Lake

Lake is a lovely, slow-paced indie game to play in your downtime. Rich in personality and character, well worth replaying.

Between the walking simulator, and the video game experience, Lake is a contemplative title that takes advantage of rather well-written characters, and a system of dialogues enough impacting for us to think about the meaning of life and its priorities. No choice is better than the other, which means that the title really lets us choose what we want, without it having a positive or negative impact on the gaming experience. The sublime artistic direction, the incredible landscapes, and the chill soundtrack are a perfect setting for such a reflection. Lake could almost be reimbursed by social security because its soothing virtues are numerous. Unfortunately, a few bugs tarnish the picture, while we admit to having trouble releasing the 20 € requested for 6 hours of play, with very low replayability. In short, hop on Lake in a few months, after a few patches, and during a promo.

You won't want to leave Lake when the credits roll, such is the splendour of its setting and the welcome warmth of so many people who call this place home (assuming you weren't a dick to everyone). But you'll wish its flashes of understated majesty and its softly spoken introspective exchanges weren't compromised by performance that's woefully inconsistent. But if Gamious manages to patch this into a steadier experience, you can add a point, or even two, to the score below. Because there's something special here, beneath the creaks and the cracks.

Lake is a peaceful narrative adventure that interestingly enough, is better at its art and gameplay than its narrative.

Lake is an extremely charming story-driven title where you can accidentally be so nice to everyone that you end up forgetting to live for yourself. For the right kind of person, that in and of itself can be a much-needed wake up call; for everyone else, it’s in the very least a soothing little mail-carrying simulator that allows you to set the pace. If you’re looking for some slice-of-life goodness that provides some chill and calming ambiance, taking it easy with Lake is a no-brainer.

Does Lake push the boundaries and redefine the genre of a narrative adventure? I wouldn’t say so, but I would contend that it’s a welcome addition. The game is a great exploration of the impact one can have on others’ lives with simple interactions in a peaceful manner. There are quality-of-life issues, and the impact may not be as great as you would hope. In fact, there’s nothing grandiose about the game, but that works in its favor–it’s a calming presence in a world of chaos.

Highly relaxing, sometimes too much perhaps, Lake offers an escape of a few hours that is not refused when one seeks a purely restful narrative experience. The interactive story shaped by Gamious also benefits from a great deal of authenticity and choice of dialogues that allow the player to feel truly engaged. Too bad the adventure is based on a pattern that does not evolve enough, a too languid pace and a scenario that fails to touch us fully.

We're very happy with the ending we land on, but it's hard to imagine anyone choosing to stick around. [Issue#364, p.121]

In the end, Lake delivers on producing a "slice of life" experience but with some issues that keep it from being excellent. The characters are interesting to talk to, even if only a few of them break out from being one-dimensional. The vocal performances are good, but the stiff facial and body animations and rushed story don't give it a chance to connect with players. If you can forgive these shortcomings and don't find the mail delivery mechanic to be tedious, Lake is relaxing and different enough from other offerings to warrant a glance.

Lake tells a beautiful story, has nuanced and interesting characters, and has an environment that feels comforting and inviting. What detracts from the experience is, unfortunately, the game's tedious tasks and slow pace. This combination makes it hard to leave the experience with a clear opinion about the time spent in Providence Oaks, but what is clear is that Lake will absolutely satisfy players who feel like they need to escape and spend some time taking it slow and easy.

The worst part is that there’s zero intrigue. This setting would have been perfect for misadventures of Alan Wake, a mystical thriller or a murder mystery, but Lake is different. It’s very grounded, true-to-life, sterile and a bit janky, a primitive middle ground between Bus Simulator and Death Stranding.