, they should have the confidence to fully commit to it. In the process, the game raises some very old questions: Can art free itself from capitalism? How can one create art without an audience - art that is perceived only by the eyes of the cosmos? There is a certain irony - and perhaps a message - in the fact that Renzo's art is ultimately experienced by players and purchased in the form of this very game.

An effective artsy take on a puzzle game. The puzzles are your usual brain teasers and math conundrums, not bad by any means, but the atmosphere and storytelling is what completely highlights this game from the many many other puzzles games in the market. The plot is very reminiscent of a David Lynch movie, with some horror aspects mixed with parodies and provocative ideas. It's super confusing to understand on purpose, but if you explore everything, the ending is pretty clear and truly gorgeous. The designs are marvelous, visually it's stunning and the soundtrack is perfect. It's not a very hard game, you'll still get stuck from time to time, but it's very forgiving with the in-game inventory and documents, unlike some other puzzle heavy games like Blue Prince. The controls are minimalist (there's only one button for everything), and some people seem to really hate it, I'd say... grow up. It's really not bad, you get used to it, and I even think it somewhat enhances the uniqueness of the game. Even though some puzzles pissed me off, I cannot recommend this game enough if you like plot heavy, atmospheric puzzle games like Outer Wilds or Talos Principle.