"It simply exists."

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes stands out for many reasons. It has difficult puzzles and a distinct atmosphere that seems to be inspired by noir filmmaking. You play as a woman named Lorelei who wanders around an extravagant hotel and solves its many mysteries. The game has tons of intricate secrets, but that wasn't really what intrigued me while I was playing. The biggest puzzle from my playthrough involved a unique item: a tampon.

Lorelei can store a variety of items in her elegant briefcase. When you start the game, you'll find useful items like your car key and a tampon! Its inclusion stood out to me because tampons are such a common everyday item and yet they rarely appear in video games. I've been playing video games for decades and have come across thousands of different items, but I only remember seeing tampons in one other game (the other example being the wonderful game Unpacking).

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes was developed by Simogo, the same team behind the pop-infused racing game Sayonara Wild Hearts. Polygon asked the studio's co-founder, Simon Flesser, about why the team decided to add the item to the game. Flesser noted that common items like tampons can help create a specific atmosphere or feeling in the game.