HomeFeaturesLorelei And The Laser Eyes
Lorelei And The Laser Eyes is a new notebook-is-mandatory puzzle stunner from the Sayonara Wild Hearts devsComing this May, it’s is right old brain teaser - and the closest we’ll ever get to Device 6 on PC
Coming this May, it’s is right old brain teaser - and the closest we’ll ever get to Device 6 on PC
Image credit:Annapurna Interactive
Image credit:Annapurna Interactive
The surreal pop synth ofSayonara Wild Heartsmay have been the game that put Swedish developer Simogo on the map for PC players, but for me their earlier iOS puzzler Device 6 stands in my memory as being one of the most distinctive video games I’ve played. An interactive mystery novel at its heart, Device 6 took full advantage of its mobile-based hardware, asking players to turn and rotate their device to read certain lines of text, and scroll through its chapters searching for audio visual clues to solve itspuzzles. I’ve often lamented that it never made its way to other platforms, even though part of its magic is inherently tied to physicality of its tactile origins.
Image credit:Annapurna Interactive
Image credit:Annapurna Interactive
Image credit:Annapurna Interactive
This is where your pen and paper come in, as making these connections and feeling your way around the sliding Rubik’s Cube of information in the game is ultimately what fuels your exploration. You’re presented with a lot of information upfront that you won’t know what to do with until much later on, and it can be easy to feel like you’re at an impasse when there’s so much to sift through. The key thing, though, is that it’s not so galaxy-brained that the answers are deliberately obscure or obtuse. I’ve been forbidden to get into the specifics of Lorelei’s puzzles (though nor would I want to spoil them anyway), but the connections do come eventually, and you’ll take another look at a document and realise, goddamnit,thisis connected tothat, which must be related tothat other thingyou saw hours earlier. Other times you’ll feel on the verge of making an important discovery, only for that part of the puzzle to reveal evenmoremysteries underneath it. It’s very like Tunic in that sense, its breadcrumb trail of questions and answers leading you on deeper into this maze-like puzzle box.
Image credit:Annapurna Interactive
But it’s not all cold, hard logic puzzles. Scattered throughout Lorelei And The Laser Eyes are moments of pure idiosyncrasy, such as being presented with the option to wash or not wash your hands after using the completely optional basement loo, or hanging up your jacket on the coat stand out in the hallway, or leaving your car unlocked out in the car park. And yes, petting the dog. With all dialogue presented as searing white text on a pure black background - a bit like in old silent films - it gives these seemingly inconsequential choices a strange and almost comedic irony to them. Perhaps somethingwillhappen if I don’t have my jacket later on, or the strange woman with the fluorescent purple eye sockets who’s sleeping in the bed in my room really can sense that I didn’t use any soap after visiting the bathroom earlier. I honestly wouldn’t put it past Simogo to make some sort of wry comment about these things further down the line, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if they’re just there for the sake of it either. After all, anything seems to go in this whimsical wonderland, and it all serves to make it feel more alive and enigmatic.
