Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

Last updated
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes cover art.jpg
Developer(s) Simogo
Publisher(s) Annapurna Interactive
Director(s) Simon Flesser
Engine Unity
Platform(s) Nintendo Switch
Windows
ReleaseMay 16, 2024
Genre(s) Puzzle
Mode(s) Single-player

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a 2024 puzzle game developed by Simogo and published by Annapurna Interactive. It was released on May 16, 2024, on Windows and Nintendo Switch.

Contents

Gameplay

In the game, the player assumes control of a woman, who is invited to participate in a mysterious project set in an old mansion. [1] She must explore the mansion to find out what is happening, while the situation becomes progressively "dangerous and surreal". [2] The game features more than 150 puzzles, which can be completed in a non-linear sequence. The game is played from a third-person perspective, and the player can interact with various characters and objects. [3]

Development

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is the ninth game developed by Simogo, which had previously created games such as Device 6 and Sayonara Wild Hearts . Unlike Sayonara Wild Hearts, the game is mostly colored in black and white. The studio wanted to create a "3D collage, a fragmented memory world", and therefore combined various visual styles, using "photographs, low-polygon geometry, line-rendering, and distinct sharp shading on higher res-characters" to create a surreal atmosphere. [4] According to Simon Flesser, the game's director, the team wanted to evoke "a constant feeling of ambivalence" and "a sense of absurdity", in which players will begin to question what is happening due to the peculiar scenarios presented in the game's story. [5]

In March 2020, Annapurna Interactive and Simogo announced a multi-year agreement to publish Simogo's games further after the success of Sayonara Wild Hearts in 2019. [6] During the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase in June 2022, the game was officially revealed. [7] While the game was set to be released in 2023, an update during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase in June 2023 reveals the game delayed with a cyphered message around its launch. [8] The release date was finally revealed later during the Indie World Showcase in April 2024 with the game being set to launch on May 16, 2024. [9]

Reception

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [17] 95% of critics recommend the game on OpenCritic. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</i> 2017 video game

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a 2017 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch and Wii U. Set at the end of the Zelda timeline, the player controls an amnesiac Link as he sets out to save Princess Zelda and prevent Calamity Ganon from destroying the world. Players explore the open world of Hyrule while they collect items and complete objectives such as puzzles or side quests. Breath of the Wild's world is unstructured and encourages exploration and experimentation; the story can be completed in a nonlinear fashion.

<i>Hellraid</i> Video game

Hellraid was a video game in development by Techland. It was scheduled to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2015, but has been put on hold since then. A mobile spin-off titled Hellraid: The Escape was published in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simogo</span> Swedish video game developer

Simogo is a Swedish independent video game developer based in Malmö. The company was founded in 2010 and is best known for creating games for mobile devices, including Year Walk and Device 6. Its name comes from the name of its founders Simon (SIM), and Gordon (GO); the 'O' from the Swedish word "och" meaning "and".

<i>Gorogoa</i> 2017 puzzle video game

Gorogoa is a puzzle video game developed by Jason Roberts and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, and iOS on 14 December 2017, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 22 May 2018, and shortly thereafter an Android and Kindle Fire release.

<i>Outer Wilds</i> 2019 video game

Outer Wilds is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Mobius Digital and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game features the player character exploring a planetary system stuck in a 22-minute time loop that ends with the sun going supernova. The player explores the system on foot and in a small spacecraft, investigating the alien ruins of the Nomai and finding their history and the cause of the time loop.

<i>BoxBoy!</i> (video game) 2015 video game for the Nintendo 3DS

BoxBoy! is a puzzle-platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS handheld console. Players control Qbby, a square-shaped character who can produce a string of connected boxes. The boxes are used to overcome obstacles in stages that Qbby must be guided through. The project plan for BoxBoy! was devised in 2011 by director Yasuhiro Mukae, although the game did not enter development until 2013. The core gameplay concept remained the same throughout the title's development, however, changes were made to length of levels and the structure of the game. Each set of stages was designed with a specific theme in mind with the intention of expanding the game's depth by introducing new elements continuously. The game was released via the Nintendo eShop distribution service in Japan in January 2015, and worldwide in April 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annapurna Interactive</span> Video game publisher

Annapurna Games, LLC is an American video game publisher and developer. The company is a division of Annapurna Pictures, and was founded in 2016. Notable games published by the company include What Remains of Edith Finch, Outer Wilds, Neon White and Stray.

<i>The Artful Escape</i> 2021 video game

The Artful Escape is a platform video game developed by Beethoven & Dinosaur and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was originally released on September 9, 2021 for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on January 25, 2022.

<i>Sayonara Wild Hearts</i> 2019 video game

Sayonara Wild Hearts is a music-based action game created by Swedish developer Simogo and published by Annapurna Interactive. Described as a "pop album video game", Sayonara Wild Hearts follows the story of a heartbroken young woman through a surrealistic landscape. Each level of the game is set to a song, with the player guiding the woman while collecting hearts, avoiding obstacles, and fighting enemies. The game was released for iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and tvOS devices in September 2019, for Windows in December 2019, and for Xbox One in February 2020. It was met with positive reviews for its visuals, soundtrack, and gameplay, and nominated for several year-end awards.

The 20th Game Developers Choice Awards was an annual awards ceremony by Game Developers Choice Awards for outstanding game developers and video games held on March 18, 2020, hosted by Kim Swift. Though normally held at the Game Developers Conference, due to the 2020 coronavirus outbreak, the conference was postponed to later in 2020, and the awards were presented via online streaming media, alongside the Independent Games Festival awards.

<i>BoxBoy!</i> Video game series

BoxBoy! is a series of puzzle-platform games developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. The series centres around Qbby, a square-shaped character who can produce a string of connected boxes. The boxes are used to overcome obstacles in stages that Qbby must be guided through. The first game, BoxBoy!, released on January 14, 2015, in Japan on the Nintendo 3DS. Its sequel, BoxBoxBoy!, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2016, with a third game, Bye-Bye BoxBoy!, in 2017. A physical compilation of the first three games, HakoBoy! Hakozume Box, was released in Japan. A fourth installment, BoxBoy! + BoxGirl!, was released for the Nintendo Switch in April 2019.

<i>Open Roads</i> Adventure mystery-thriller video game

Open Roads is an adventure mystery-thriller video game developed by Open Roads Team and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on March 28, 2024.

<i>Solar Ash</i> 2021 video game

Solar Ash is an action-adventure platform game game developed by Heart Machine and published by Annapurna Interactive. It was released on December 2, 2021 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Windows. It was also released via Steam on December 8, 2022, and it was released for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on September 14, 2023. The game's science fiction story explores themes of trauma and moving on from dramatic, devastating life events. It is set in the same fictional universe as Heart Machine's first and previous game, Hyper Light Drifter, but there are no direct connections between the two games' stories.

<i>Storyteller</i> (video game) 2023 puzzle video game

Storyteller is a puzzle video game designed by Daniel Benmergui and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was released on March 23, 2023 for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch, and was released on September 26, 2023 for iOS and Android via Netflix.

<i>Silt</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Silt is a surreal underwater puzzle-adventure indie horror game developed by Spiral Circus and published by Fireshine Games for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, in which the player controls a deep-sea diver who can possess the diverse marine life that enters their vicinity. It was released on June 1, 2022.

<i>The Wild at Heart</i> 2021 video game

The Wild at Heart is an open world exploration video game developed by Moonlight Kids and published by Humble Games. It was released on May 20, 2021, for Windows, macOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4. It follows two runaway children as they unravel the mysteries of a lost realm.

<i>A Memoir Blue</i> 2022 video game

A Memoir Blue is an interactive story and video game developed by studio Cloisters Interactive and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was released on March 24, 2022 for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and on November 3, 2022 for iOS.

<i>Cocoon</i> (video game) 2023 video game

Cocoon is a 2023 puzzle adventure game developed by Geometric Interactive and published by Annapurna Interactive. The player controls a beetle that can hop between worlds, solving puzzles to unravel the universe's mysteries. The game was released on September 29, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

<i>Thirsty Suitors</i> 2023 video game

Thirsty Suitors is an adventure video game about a young woman, Jala, who returns to her hometown for her sister's wedding and must navigate her relationships with her family and former paramours. It has been developed by Outerloop Games and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was released on November 2, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

<i>Venba</i> (video game) 2023 video game

Venba is a narrative cooking video game developed and published by Visai Games. The story begins in 1988 and follows an immigrant Indian couple settling down in Canada and adjusting their day-to-day lives in the new environment. The player controls the titular character, Venba, an Indian woman who moves with her husband to Toronto, where they eventually have a son. The game draws heavily from Tamil culture and South Indian cuisine. The game was released on July 31, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

References

  1. Castle, Katherine (April 17, 2017). "Lorelei And The Laser Eyes is a new notebook-is-mandatory puzzle stunner from the Sayonara Wild Hearts devs". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  2. Denzer, TJ (April 17, 2024). "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes brings adventure & suspense in May 2024". Shacknews . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  3. Wales, Matt (April 17, 2024). "Sayonara Wild Hearts studio's Lorelei and the Laser Eyes out in May". Eurogamer . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  4. Nightingale, Ed (July 14, 2023). "Annapurna-published puzzler Lorelei and the Laser Eyes features a broken world and a big secret". Eurogamer . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  5. Conditt, Jessica (July 7, 2022). "Simogo tries to explain the mysteries of 'Lorelei and the Laser Eyes'". Engadget . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  6. Kerr, Chris (March 10, 2020). "Sayonara Wild Hearts dev signs multi-year partnership with Annapurna Interactive". Gamasutra . Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  7. Radulovic, Petrana (28 June 2022). "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is the newest game from Sayonara Wild Hearts developers". Polygon. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  8. "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes - Official Maze Trailer". IGN . June 30, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  9. Fanelli, Jason (April 17, 2024). "Lorelei And The Laser Eyes, The Next Game From Device 6 Devs, Launches In May". GameSpot . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes critic reviews". www.metacritic.com.
  11. 1 2 "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Reviews". OpenCritic. May 16, 2024.
  12. https://www.eurogamer.net/lorelei-and-the-laser-eyes-review
  13. published, Rachel Watts (May 15, 2024). "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes review: "Totally engrossing, effortlessly stylish, and one of the best puzzle games of 2024"". gamesradar.
  14. Life, Nintendo (May 15, 2024). "Review: Lorelei And The Laser Eyes (Switch) - An Excellent Puzzle-Filled Homage To Resident Evil". Nintendo Life.
  15. published, Autumn Wright (May 16, 2024). "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes review". pcgamer.
  16. "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes review: A neo-noir puzzle box". Shacknews. May 15, 2024.
  17. "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes". www.metacritic.com.