Loretta Review: Beware this damsel under duress
Life wasn’t easy for anybody in the post-war 1940s, and that goes doubly so for women. Men returning home from faraway lands often brought the horrors of war with them, and at a time when mental health issues were treated with a lobotomy or an extended stay at an asylum, the most common recourse was often self-medication through the bottom of a bottle. With few options and even less mobility, women were at the whims of the men around them, be it their husbands deciding to move them cross-country or a restrictive male-dominated system denying them a loan without a man present. Honestly, what’s a woman to do when she’s stuck in the middle of nowhere in an abusive marriage? Kill her husband for the life insurance money so she can escape to a better life?
That’s the best option Loretta believed to be at her disposal in Loretta, a pixel-art psychological thriller set in rural America in the 1940s. Developed by Yakov Butuzoff and published by DANGEN Entertainment, Loretta is described on its Steam page as a “self-created nightmare” that players navigate as “an accessory to the heroine’s crimes.” Plunging into the depths of a tragic protagonist’s psyche in a shocking yet understandable way, Loretta will entertain players for hours with its multiple endings — so long as they have the mental fortitude to handle them.
Loretta opens up on a woman in a clear predicament: a detective has shown up to her creaky old farmhouse, poking his nose around the place in search of her missing husband. It’d be unwise to peg Loretta as a helpless damsel in distress, however; as the detective makes his way around the property, Loretta weighs her options for getting rid of the guy. She could play it cool and talk her way out of the situation, naturally, but that doesn’t stop her from taking note of the rat poison in the cupboard or the axe resting near the doorway. As long as the man doesn’t start asking about the well in the backyard, Loretta won’t have to resort to those options. Hopefully.
What’s that about the well? Oh, that’s where Loretta’s husband, Walter, currently rests. Pushed to her absolute limits by Walter’s unceasing abusive torment, Loretta found herself slipping some poison into his dinner one evening. After cleaning up the crime scene, Loretta hatched a plan: she’d take the insurance money and get outta dodge to start a new life in California. Beats rotting away in these endless wheat fields, that’s for damn sure. Now, if only she can make it happen without all kinds of folks, like the police, Walter’s daughter, and that man-stealing ginger bitch Margaret getting in the way…
It’d be easy to assume that Walter’s murder would be the story’s climax, or in the very least something that happens after we get a better feel for the characters, but Loretta opens up with this heinous deed, allowing her choices afterwards to become the focus. Does she kill every last person that sets foot on her property? Or does she reserve revenge for those who have wronged her? As they come to know more about this determined 40s dame, players will be able to decide the fate of the many characters in this tragic noir tale — Loretta’s included.
As it is a point and click, players will move the story along by making Loretta interact with the various objects within her home and surroundings. What is extremely interesting about this is which objects are available to choose from, as it became clear that Loretta’s emotional state determined them. When in danger, things like poison or an axe were lit up; when in a calmer state, books and paper were of interest. Little things like this and more were such nuanced yet impactful ways of digging into Loretta’s mind, and it was such a cool design choice to make.
I don’t want to spoil too much of the story because a single playthrough is a fairly short experience, but Loretta left me in awe. It’s not easy to generate sympathy towards a character that commits murder, but the storytelling is powerfully compelling and the writing is believable as a first-person narrative. Even though the events depicted are far-fetched, I wouldn’t be surprised if I discovered them to be true based on Loretta’s reactions to her world and the events that unfolded. Coupled with some satisfyingly cinematic shots, Loretta packs a hell of a punch in every aspect; this is not a game to miss.
Loretta is dark, gritty, and depressing. It’s a tale of a woman repeatedly failed and betrayed by those she should have been able to trust, her back to the wall with limited options. Depending on decisions made, Loretta is also a tale of hope, even if its best ending still delivers noir notes. My only regret with Loretta is not playing it sooner, so if you find this game calling your name, don’t wait a moment longer.
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
Available on: PC (Reviewed); Publisher: DANGEN Entertainment; Developer: Yakov Butuzoff; Players: 1; Released: February 16, 2023; MSRP: $14.99
Full disclosure: This review is based on a copy of Loretta provided by the publisher.
