Game on: For the lovers of Noir and Mystery
A review of the mystery-based Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Hyderabad: One of the first things you are bound to notice when you load up Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is its unique aesthetic style, one that can be best compared to the 2005 Jessica Alba starrer Sin City – a wonderfully detailed black-and-white world bereft of color except for splashes of signature scarlet.
This style, which worked quite well in the film, is very well suited to Simogo’s mystery thriller as it signifies everything from leaves on trees to points of interest.
Laced with oodles of nostalgia and dated tech, there is a lot here to explore, from computers running operating systems like MS-DOS to landline phones with rotary dials.
In terms of gameplay, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes throws everything at you, from numeric passcodes to language-based clues and math. Even the very act of reaching the hotel (where most of the game is set) requires you to pet a dog, decipher the clue it is carrying, do basic math, override an electric box, and then reach the reception, which, to no one’s surprise, is deserted.
The game makes no qualms about the puzzles and mystery it offers, as everything you do is carefully recorded in a memory journal.
However, much of the play in Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is not happening on the screen but away from it. The game’s early instruction guide advises you to play the game with pen and paper in hand and to carefully make notes for the various clues you gather.
I found this an extremely relaxing feeling as I could play both with my Switch in hand or when it was docked on the screen. I carried my notebook and pen with me wherever I took the Switch and soon I was more engrossed wondering what clues pieced together in my notebook than in the on-screen hotel.
I really enjoyed my time with the notebook, but I couldn’t help but wonder how Annapurna and Simogo could have benefited from looking at the way this year’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown integrated the clue system with the game’s map to make things easier for players.
If something similar had been done here, it could have enhanced the experience. Apart from this tiny nitpick, I truly enjoyed my time with the game – walking through passages, unlocking new corridors and shortcuts, and trying to make sense of the mysterious art diviner that the game wants you to investigate.
The relaxed, laid-back style that the game uses becomes quite compelling as the mystery unfolds.
This game is a must try if you love the mystery genre and appreciate games that are slow and require you to think. If you do give it a try, be prepared for the unexpected!