This is a slice-of-life story about a software programmer in the mid-80s, getting away from the bustle of her everyday life by visiting her home town and delivering mail. It's a solid premise, but the writing isn't quite up to the task, and I ended up bouncing off after a few hours.
Mesmo tendo uma simplicidade absurda, Lake é definitivamente um dos melhores jogos indie de 2021. Sua ambientação e sensação de tranquilidade ao percorrer toda a cidade de Providence Oaks é algo bem singular e extremamente bem feito.
Apesar da história não ter grande profundidade e eu achar um crime não ter uma variação de diálogos com outros personagens da cidade, o jogo conseguiu me prender bastante com a trama principal, o que é algo bem único já que dificilmente eu consigo gostar de jogos lineares.
Ele também apresenta alguns problemas como as expressões faciais inexistentes (o que pode causar alguns problemas para certos jogadores) e alguns erros na tradução pt-br, mas nada que o deixe impossível de jogar ou aproveitar.
Tirando esses pequenos detalhes, o jogo consegue brilhar e se destacar de maneira absurda com a dublagem da protagonista e dos outros personagens. Inclusive, devo dizer que o motivo da minha compra foi justamente a sensação boa que consegui sentir durante esses diálogos na demo e não me arrependo nem um pouco.
Outro ponto forte de Lake é sua soundtrack, que auxilia na ambientação e na sensação tranquila de entregar correspondências (pelo menos no jogo), uma pena não existir grande variação, pois após umas 5-6 horas comecei a me sentir cansada de escutar a mesma playlist.
Se você quer um jogo simples, mas extremamente carismático, Lake é definitivamente uma boa escolha!
Apesar da história não ter grande profundidade e eu achar um crime não ter uma variação de diálogos com outros personagens da cidade, o jogo conseguiu me prender bastante com a trama principal, o que é algo bem único já que dificilmente eu consigo gostar de jogos lineares.
Ele também apresenta alguns problemas como as expressões faciais inexistentes (o que pode causar alguns problemas para certos jogadores) e alguns erros na tradução pt-br, mas nada que o deixe impossível de jogar ou aproveitar.
Tirando esses pequenos detalhes, o jogo consegue brilhar e se destacar de maneira absurda com a dublagem da protagonista e dos outros personagens. Inclusive, devo dizer que o motivo da minha compra foi justamente a sensação boa que consegui sentir durante esses diálogos na demo e não me arrependo nem um pouco.
Outro ponto forte de Lake é sua soundtrack, que auxilia na ambientação e na sensação tranquila de entregar correspondências (pelo menos no jogo), uma pena não existir grande variação, pois após umas 5-6 horas comecei a me sentir cansada de escutar a mesma playlist.
Se você quer um jogo simples, mas extremamente carismático, Lake é definitivamente uma boa escolha!
Slow boring talking simulator, the only fun I had in this god-forsaken game is when I launched the mail van into the lake.
This was a fun little game. I enjoyed getting to know the townspeople. It was a little barebones and shorter than I expected. Not sure how to make it more interesting mechanics-wise but I had a good time.
This review contains spoilers
I remember people rushing to the comments under the serene and uneventful trailer for this game, racing to come up with spicy conspiracy theories. Will it be an inconspicuous love story-turned-horror? Or will it be a Twin Peaks-like murder mystery? Anyway, something has to take a turn here, right? Right??
...yeah.
Fast forward to today, and I'm boiling with so many mixed emotions regarding this title, what it could've been, and what it ultimately turned out to be.
I loved the overall smalltown vibe, all the movie references (I must've spent 15 minutes just looking at the DVD store display, some of the titles were frankly hilarious), the graphics was charming, the lake itself was beautiful. But at the same time... I didn't enjoy the story. Like, at all. The main premise was fine (I love a good homecoming story), but all of the endings felt rushed and unrewarding. It didn't even matter which dialogue option I chose - the outcome was always the same (besides the last choice determining the ending, of which there were 3).
There's no room for any mistakes or dilemmas - the van never breaks down, no matter how many times you crash it up a tree or a lamp post; Meredith always has time for every meeting she agrees to (just think how much more engaging of a game this would be if some of the events' dates collided, which actually required you to make meaningful choices). Nothing ever gets resolved, because there is nothing to resolve. And even if there is, the script comfortably omits it - like when Frank completely disappears from the story, just to return a couple of days later, never explaining himself.
I get that a lot of people treat this game as a springboard from everyday problems, and that's fine. But this way of storytelling, where the protagonists doesn't experience any hardships (and her one and only dilemma is whether to become a multimillionaire back at her job or go for a roadtrip of her lifetime) is so laughably naive, almost to the point of cringe. I mean come on, even the dumbest romantic movies have some kind of conflict going on.
Most of the characters annoyed the hell out of me, as for the rest - I didn't really care for them. But what's worse, I had this strange feeling that I've already seen them in some other game or story. That's because they're painfully flat or exaggerated to the point of becoming a cliché. Most of the time I just hated their erratic behaviour. (Just what in the hell was that scene during one of the endings, in which Robert becomes a full-on creep and stops Meredith in the middle of the forest, and then pretty much forces her to get in the car with him?? That was concerning, especially since I never instigated any romance with him - and even if I did, this would still be creepy AF).
Overall, this coud've been so much more than just a nostalgia-induced cringe fest in a pleasant setting. I really wanted to like this game, but it didn't let me. I'm aware that I sound bitter, but it's because I am severely disappointed.
...yeah.
Fast forward to today, and I'm boiling with so many mixed emotions regarding this title, what it could've been, and what it ultimately turned out to be.
I loved the overall smalltown vibe, all the movie references (I must've spent 15 minutes just looking at the DVD store display, some of the titles were frankly hilarious), the graphics was charming, the lake itself was beautiful. But at the same time... I didn't enjoy the story. Like, at all. The main premise was fine (I love a good homecoming story), but all of the endings felt rushed and unrewarding. It didn't even matter which dialogue option I chose - the outcome was always the same (besides the last choice determining the ending, of which there were 3).
There's no room for any mistakes or dilemmas - the van never breaks down, no matter how many times you crash it up a tree or a lamp post; Meredith always has time for every meeting she agrees to (just think how much more engaging of a game this would be if some of the events' dates collided, which actually required you to make meaningful choices). Nothing ever gets resolved, because there is nothing to resolve. And even if there is, the script comfortably omits it - like when Frank completely disappears from the story, just to return a couple of days later, never explaining himself.
I get that a lot of people treat this game as a springboard from everyday problems, and that's fine. But this way of storytelling, where the protagonists doesn't experience any hardships (and her one and only dilemma is whether to become a multimillionaire back at her job or go for a roadtrip of her lifetime) is so laughably naive, almost to the point of cringe. I mean come on, even the dumbest romantic movies have some kind of conflict going on.
Most of the characters annoyed the hell out of me, as for the rest - I didn't really care for them. But what's worse, I had this strange feeling that I've already seen them in some other game or story. That's because they're painfully flat or exaggerated to the point of becoming a cliché. Most of the time I just hated their erratic behaviour. (Just what in the hell was that scene during one of the endings, in which Robert becomes a full-on creep and stops Meredith in the middle of the forest, and then pretty much forces her to get in the car with him?? That was concerning, especially since I never instigated any romance with him - and even if I did, this would still be creepy AF).
Overall, this coud've been so much more than just a nostalgia-induced cringe fest in a pleasant setting. I really wanted to like this game, but it didn't let me. I'm aware that I sound bitter, but it's because I am severely disappointed.
Someone said "hey, what if we made a LifeTime movie a video game" and a few other people thought that was a killer idea. This hurts something else though, theming. I can't tell if the game has themes or things it really cares about, or if it's introducing them just to add something that appears as conflict. This one is perfectly fine to skip.
Story - 3/5
Lake has a charming story with a small cast of characters. But the plot never really leaves its cozy vibe to actually become interesting. We only get 2-3 interactions with each member of the cast.
Graphics - 2/5
I enjoyed the art style, but the animation was terrible. Character's voices never match their lips, people teleport from one place to another mid conversation. There are a lot of blank Skyrim stares as well.
Music - 2/5
Some nice tracks, but very repetitive. The game actually jokes about this, but I don't think that improves it at all. I actually preferred to play a good part of this game on mute for that reason.
Gameplay - 1/5
The game consists of driving around the town and delivering mail. This gets repetitive very soon, as there's no way to speed up or automate driving/walking (both are very slow and clunky too). Most mail deliveries don't involve ANY story, only 1-2 a day do. The game is also extremely buggy.
Lake has a charming story with a small cast of characters. But the plot never really leaves its cozy vibe to actually become interesting. We only get 2-3 interactions with each member of the cast.
Graphics - 2/5
I enjoyed the art style, but the animation was terrible. Character's voices never match their lips, people teleport from one place to another mid conversation. There are a lot of blank Skyrim stares as well.
Music - 2/5
Some nice tracks, but very repetitive. The game actually jokes about this, but I don't think that improves it at all. I actually preferred to play a good part of this game on mute for that reason.
Gameplay - 1/5
The game consists of driving around the town and delivering mail. This gets repetitive very soon, as there's no way to speed up or automate driving/walking (both are very slow and clunky too). Most mail deliveries don't involve ANY story, only 1-2 a day do. The game is also extremely buggy.
I like the idea of a low-stakes, story-driven slice-of-life game set in a small open world, but a short ways in, I'm pretty certain that this isn't going to be for me; there's no apparent narrative hook, and the gameplay in the non-story sections is tedious and doesn't feel good to control. There's also some egregiously bad voice acting from one of the NPCs you meet early on, which struck me as a pretty bad sign. If you find the story and characters compelling from the outset, you'll probably be more forgiving than I was, but this came off to me as a pretty underwhelming execution of a strong premise.
The trend of making games for people who don't like to game needs to die as it is no where near as quirky or appealing as It might seem.
This is more along the depths of a puddle with bad graphics that want to be passed off as "cute", and clunky mechanics that would make even a non-gamer want to re-home their console after just a couple short hours with this....thing.
Every game doesn't have to be a shooter or gore heavy game to be fun, but this is a game that caters to the idea that mobile gamers are somehow superior to everyone else because they play hallmark movies.
This is more along the depths of a puddle with bad graphics that want to be passed off as "cute", and clunky mechanics that would make even a non-gamer want to re-home their console after just a couple short hours with this....thing.
Every game doesn't have to be a shooter or gore heavy game to be fun, but this is a game that caters to the idea that mobile gamers are somehow superior to everyone else because they play hallmark movies.
Parece un proyecto de final de carrera de estudiantes que han colado como juego comercial. Se le ven las costuras por todas partes. Bugs y glitches a cascoporro.
Uno puede pensar que lo importante aquí es la historia, pero es sólo una trama digna de película de tarde en la que una mujer con éxito en el trabajo pero fracaso en el amor regresa a su pueblo natal parzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzz...
Uno puede pensar que lo importante aquí es la historia, pero es sólo una trama digna de película de tarde en la que una mujer con éxito en el trabajo pero fracaso en el amor regresa a su pueblo natal parzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzz...
This is a game with a really good atmosphere and storyline, as well as nice characters. But everything related to the gameplay is simply depressing and gradually ceases to be interesting. It is indicative here that at the start of the game I did not understand why fast travel was on such a small map, but by the end the process of delivering letters and parcels turns into such a boring interlude between story episodes that I had to use it. I also have a lot of questions about both the technical state of the game and the overall level of polish and sophistication. There are many small problems in the game that knock you out of immersion. And even the brightest parts of Lake seem to lack depth, interactivity, and complexity.
Undoubtedly, after a while, the malleability of the gameplay and the general lack of polish will fade from memory. But even so, I will only remember Lake as a simple, warm and sweet story. And this is a little sad, because something much more memorable, important and complex could have been made from this project. But (and the game briefly teaches this) we don't always get what we want.
Undoubtedly, after a while, the malleability of the gameplay and the general lack of polish will fade from memory. But even so, I will only remember Lake as a simple, warm and sweet story. And this is a little sad, because something much more memorable, important and complex could have been made from this project. But (and the game briefly teaches this) we don't always get what we want.
A cozy mail delivery sim with romance and drama elements. The town captures idyllic scenery with a hit of 80s nostalgia. It pushes all the right buttons when it comes to capturing a quiet and almost mediative life and routine. Quirky characters break up the delivery elements, and the game is so short that it doesn't feel monotonous.
But, if you're expecting some grandiose revelations or plot twists in the final act, you're not going to find anything. The game is very much "what you see is what you get".
But, if you're expecting some grandiose revelations or plot twists in the final act, you're not going to find anything. The game is very much "what you see is what you get".
I personally liked Lake and it's call back to the 80s, it was nostalgic. I liked the story and generally most of the characters, though some had the character development of a plank of wood and added nothing to the overall story. I wish the game gave you a month to stay in Providence Oaks instead of just two weeks giving the player more time to explore the town and to get to know the characters better.
The gameplay is really basic. You deliver mail/packages to the right homes, and you talk to people. The game does offer you multiple choices during conversations so you can get different interactions when talking to the locals and depending on who you speak to and how often, you can unlock additional sidequests for certain characters. Lake does have three different endings which adds some replayability, though I think the game would have benefitted if it had a few more just because of how simple the gameplay is.
Overall:
If you're looking for a relaxing game and a mail man simulator than Lake is definitely your game. However, if you're someone who likes their games a little more fast paced and action packed that offers a lot more gameplay than you're going to find this game extremely boring so I wouldn't bother wasting your time. However, I found it to be a nice change of pace.
Pros:
+decent narrative
+simple and relaxing gameplay
+has multiple endings
+easy 100% achievement list
Cons:
-some bad voice acting
-various bugs and glitches
-some characters are dull and adds nothing to the story
The gameplay is really basic. You deliver mail/packages to the right homes, and you talk to people. The game does offer you multiple choices during conversations so you can get different interactions when talking to the locals and depending on who you speak to and how often, you can unlock additional sidequests for certain characters. Lake does have three different endings which adds some replayability, though I think the game would have benefitted if it had a few more just because of how simple the gameplay is.
Overall:
If you're looking for a relaxing game and a mail man simulator than Lake is definitely your game. However, if you're someone who likes their games a little more fast paced and action packed that offers a lot more gameplay than you're going to find this game extremely boring so I wouldn't bother wasting your time. However, I found it to be a nice change of pace.
Pros:
+decent narrative
+simple and relaxing gameplay
+has multiple endings
+easy 100% achievement list
Cons:
-some bad voice acting
-various bugs and glitches
-some characters are dull and adds nothing to the story
Uma boa proposta de jogo, mas que fica ofuscada por bugs e uma linearidade chata.
Os personagens e a história base do game até que são legais, mas TUDO fica monótono depois de umas 2 ou 3 horas de jogatina.
Mas o que realmente incomoda no game é o fato dele parecer que está rodando sempre a 15 FPS (sério, eu joguei pelo XONE e é ridículo o desempenho desse jogo e nada justifica ele rodar de forma tão zoada).
A ambientação do game é maravilhosa e as escolhas são bacanas, além de ter diversos finais impactados pelas suas escolhas e pelas coisas que você faz.
Juro que esse jogo tinha tudo pra ser excelente, mas os seus problemas conseguem tirar o brilho de uma ótima história base.
Os personagens e a história base do game até que são legais, mas TUDO fica monótono depois de umas 2 ou 3 horas de jogatina.
Mas o que realmente incomoda no game é o fato dele parecer que está rodando sempre a 15 FPS (sério, eu joguei pelo XONE e é ridículo o desempenho desse jogo e nada justifica ele rodar de forma tão zoada).
A ambientação do game é maravilhosa e as escolhas são bacanas, além de ter diversos finais impactados pelas suas escolhas e pelas coisas que você faz.
Juro que esse jogo tinha tudo pra ser excelente, mas os seus problemas conseguem tirar o brilho de uma ótima história base.
This review contains spoilers
One of those games that get announced at E3 and then nobody ever hears from again. If you were wondering what happens to them it's because nobody has anything to say about them. Tons of visual glitches that kept me from getting fully immersed in the experience, if you turn down the music in the settings the ending (unskippable) cutscene is also affected, and if I had known that I would have to end up in a relationship I would've just went with the Blockbuster lady. Much better chemistry between the two than with the lumberjack.
Es un juego de ir repartiendo correo en un pueblo con una furgoneta, no tiene mucha progresión en los envíos. El repartir es una excusa para contarte una historia. Puedes interaccionar con la historia pero no me ha parecido que de tantas opciones. La verdad es que me he aburrido un poco y estaba deseando que acabara (7 horas). Para desconectar esta bien pero tampoco tanto tiempo de juego, lo habría hecho más corto.
lack of more lake content
Platinum #121
This game drained my life energy
tentei continuar, mas o jogo fica muito maçante já q não tem uma mudança na gameplay ou personagens tão interessantes q justifiquem ficar entregando carta, apesar de que a historia possa ser bacana de acompanhar, mas a que preço?
I'm really struggling with how slowly the character moves
Lake é um ótimo game sobre a vida. Ele apresenta questionamentos que todos nós já passamos ou iremos passar em algum momento. Portanto, o título consegue apresentar estas situações de uma forma bem convincente por meio de personagens interessantes e intrigantes. Entretanto, pela falta de profundidade em alguns personagens, a imersão e a correlação com as pessoas apresentadas acaba sendo quebrada.
Embora tenha um gameplay simples, o título consegue deixar o jogador imerso na jornada. Infelizmente, alguns problemas em relação a jogabilidade, como a movimentação lenta da personagem e a insistência do veículo em travar em locais aleatórios, acaba sendo frustrante em alguns momentos.
Por fim, Lake é um jogo que eu recomendo para os jogadores que são fãs de uma narrativa realista. Pois, o game consegue cumprir seu proposito principal de apresentar uma história interessante e que faz o jogador pensar e refletir sobre as coisas mais importantes da vida.
Embora tenha um gameplay simples, o título consegue deixar o jogador imerso na jornada. Infelizmente, alguns problemas em relação a jogabilidade, como a movimentação lenta da personagem e a insistência do veículo em travar em locais aleatórios, acaba sendo frustrante em alguns momentos.
Por fim, Lake é um jogo que eu recomendo para os jogadores que são fãs de uma narrativa realista. Pois, o game consegue cumprir seu proposito principal de apresentar uma história interessante e que faz o jogador pensar e refletir sobre as coisas mais importantes da vida.
one of the most frustrating games i've played in quite some time. at a glance, this could've been one of my absolute favorite games. the wonderful setting, relaxed gameplay loop, town of characters, and more all appealed to me heavily. sadly there were massive issues with the performance and some iffy execution elsewhere.
the daily schedule of delivering mail/packages while interacting with townsfolk was wonderful. getting to know everyone was a joy even if some of the voice acting and development were both lacking at times. there wasn't much to the game beyond this so even with the short length it started to feel stretched thin. attempts were made to diversify the gameplay with the camera and photography contest but it was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. a bit more to do, even if they were little mini-games slotted in during interactions with the neighbors or when doing things at home could've went a long way.
i won't speak for the other platforms but playing this on Xbox Series X was shockingly rough for performance. i'm not particularly sensitive to things like framerate or draw distance (unless it's bad or all over the place) but this is one of the recent times where i felt the performance was detrimental to my experience with the game at large. tons of pop in of things when driving around, not even that far away from you. the more heavily wooded areas (there's no shortage of them given the setting lmao) had the worst of it with plants disappearing while right next to the mail van it felt like. elsewhere there were problems with flickering lighting and when it was time to pick my photo for the photo contest everything was just blacked out.
extra polish, time, and probably budget along with some more to do could've made this a big favorite. as it is, it can sit with some of my more frustrating almost but not quite faves. hope it won't take me long to find something like this again whether it's another game from this dev, a sequel, or something else entirely.
the daily schedule of delivering mail/packages while interacting with townsfolk was wonderful. getting to know everyone was a joy even if some of the voice acting and development were both lacking at times. there wasn't much to the game beyond this so even with the short length it started to feel stretched thin. attempts were made to diversify the gameplay with the camera and photography contest but it was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. a bit more to do, even if they were little mini-games slotted in during interactions with the neighbors or when doing things at home could've went a long way.
i won't speak for the other platforms but playing this on Xbox Series X was shockingly rough for performance. i'm not particularly sensitive to things like framerate or draw distance (unless it's bad or all over the place) but this is one of the recent times where i felt the performance was detrimental to my experience with the game at large. tons of pop in of things when driving around, not even that far away from you. the more heavily wooded areas (there's no shortage of them given the setting lmao) had the worst of it with plants disappearing while right next to the mail van it felt like. elsewhere there were problems with flickering lighting and when it was time to pick my photo for the photo contest everything was just blacked out.
extra polish, time, and probably budget along with some more to do could've made this a big favorite. as it is, it can sit with some of my more frustrating almost but not quite faves. hope it won't take me long to find something like this again whether it's another game from this dev, a sequel, or something else entirely.
Neat short 5-6 hr experience. Genuinley a relaxing game when you're not sure what to play next or just want something that doesn't require too much. I'd recommend if you have Xbox Game Pass.
Lake is basically the videogame equivalent of catching one of those fluffy, breezy rom-commy films on Lifetime or Hallmark where basic looking but smart successful business woman visits a small town and discovers her path in life and MAAYYYYBE a love interest.
Sorry if that's sort of spoiling what happens here but its something that's obvious within the first five minutes of the game and while its not a completely bad thing, its very much the sort of game to destress and chill out with and fits that 'Cozy' definition to a tee thanks to a heap of chill vibes, amusing enough characters and the odd silly moment.
The problem is it... it is just that sort of thing, so the novelty winds down a little too fast and by the time you're midway in the second week of ingame time, you sort of wish it was finished with already about halfway through delivering a letter, as by then you've already likely explored every single spot over and over and heard 'Last days of September' to the point where you'd rather just listen to silence.
Don't get me wrong. Its cute and for those wanting something light and airy in between bigger titles, its a good pick... but honestly it needed either a few more plot points and characters or a shortening of the gametime to just a week or a week and a half.
Sorry if that's sort of spoiling what happens here but its something that's obvious within the first five minutes of the game and while its not a completely bad thing, its very much the sort of game to destress and chill out with and fits that 'Cozy' definition to a tee thanks to a heap of chill vibes, amusing enough characters and the odd silly moment.
The problem is it... it is just that sort of thing, so the novelty winds down a little too fast and by the time you're midway in the second week of ingame time, you sort of wish it was finished with already about halfway through delivering a letter, as by then you've already likely explored every single spot over and over and heard 'Last days of September' to the point where you'd rather just listen to silence.
Don't get me wrong. Its cute and for those wanting something light and airy in between bigger titles, its a good pick... but honestly it needed either a few more plot points and characters or a shortening of the gametime to just a week or a week and a half.
+ + I just think it's neat!
- - Could be shorter
- - Could be shorter
Warning: I did not finish the game so I don't have an opinion on how it ends
I decided to pick this up since it was on my list and it was leaving Game Pass. I feel so much of the game was the devs fighting against their limitations in experience, staff, money etc. It's an "open world" but it's so empty and devoid of anything interesting. It's a pretty game sometimes but the animations are all over the place. The music selection is pitiful especially when the game involves slow driving which means you may be spending some days listening to the same song on a loop. The "story" and what little there is of it is mildly charming but mostly forgettable and not that good though, again, I haven't finished it so maybe something big happens after the 9th day
It's pretty mediocre experience that I really have no desire to finish at this point. It seems to be very short at about 5-6 hours which in itself isn't a bad thing by any means but doesn't seem that packed with anything particularly exciting. What I did play of it was decent enough
I decided to pick this up since it was on my list and it was leaving Game Pass. I feel so much of the game was the devs fighting against their limitations in experience, staff, money etc. It's an "open world" but it's so empty and devoid of anything interesting. It's a pretty game sometimes but the animations are all over the place. The music selection is pitiful especially when the game involves slow driving which means you may be spending some days listening to the same song on a loop. The "story" and what little there is of it is mildly charming but mostly forgettable and not that good though, again, I haven't finished it so maybe something big happens after the 9th day
It's pretty mediocre experience that I really have no desire to finish at this point. It seems to be very short at about 5-6 hours which in itself isn't a bad thing by any means but doesn't seem that packed with anything particularly exciting. What I did play of it was decent enough
un poco cansino en plan por qué no corre más
It's possibly unfair of me to say that Lake felt like a chore to play, seeing as that's sort of the point. Games that simulate jobs are meant to emulate a work activity, after all, and in that sense I think Lake does an admirable job of capturing the experience of being a mail delivery driver.
It's just not fun or interesting or satisfying, and I don't even get paid to do it this time.
I delivered mail for a summer. I had a bike instead of a truck, but the long stretches of nothing but contemplation, the sorting of parcels of letters, the trying to remember which house is which. It's all here, but Lake doesn't manage to make it feel like anything more than that.
Lake requires just enough engagement to pull you out of any zen-like introspection the repetitive driving and delivering might be able to conjure.
It doesn't help that the story feels perfunctory. It's really nothing more than a Hallmark TV movie about a city girl getting back to her small town roots and leaving her computer job in the city for a good ol' fashioned real job.
I kept expecting the story to take any unexpected turns—and as I left the game unfinished, it's not impossible that it eventually does—but after every cliché in the book had been rolled out, I had no desire to dig deeper into the shallow lives of these empty stereotypes.
Again, I may be unfair in my judgement but for my money Lake is a dreary and unsatisfying work simulator mixed with a story that ironically lacks any drive. It's aiming for cozy but ends up hollow.
It's just not fun or interesting or satisfying, and I don't even get paid to do it this time.
I delivered mail for a summer. I had a bike instead of a truck, but the long stretches of nothing but contemplation, the sorting of parcels of letters, the trying to remember which house is which. It's all here, but Lake doesn't manage to make it feel like anything more than that.
Lake requires just enough engagement to pull you out of any zen-like introspection the repetitive driving and delivering might be able to conjure.
It doesn't help that the story feels perfunctory. It's really nothing more than a Hallmark TV movie about a city girl getting back to her small town roots and leaving her computer job in the city for a good ol' fashioned real job.
I kept expecting the story to take any unexpected turns—and as I left the game unfinished, it's not impossible that it eventually does—but after every cliché in the book had been rolled out, I had no desire to dig deeper into the shallow lives of these empty stereotypes.
Again, I may be unfair in my judgement but for my money Lake is a dreary and unsatisfying work simulator mixed with a story that ironically lacks any drive. It's aiming for cozy but ends up hollow.
Muy bello pero tambien lento