Lake Reviews
With a lackluster narrative, and gameplay mechanics that are basic and largely unenjoyable, Lake ends up being a monotonous experience that is really not worth the time investment.
Lake is not a bad videogame. On an artistic level it is a very enjoyable product and capable of moving you. However, the simplicity of its story and gameplay, as well as its message, should suit you.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Lake is a short and enjoyable story-driven game with interesting mail delivery gameplay that drives you to get to know the townsfolk. The story and interactions provide much lighthearted fun so if you can get past the graphical issues and bugs, there's plenty to make you play Lake over and over so you can see how your decisions influence the people of Providence Oaks.
Lake drops players in a quiet Oregon town and tries enticing them to uproot their life for something new, but I couldn't wait to leave Providence Oaks behind.
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's curious proposal is surprisingly entertaining, although it ends up becoming repetitive. The worst thing is the numerous bugs that affect the experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Lake offers a relaxing, slow-paced experience that is not for everybody, but if you need a break from all the fast-paced action packed routine of these days and not looking to spend more than 20 bucks, then Lake can be a good choice for you.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Lake is a lovely, slow-paced indie game to play in your downtime. Rich in personality and character, well worth replaying.
Glitches aside, we enjoyed every moment of our time with Lake. This six-or-so hour adventure forces you to take things slowly; to stop and think. That’s something we all could do with more of in this hectic, stressful world. Meredith may be fictional, as may be the gorgeous Providence Oaks, but the life choices she ponders during the course of the game are something we can all relate to. If you’re anything like us, you’ll rue the credits finally rolling, wishing you could continue to deliver mail in that small, sleepy town forever.
An interesting idea marred by a subpar execution, [i]Lake[i] is more tedious than it is relaxing and immersive. The atmosphere is neat, and the whole process of taking it easy and just enjoying the simple act of delivering the mail is surprisingly cathartic, but it's not enough to keep you here for more than an hour. There is some talking to be done with a number of characters as well, but this is sadly the least exciting thing here. The townsfolk are so boring that driving the empty roads and simply delivering the mail is more preferable.
Take a break and deliver mail in the beautiful town of Providence Oaks with Lake, an indie title from developer Gamious with a lot of cosy content—if you want there to be. Can Lake really satisfy that wholesome itch, or do technical flaws ruin the experience?
While the concept of Lake is simple and sweet, the repetitive gameplay can take away from the story and its interesting characters, making the daily delivery tasks more of a chore than something more.
Lake's placid design philosophy cuts both ways: no flaw too egregious and no positive too remarkable.
Buried beneath Lake's innumerable mundane tasks are some really cool characters and stories. It’s just a shame you have to dig deep to really reach them.
I don’t regret my stay in Providence Oaks, but like most vacations, I wish I had gotten to do more in the short time I had with the game. If you’re looking for a slice-of-life experience in a peaceful lake town and you don’t mind some bumps along the road, Lake might just be up your alley. If you want a narrative game with replay value where your choices affect the story, this vacation might leave you a little wanting.
Overall, 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.
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 impactful enough for us to think about the meaning of life and its priorities. No choice is better than the other, so the title really lets us opt for what we want, without it having a positive or negative impact on the gaming experience.
Review in French | Read full review
Lake, despite its problems, is still a beautiful adventure which lends itself enough to disconnect for a long time, not only thanks to its beautiful views, but also to its beautiful soundtrack. So and everything I would recommend only to those who are lovers like me of the walking simulators of more relaxing tone like Abzu or Journey, since in my opinion at least, I feel that they are the only ones who will really know how to enjoy it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, Lake is a lovely addition to the narrative adventure genre — even if it doesn’t go so far as to push the boundaries of that genre — and offers a relaxed adventure which could serve as a welcome counterpoint to some of the chaos going on in today’s world. You can almost feel the stresses of Meredith’s city life melting away, although Lake does a good job of not pushing you towards one decision or another. It’s entirely up to you, after exploring Providence Oaks and working your way back into the lives of its people, to decide what Meredith should do next. I had fun in my time as Providence Oaks' mail carrier, and even though that job can feel a little stale at times, Lake's charming inhabitants and its gentle story make it more than worth a visit.
Lake is a truly beautiful narrative adventure. The sound design is excellent and the story progresses in a delicate way, with feeling. An oasis of relax in a chaotic world that is always in a hurry.
Review in Italian | Read full review