Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Genres: Puzzle, Horror, Mystery, Story Rich, Thriller, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer
Release Date: 16-5-2024
Developer: Simogo
Our verdict
9/10
- Difficulty: Hard
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 15–30 h
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a non-linear puzzle mystery from Simogo, the studio behind Sayonara Wild Hearts. A woman is summoned to an old baroque hotel in central Europe by an eccentric artist and drawn into a surreal, increasingly dangerous game. Almost every door, box and computer is locked behind a handcrafted riddle. It suits patient solo players who keep a notebook and loved Return of the Obra Dinn or Blue Prince.
About 94% of 2,300 Steam reviews are positive. Players describe filling pages of notes, sketching symbols and even reaching for calculators, and say nearly every puzzle gives you the information you need inside the hotel. The black-and-white style, eerie Twin Peaks mood and slowly unfolding story get as much praise as the puzzles. Most playthroughs run 15 to 30 hours.
It is demanding. Reviewers mention obtuse moments, long spells of not knowing where to go, a heavy reliance on numbers, and one big jump scare. If that sounds like a feature, this is among the strongest puzzle games in the catalog.
Pros
- Huge hotel packed with handcrafted, self-contained riddles
- Notebook-style deduction that rewards sketching and note-taking
- Distinctive black-and-white style and eerie mood
Cons
- Can leave you wandering with no clear next step
- Leans heavily on number and date puzzles
- Some later puzzles feel rushed or obtuse
About
A woman, summoned by an eccentric man to participate in a project in an old hotel somewhere in central Europe, becomes embroiled in a game of illusions, increasingly dangerous and surreal.
Now you are invited to fall into the same rabbit hole, in a non-linear mystery with an immense amount of handcrafted puzzles, constantly presenting you with new riddles to solve, each leading you closer to deciphering the enigma of Lorelei and the Laser Eyes.
