Simogo has made a name for itself as one of the best mobile game developers there is, consistently putting out one critically-acclaimed, award-winning game after another for over a decade. While Simogo has primarily been known for its mobile games, the studio’s latest effort,Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, is only available on PC and Switch. And those on PC and Switch are in for a treat, becauseLorelei and the Laser Eyesis Simogo’s best work yet.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyesis a mind-bending puzzle game about a woman exploring an old hotel. The game is a giant puzzle box where one solution can often give players the information or items they need to solve puzzles elsewhere in the hotel. Progression in the game echoes classicResident Eviltitles, with players even having to collect playing card-themed keys to unlock certain doors.
The simplest way to describeLorelei and the Laser Eyesis thatit’s likeResident EvilmeetsProfessor Layton, with math.Lorelei’s puzzles are significantly more challenging than those found inResident Evil’s mansion, though the game gives players all the tools they need to solve its riddles. Players can consult books that explain the Zodiac signs, the ancient Greek alphabet, moon patterns, and a calculator to help solve tricky math problems. Finding answers inLorelei and the Laser Eyescan sometimes require poring over huge chunks of text. Still, the text itself is fascinating as it helps cultivate the game’s somewhat creepy atmosphere and often features hints at the overarching story and what is truly going on in the hotel.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyesis not a horror game, but it will still greatly appeal to fans of classic survival-horror games, especially theoriginalResident Evil. There are no zombies to kill or combat to worry about, but the game has its fair share of weird and disturbing moments. It’s eerie, but several steps down from full-blown horror, so puzzle game fans who are too scared to play something likeResident Evilshould findLorelei and the Laser Eyesright up their alley.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Will Test Even the Most Seasoned Puzzle Game Fans
Lorelei and the Laser Eyeswill completely enrapture puzzle game fans. It’s the kind of game that you can’t stop thinking about once you start it. Players will wrack their brains trying to figure outLorelei’s puzzles even when they’re not actively playing the game, and may even have eureka moments that will have themrushing to their Switchto see if their solution is right. While they are playing the game, it’s good for players to have a notebook handy. I had over seven pages worth of notes by the time my playthrough was over.
Players will inevitably get stuck inLorelei and the Laser Eyesfrom time to time, but the game’s non-linear structure goes a long way in ensuring that serious roadblocks don’t happen too often. If players are stuck on a certain puzzle, there are often puzzles they can solve instead.Lorelei and the Laser Eyeskeeps track of important items and areas in a special Mental Notes section in the pause menu to give players at least some direction, and while others will still be hurting for a proper hint system, this ensures that players know what they should be focusing on.
That being said, there is one important item that does not register in the Mental Notes for whatever reason, which caused me to get stuck in the game for quite some time. I won’t spoil the puzzle here, but since every other important puzzle object was logged in the Mental Notes, I have to imagine that the absence of this particular thing was an oversight and not a deliberate decision. Solving this puzzle opened the floodgates and, in turn, allowed me to solve a multitude of other puzzles I was stuck on, so it not being recorded in the Mental Notes was a source of frustration, but really the only major hiccup I encountered in my playthrough. Menu navigation could have been better as well, as there’s no designated “back” button and players instead have to move their cursor to an X every time - but that’s a minor inconvenience players will get used to as they play the game.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Has Over 150 Puzzles to Solve
Otherwise,Lorelei and the Laser Eyesis an incredible experience from start to finish. Overcoming its puzzles is euphoric, and with over 150 puzzles to solve inLorelei and the Laser Eyes,puzzle game aficionadoswill get more than their money’s worth. My playthrough took nearly 25 hours, though mileage will vary depending on how good one is at puzzle games. There were admittedly a few puzzles that had me stumped for hours. And even after all that, there were still secrets left to uncover in the hotel.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyesis a must-play puzzle game and one of the genre’s best.
Besides the main set of puzzles players must solve if they hope to finish the game,Lorelei and the Laser Eyesalso features intriguing side content for players to engage with. They are able to collect cash hidden around the game world to purchase handheld video game cartridges that let them unwind with mini-games themed afterSimogo’s older titles, and they can also buy gacha figures from a machine in the basement.Loreleialso features optional “memories” for players to unlock if they hope to achieve 100% completion, which is an extremely rewarding venture.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyesis a tremendous puzzle game wrapped in a trippy, mostlyblack-and-white worldthat combines a variety of art styles to great effect. It’s the kind of game that’s impossible to look away from. No other video games really look like it, ensuring that it will stick in players' minds long after they’ve solved every puzzle the hotel has to offer.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyescan sometimes feel like theDark Soulsof puzzle games, but no one will regret challenging themselves to solve its many mysteries. Players who enjoy analyzing complex stories will have a blast taking apart the many layers toLorelei and the Laser Eye’s bizarre tale, while those looking for an addicting puzzle game will find it to be an incredibly satisfying adventure.Lorelei and the Laser Eyesis a must-play puzzle game and one of the genre’s best.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch
Do you remember the maze?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.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyeslaunches for PC and Switch on May 16. Game Rant was provided with a Switch code for this review.
