REVIEW ORIGINALLY WRITTEN AND POSTED ON FEBRUARY 10TH 2023
It’s nice to take a break. Everybody’s got something that they like to fall back on to relax after a not-so-great day. Lake is a game that is all about taking a break, and it was a very nice change of pace on some of the games that I’ve been playing recently.
In Lake, you take up the job of the mailman in a small town in Oregon, as the protagonist, Meredith Weiss moves back to her childhood hometown for two weeks, taking a break from her office job, building computer systems in the big city. In Lake, you get to take things entirely at your own pace. There’s no time limits, and no particular order to get the job done, so take the sights in, and watch the characters in this game as they share their stories, as quickly or slowly as you’d like.
This game entirely orients itself around its story, and so the minimal gameplay aspects won’t distract you, or hold you back from seeing it through, although with the odd stability issue either crashing my game, or forcing me to reboot the game after an amount of time without an autosave, and on top of that, no options to skip ANY dialogue or cutscenes, it really didn’t help when I was just trying to get back to where I was, as well as trying to get all of the endings done for the 100% (This one, not so reflective on the game, but my annoying perfectionist traits), but even if driving back and forth across the town feels like it’s getting old, the game allows you to auto-pilot that process of the game, leaving you down to the deliveries and dialogue choices.
Lake is a very nice, relaxing experience, but only if you’re more exclusively here for cinematics, I think I can give this game a fair 5/10.
It’s nice to take a break. Everybody’s got something that they like to fall back on to relax after a not-so-great day. Lake is a game that is all about taking a break, and it was a very nice change of pace on some of the games that I’ve been playing recently.
In Lake, you take up the job of the mailman in a small town in Oregon, as the protagonist, Meredith Weiss moves back to her childhood hometown for two weeks, taking a break from her office job, building computer systems in the big city. In Lake, you get to take things entirely at your own pace. There’s no time limits, and no particular order to get the job done, so take the sights in, and watch the characters in this game as they share their stories, as quickly or slowly as you’d like.
This game entirely orients itself around its story, and so the minimal gameplay aspects won’t distract you, or hold you back from seeing it through, although with the odd stability issue either crashing my game, or forcing me to reboot the game after an amount of time without an autosave, and on top of that, no options to skip ANY dialogue or cutscenes, it really didn’t help when I was just trying to get back to where I was, as well as trying to get all of the endings done for the 100% (This one, not so reflective on the game, but my annoying perfectionist traits), but even if driving back and forth across the town feels like it’s getting old, the game allows you to auto-pilot that process of the game, leaving you down to the deliveries and dialogue choices.
Lake is a very nice, relaxing experience, but only if you’re more exclusively here for cinematics, I think I can give this game a fair 5/10.
i've had this on my wishlist for forever and let's just say i'm really glad i didn't have to pay for it. i usually don't mind having to drive back and forth on a map, but to have everything remotely interesting happen within the first 3 in-game days makes the other 11 days so boring. i'm also just really confused as to why the game shows its hand so quickly considering the small map. it would've made more sense to keep the player within the center of town at first and slowly send them farther out to keep intrigue.
my biggest nitpick though are the dialogue options that supposedly influence the story. the only time that matters is with the romanceable characters and the very last decision. i would pick contradicting statements within the same conversation and there wouldn't be reactions/consequences.
my biggest nitpick though are the dialogue options that supposedly influence the story. the only time that matters is with the romanceable characters and the very last decision. i would pick contradicting statements within the same conversation and there wouldn't be reactions/consequences.
There's a lot to like here, and there's a lot to dislike. The problem with Lake is not in it's set-up. It's a cozy game, so if the thought of driving around in a van, getting out and delivering packages is not for you then you'll be sorely disappointed. That's what it says on the tin - and that's what it is.
However, Lake incites you with characters that seem to have charming designs and personalities, but takes no time or has no time to go in depth with these. Frequently when I thought Meredith would experience a problem with a character or a struggle, she didn't. Her boss Steve, who bothers her multiple times while she's on holiday is seen in a sympathetic light. Most of the other characters like Lori or Angie have minor stories that show no real struggle or development besides Angie being your 'moving away' ending and Lori having a single scene where you form a relationship with her.
Aesthetically and on paper I think lake has a lot of things going for it. But in practice it's just not polished enough. There's nothing here to entice me and I was glad when the credits rolled for the third time after I obtained my platinum trophy.
Don't waste your time.
However, Lake incites you with characters that seem to have charming designs and personalities, but takes no time or has no time to go in depth with these. Frequently when I thought Meredith would experience a problem with a character or a struggle, she didn't. Her boss Steve, who bothers her multiple times while she's on holiday is seen in a sympathetic light. Most of the other characters like Lori or Angie have minor stories that show no real struggle or development besides Angie being your 'moving away' ending and Lori having a single scene where you form a relationship with her.
Aesthetically and on paper I think lake has a lot of things going for it. But in practice it's just not polished enough. There's nothing here to entice me and I was glad when the credits rolled for the third time after I obtained my platinum trophy.
Don't waste your time.
Jogo curtinho e bem calmo, bom pra passar uma tarde tranquila. Levemente repetitivo, mas de um jeito que não se torna um incômodo. Como ponto positivo tem uma trilha sonora incrível e a direção de arte é linda.
Um ponto negativo é que buga constantemente no xbox one. Tive que jogar no pc pra ter uma melhor experiência.
Um ponto negativo é que buga constantemente no xbox one. Tive que jogar no pc pra ter uma melhor experiência.
Se me falassem para definir chatice eu mostraria esse jogo.
Eu não sou contra a ideia, afinal toda a ideia é a melhor do mundo até vc lapidar a mesma, o problema aqui é a própria lapidação. Ao vc fazer um jogo de encomendas em uma pequena cidade vc tem 2 objetivos. 1 - Deixar o mundo vivo e único em cada lugar q vc passe. E 2 - Criar personagens e diálogos vividos e emocionantes. Ele consegue falhar nesses dois fatores tendo um mapa extremamente monótono e enjoativo onde só se define em ir ao ponto A ao ponto B, e seus gráficos acabam não ajudando nem um pouco, são simples e não há um senso artístico q o define. Enquanto aos personagens eles bem... Existem? Os diálogos são qualquer coisa e não conseguem criar um laço ou emoção ao jogador, são apenas conversas sem alma, se tentaram ser realistas na vida de um entregador conseguiram, pq eu só passo o meu nome pro entregador pego minha encomenda e dou tchau.
Foram 3 belas horas desperdiçadas neste jogo chato e sem identidade alguma.
Eu não sou contra a ideia, afinal toda a ideia é a melhor do mundo até vc lapidar a mesma, o problema aqui é a própria lapidação. Ao vc fazer um jogo de encomendas em uma pequena cidade vc tem 2 objetivos. 1 - Deixar o mundo vivo e único em cada lugar q vc passe. E 2 - Criar personagens e diálogos vividos e emocionantes. Ele consegue falhar nesses dois fatores tendo um mapa extremamente monótono e enjoativo onde só se define em ir ao ponto A ao ponto B, e seus gráficos acabam não ajudando nem um pouco, são simples e não há um senso artístico q o define. Enquanto aos personagens eles bem... Existem? Os diálogos são qualquer coisa e não conseguem criar um laço ou emoção ao jogador, são apenas conversas sem alma, se tentaram ser realistas na vida de um entregador conseguiram, pq eu só passo o meu nome pro entregador pego minha encomenda e dou tchau.
Foram 3 belas horas desperdiçadas neste jogo chato e sem identidade alguma.