This review is more neutral than positive because Steam won't allow such one (lame). First thing you probably will need (but don't want) to know is how this game failed funding on Kickstarter, collecting only ~900$ out of asked 2700$. So, it's not "true" small indie per se, but devs seem more passionate about game itself than it's promotion or huge profits - that's good. Story and plot are both good and bad parts of game. Narrative is first-person perspective without unasked commentaries from author, granting bigger immersion. Story is going smoothly, jumping between current day of operation and flashbacks of detective. Few twists are prepared, you can say "classic" for such genre of mystery novels. It overall was likable, but there are two moments which felt weird. [spoiler]First one was "fight" with AI - I expected some sci-fi and occult themes in game, but it was still was too sudden and out of left field. Second one is ending, which suggest story is not over and will continue in ...
Black Lazar
- Release Date:
- Jan 19, 2022
- Developer:
- Pleon Words
- Publisher:
- Pleon Words
- Platforms:
- Windows
Game Tags
About This Game
A branching mystery story
The Black Lazar is wanted! As Detective Viktor Metrakos, you will stop at nothing to bring this crime lord to justice. But will your tragic past and the consequences of your decisions threaten to undermine you before you manage to track him down? Travel the world, past and present, and meet a diverse array of characters – but beware: not everyone can be trusted.
Surpassing 250,000 words and spanning 16 chapters, what you read is shaped by your choices.
120+ works of hand-drawn art
All animated in-game. Characters' expressions will change based on what you say and how you treat them.
Psychological traits
What you choose can change you... for better or worse. Are you the strait-laced detective, or a ruthless, misogynistic renegade willing to do anything for answers? What will you become to uncover the truth?
Over one hour of original music
Ranging from orchestral to electronica, the entire game is scored with dynamic music, which evolves in reaction to your choices. Things are about to get tense - and you’ll hear it.
More than 100 Foley sound effects
report the consequences of your decisions – footsteps down the hall, a creak of the floorboards… the visceral crunch of iron against bone.
Multiple end sequences
Each nuanced by the hundreds of decisions you make along the way.
Screenshots
User Reviews
I bought this on a whim and really enjoyed it. It’s a visual novel style choose your own adventure game where the choices do really matter. The art work was beautifully creepy and did take you to another world. I was completely engaged in the story and my play time reflects reading all the background documents to understand all the aspects of it. I don’t want to spoil the story, but it’s a detective, escape, conspiracy thriller and I had a great time going through it. As other reviewers have stated, it seems repeat playthroughs will mean starting over with no skips, but a lot of the reading will go much faster or skipping the tablet to speed up the playthrough will cut down on time. Given the size of the game, and beautiful art and story, I think it is well worth the price and I recommend to those who like these types of games. It’s a good one.
I’m surprised this game doesn’t have many reviews as far as I could find, but then I realised I hadn’t written anything about it just yet, hopefully, my personal opinion on this game can help inspire others to talk about it even if it is just one word. This is definitely a hidden gem as I was lucky enough to discover it on Steam when I was hunting for any visual novel game and after seeing some of those odd screenshots, I knew I needed to play it. Let's start with the character's design while we're at as it is the first thing that got my attention. Each of them is hand-drawn to look disjointed, disarrayed, and flawed, making them look human in a uniquely realistic way making them stand out. They even complement the dark gritty atmosphere of this game with their weird appeals, (not in a negative way). On to the story, all I could say after completing this game was that I wanted to play more. Seriously, 'Lore-rich' isn't just a buzzword thrown away, a lot happening in terms of ...
System Requirements
Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS *: Windows 7 (SP1+)
- Processor: x86, x64 architecture
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: DX10, DX11, DX12 capable
- Storage: 876 MB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
FAQ
How much does Black Lazar cost?
Black Lazar costs $7.99.
What are the system requirements for Black Lazar?
Minimum: Minimum: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS *: Windows 7 (SP1+) Processor: x86, x64 architecture Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: DX10, DX11, DX12 capable Storage: 876 MB available space Recommended: Recommended: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system Memory: 8 GB RAM
What platforms is Black Lazar available on?
Black Lazar is available on Windows PC.
Is Black Lazar worth buying?
Black Lazar has 100% positive reviews from 3 players.
When was Black Lazar released?
Black Lazar was released on Jan 19, 2022.
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