Blue Princehas been blowing up, in no small part due to its high review scores (the highest of the year so far, in fact) and the positive word of mouth from people likeBalatrodeveloper LocalThunk.
And also me, if you were wondering. I gave it 4.5 starsin my review.
The narrative puzzle game is a unique spin on the roguelike genre, telling its story through well-placed clues strewn across a house with an ever changing floor plan that you create with each new day. It’s complex, difficult, and full of mysteries. You only get as far as your curiosity and patience takes you, which is a beautiful thing in a landscape of games willing to hold your hand through everything.
Blue Prince is really scratching people’s brains in all of the right ways, because of its complexity, difficulty, and endless trove of secrets. As a fellow puzzle sicko, I have a suggestion: when you’ve wrapped up Blue Prince (it might take a while), try Lorelei and the Laser Eyes.
Lorelei And The Laser Eyes Is A Long-Lost Blue Prince Sibling
You might have missed Lorelei and the Laser Eyes when it launched last year – I don’t really blame you. As an indie game, and a puzzle game on top of that, it was fighting an uphill battle for visibility.
Add that it launched in May 2024, alongside other indie heavy hitters likeHades 2(in early access),1000xResist,Animal Well,Indika, andCrow Country, and… well, you can see why it was overlooked by a lot of people. That’s despite having almost universally positive ratings, and an88 OpenCritic average.
I gave it a perfect score. Again, just in case you were wondering. I have great taste.
Lorelei has a lot in common with Blue Prince. It’s not a roguelike by any means, but itisa puzzle game, one that’s surprisingly difficult, relies on lateral thinking, and tells its strange, bizarre story in a somewhat non-linear way. You will need a pen and paper, and it’sbest played with friends– I reviewed it on my docked Switch in the living room, roping in all my housemates so we could put our brains together to solve its many puzzles. There are puzzles that, when solved, make you feel like a genius. There are others that will make you want to tear your hair out. It will feel familiar if you’ve played Blue Prince.
But It’s Unique In Its Own Right, Too
But make no mistake, it’s an incredibly unique game in its own right. Thematically, it’s much less grounded and more surreal than Blue Prince, often presenting you with bizarre, unsettling imagery, sometimes even bordering on frightening. It obfuscates its story with strangeness, and it’s glorious. It’s a work of art if I’ve ever seen one – aptly, it’s also a game about art.
And aesthetically, it’s incredibly striking. Everything is in black and white, apart from a few accents in the pink to red spectrum. Many of its characters have covered or blurred faces. You view the player character as if from security cameras, with the perspective shifting from room to room. It’s silent, apart from its wonderful, creepy soundtrack. It’s retro, uncanny, and looks unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
If you love being frustrated and challenged by puzzles, and having a pen and paper while you play is a joy instead of a burden, I promise you, you’ll love Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. It was passed over last year out of bad luck, but if a puzzler like Blue Prince can break into the mainstream, there’s still hope for Lorelei to get the attention it deserves now. Play it, you sickos, and thank me later.
