Loretta Reviews

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 304: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆☆☆ (5/10) [i]Loretta [/i]pitches itself as a psychological thriller set in 1940s America, following a housewife's descent into desperation and possibly murder. With a compelling premise and striking visuals, it promises a Southern Gothic tale of betrayal and suppressed rage. But despite the intriguing setup, the game never quite delivers on its potential. What unfolds is a slow, meandering experience that leans heavily on atmosphere but struggles with narrative depth, interactivity, and engagement. 🎨[b]Pros:[/b] [list] [*] Strong visual style with moody atmosphere. The game’s painterly, hand-drawn pixel art style is its most consistent strength. Muted colors, shadowy framing, and subtly unsettling imagery create an evocative sense of place. It captures the quiet dread of rural isolation quite well, even when the rest of the experience falters. [*] Multiple endings and branching narrative. There are several outcomes depending on the player's choices, including decisions about who to trust, what evidence to hide, and how far Loretta is willing to go. This design encourages replays to see how the story might shift with different choices. [/list] 🔁 [b]Cons:[/b] [list] [*]A painfully slow narrative with little payoff. The story unfolds at an agonizing pace, with long stretches of little happening. The tone is introspective but lacks tension or intrigue, and even pivotal moments feel emotionally flat. What should be a simmering psychological descent often just feels dull. [*] Bland, underwritten dialogue. Characters speak in clipped, expressionless lines that fail to convey personality or emotional depth. Loretta’s inner monologue is similarly sparse and uninspired, offering little insight into her motivations. A psychological thriller lives and dies by its writing—here, the script is simply too thin to carry the weight. [*] Shallow gameplay and meaningless puzzles. The game advertises puzzles, but they’re mostly glorified fetch quests or simple interactions that offer no challenge or engagement. [*] Replayability hampered by lack of variation. While there are multiple endings, most of the game plays out similarly on subsequent runs. With minimal mechanical depth and repetitive pacing, few players will be excited to dive back in after the credits roll. [*] Too short for meaningful development, too slow to entertain. Despite being under four hours long, Loretta can't mange to find its footing, Pacing is jarring, scenes drag without substance, characters are introduced with little context or payoff, and the plot never quite finds its momentum. [/list]