Lorelei and the laser eyes stands out for many reasons. It has cunningly difficult puzzles and a distinct atmosphere that seems inspired by noir films. You play as a woman named Lorelei who wanders through an extravagant hotel and solves its many mysteries. The game contains a lot of complicated secrets, but that’s not really what intrigued me while playing. The biggest mystery from my playthrough involved one unique item: a tampon.
Lorelei can store a variety of items in her elegant clamshell case. When you start the game you will find useful items such as your car key and a tampon! Its inclusion stood out to me because tampons are such an everyday item and yet rarely appear in video games. I’ve been playing video games for decades and have come across thousands of different items, but I can only remember seeing tampons in one other game (that other example being the wonderful mess cleanup game Unpack).
Lorelei and the laser eyes was developed by Simogo, the same team behind the pop-infused racing game Sayonara wanted hearts. Polygon asked studio co-founder Simon Flesser why the team decided to add the item to the game. Flesser noted that common objects such as tampons can help create a specific atmosphere or feeling in the game.
“These everyday objects and actions, such as using the toilet and taking the elevator, are all there to create a sense of ordinariness or normality,” Flesser told Polygon via email. “The more absurd and surreal components of the game feel even stranger when presented alongside these ordinary elements.”
As for the idea, it didn’t come from a developer meeting, but at home. “It was suggested by my partner, who simply asked why the woman doesn’t have any tampons in her bag,” Flesser said.
Neither my colleague Nicole Carpenter (who reviewed the game) nor I could find a use for the tampon. As I played, I was content with trying to insert the tampon into random holes and crevices. This hasn’t worked. However, my colleague made this and I wonder if the tampon did have some form of practical application for a puzzle. It turns out the tampon isn’t some galaxy-brain solution to the game’s puzzles. As Flesser said, “It just exists.”