Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
From the second you start Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and it hands you nothing but a cryptic manual and some tampons, you just know things are gonna get weird. The twisting narrative puzzle game from Simogo is a complex, knotty mystery to unwind and it never holds your hand. Drawing on old horror games and French New Wave cinema in equal parts, Lorelei traps the player in a monochromatic mansion filled with seemingly endless locks and puzzles. This is a game that requires a notebook and patience. You will feel like the dumbest person at times and the smartest at others. Lorelei twists in on itself in new forms and mediums constantly, giving the player new perspectives on its puzzle box story. What unravels is a compelling piece of art about art itself. It might be too meta for some, but Lorelei and the Laser Eyes’ particular brand of weirdness works incredibly well thanks to Simogo’s impeccable design. It just might be one of the best puzzle games ever made. — Willa Rowe
