Lake

Game has stunning graphics and are very relaxing and soothing both to the eyes and the mind. Music and the voice acting are top class. Sometimes i just let Meredith take the Van and drive aimlessly in the forest road and around the town and then let her stand by the Lake and watch the beautiful scenery. It seems she likes it.

I bought this during the most recent Winter Sale and just got around to playing it (though I didn't get the DLC), getting all of the achievements after taking about 7 hours to finish the main story. I enjoyed it for the most part! It's a very cozy game with an easy game loop of delivering mail/packages in a circle around the town while getting asked to hang out with townsfolk or doing random tasks for your actual job back in the city. I didn't try out the endless mode but it's just what happens in the story just with no dialogue and while I didn't feel like playing that now, I imagine if I feel like playing this again down the road I'd get a kick out of the endless mode.

My major gripe with the game is the amount of odd bugs I still see for a game that came out in 2021 where I'd think they would've been patched by now. Visual bugs of cars sinking into the ground/blinking numbers on mailboxes/cars and people both blinking out of existence/boxes in the back of the truck poking through and the audio bugs of some dialogue just straight up not playing despite subtitles showing there should be dialogue or a few times with talking with Angie how the audio would get really quiet, like both her and the protagonist were in wells delivering their lines before the audio was fine. They weren't enough to damper the experience, just enough for me to notice and go 'huh, weird these haven't been fixed yet'.

I also noticed after a friend mentioned it (since I played the game for some friends) how no one in cutscenes actually has a walk cycle. People just teleport into frame or the camera cuts away you you can just focus on the protagonist while something is happening off screen. Not really anything bad, just a fun little tick.

I really wanted to like Lake. Casual relaxation games with lots of tasks and dialogue boxes are my jam, but Lake unfortunately is far too thin to sustain its nearly 7 hr playing time.

The game sort of made me think of Alba, which is a kids game. Similar art style and gameplay. What's frustrating is that Lake looks and plays like a kids game, but it isn't, having a few places of very mature dialogue and scenes. It lacks interest and gameplay for adults, but isn't appropriate for kids. Lake just kind of lacks a target audience.

The art direction is beautiful, but the moment you closely look at anything, the simplicity of the world design is obvious, with very redundant, bland textures and mostly static polygons. Nothing in this world is randomly interactive. For open-level games like this to really work, you gotta have easter eggs hidden around, incentives for players to go 'off-road' and find things not part of the main mission objectives, which in this case is delivering the mail. Lake has no surprises, nothing to find that isn't part of the main tasks. Nor is there much detail to the world. In one scene, two RV campers go inside their motorhome. But walking around the RV, I could look inside and no one was in there! They didn't even both to put the NPCs in the motorhome to maintain the illusion that they were in there.

Even delivering the mail is made more banal than it should be. There's nothing distinct about letter deliveries, and only a couple packages across the game registers any kind of impact. It's just repetition for the sake of it. There are no collectibles, no optional time goals, no trying to figure out the best route.

Worse, there's no story here, no mystery to solve, nothing inspiring your curiosity. The town-folk have very generic and bland dialogue, and the sub-plots are quite superficial. There's a few optional romance storylines, but it's hard to care about these 1-dimensional characters.

I guess if you need the least stressful game ever made to help you unwind, this would be a good choice. For all others, I recommend Firewatch or The Wild Eternal as better instances of this style of casual, story-driven gameplay.

what a cute and relaxing little game. The art is so pretty and the story so cozy. Definitely recommend

Such a comfy game, I really enjoy it and the background music a lot. Definitely recommend. Glad I can drive easy in this and get out to see the lake. Now i want to visit Oregon.

If you're looking for a chilled, slow pace game to unwind, this is the game for you! I adored the wholesome aesthetic and location of the game. The music was one of the main highlights for me and have started listening to the soundtrack on spotify! Apart from a few choices at the end of the game, id have liked to make more decisions that affect the game. Minus that, i'd still recommend playing!

This is a very cozy and relaxing game with a warm atmosphere and heartfelt characters. It's perfect for meditating when you're in no rush and just want to enjoy a charming world. The artists' work with lighting was particularly impressive. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves beautiful and cozy games.

Cozy and I want more please. Others people have asked about this game and said they are going to purchase because of me playing and talking about it. I never wanted to deliver mail so much in my life.

6/10
Story- its good at some point but falls short at some.. Its not good and not bad either for me.. There is so much potential in the story but it feels a bit bland.. VA did an excellent job though, it feels nostalgic in my own POV,

Gameplay- Delivering mails can get annoying at some point. But there is a endless version of it that would enable u to deliver more without the story only for those who likes doing it as if its a job.. Everything else is straightforward..however there is a game breaking emersion to my saves.. Where Emily starts talking without me even choosing that kind of dialogue and the subs isnt what was said.. Its a different choice but the VO just keep playing another choices, it happened more when the game almost at an end..

Graphics-Its a nice graphics on its own, similar to Telltale.. The landscapes are beautiful.. I like that 3D comic style..

Music-Yess.. A very good soundtrack choices for this kind of game.. Loved it.. Its soothing.. Have the life if strange vibe to it..

I hope there is a sequel to this game or some spiritual successor.. Heres hoping..

First impression already showed me what to expect.

Tutorial is impossible to progress in because pressing A to deliver mail freezes the player in a bugged animation without response.

Walk animation isn't adjusted to speed, so even when walking extremely slowly via controller input you swing your legs like a light jog, which looks extremely cheap.

Skipping the intro cutscene skips the entire tutorial. Tons of flashing assets.

There might be a heartwarming story underneath all this but I don't want to wade through that barely functional indie slop.

It's an alright game. The play loop is nice and the visuals are solid, the writing however is a bit bland, and it seems like the lesbian romance is completely scrambled if you try to go on a road trip. But, if you want an extremely low-key game with a simple play style, and the ability to zen out as you drive around town, this is the game for you. One of the other reviews referred to it as 'If Hallmark made a video game' and they were spot on, for all the positives and detractors that entails.

A slow gentle game about mail delivery and a mid-life crisis. Worth playing if you want to explore your relationships around the town. I screwed up the ending - planned one choice, but then a natural dialogue choice led me down another unfortunately. So that's something to be aware of.

I got this during the winter sale. Not sure if I would have paid full price for it. It’s a really pretty game with cozy features, but I did find it a bit boring/repetitive at times. On the other hand, I think if you spaced it out instead of trying to binge-play it, you would have a batter experience. It’s a simple concept with some interesting dialogue, but I don’t think I would play it again. It’s more like enjoy it once, maybe download the DLC, then that’s it. It does feature an endless mode however which could be good if you’re just wanting something relaxing before bed. Overall I’d recommend it if you just want something quick and cozy.

Didn't immediately vibe with me but I really like the concept. It just feels really slow for the sake of being slow, which bothered me more than relaxed me. I guess my impatience is showing.

Will come back to it in the future for some cozy vibes. Devs got something cooking here.

Review from an IRL mailman :)

This is a fun little game I actually see a lot of potential in. One of the things I love about my job is the amount of alone time it offers me. Basically all day I'm just out on my own free to listen to whatever I want and contemplate the things going on in my life. The RPG and relationship elements were what intrigued me. Having to do the mail delivery gave me time to ponder stuff just like in real life. I wish it was a bit more indepth on the RPG side however. It's a tad basic and the relationships were really easy to keep everyone happy (except Matt, he was a prick). A game where you need to balance your after work schedule and interesting character dynamics all while doing a job that can become second nature as you think about all these things sounds like a dream game to me. This feels like a first step, and needs to work on it's presentation and the depth of the in game relationships with all the characters.

Basically I want Baldur's Gate 3 level characters/writing/variety with some improved gameplay (set routes, right side driver seat, etc.).

Lake isn't a bad game. It's a cute experience.
At first, I felt a little bored by the repetitive gameplay, but once the plot and romance started kicking into gear I kept playing to see where it'd all lead.

Unfortunately, a lot of plot elements fizzle out and feel incomplete, but the romance resolved well enough to satisfy me.

This is a game that had more potential, and I feel a sequel could fix a lot of issues. - besides the plot problems - the object interaction needs a lot of work. It can get annoying when you're trying to enter your mail truck and have to make multiple attempts (or the same when delivering mail).
I think there should be more achievements and possible side-missions. There was also glitching happening near the end of the game. - not a major problem a problem. Characters started repeating lines.

Make those changes and fixes and this would be a much better game.

Really enjoying this game. Definitely a cozy game about delivering mail with some fun characters. I have a few complaints about the controls and handling - I wish running was more than just a shuffle walk that's only 1.2x speed; it's not worth it to park at the end of a street to deliver the mail clustered on a street, it's better to get back in the van to drive to each and every house. The camera while driving is also very annoying. It keeps snapping to a position that isn't comfortable to drive from, and constantly correcting is headache-inducing. My only other complaint would be that dialogue sometimes glitches, but it so far hasn't caused a serious issue.

Despite all of that, I'm still really loving the game and looking forward to finishing it completely.

What a great gem of a game! If you like small towns, you will love this one. Perfect blend of light game mechanics, atmospheric exploration and story-telling.

It's seldom that I buy DLC or even play through games in their entirety, but with this one I couldn't stop.

Thanks for this wholesome experience.

As long as this game has been around you'd think they would work out all the kinks before adding DLCs to attract new gamers. I really like the game but there are numerous complaints of game freezes and no resolution for months according to the threads. (after running into the same issue as multiple gamers.) It would have been nice to continue the story line but I guess ill have to move on to something else. I am willing to update my review if this changes in the near future.

Lovely atmosphere and the perfect amount of interactivity if you want something active but low-stakes & easy. It's very soothing to drive around delivering the mail and the character interactions are charming. For me, the idealised portrayal of a traditional job in a rural American town is a perfect virtual holiday from my own (beloved) UK city life and tech job. It's fun to safely live out that fantasy!

I've played both the base game and the DLC twice now - it was my go-to for the Christmas break this year. I'd love to see more episodes or a similar format somewhere else, because the mail delivery + socialising make for a great dual loop.

I saw Lake on my discovery queue and I am really glad that I did because it reminds me of all the movies that my family watches around Christmas time. A big city woman goes back to her home town as her parents fly south for a fabulous vacation. While you play as Meredith you reconnect with people from your past, discover secrets, do (or don't do) drugs and gambling, find love interests, take on many responsibilities that may or may not be cat related, potentially ruin the entire town, THE WORKS, the whole everything but the kitchen sink kind of story while doing what could be considered a relatively mundane job as a postal worker. It was a nice game though I will admit that sometimes the job as a postal worker got to me a little bit, doing the same route, doing the same route everyday....That tripped me up a bit in the beginning. Worth it for Angie though.

If someone asked the age old hypothetical question "If a truck hit you, killed you, and you had to wake up into any game, what would that game be?" it would be this one. The cozy small town vibes are all absolutely perfect. You can pet cats. And everybody wants to spill the town "tea" with you. Truly goals for my next life.

I genuinely loved this game!! It's so cozy and relaxing. I swear, at times I forget I'm even playing; especially when I'm listening to the radio and driving around town. Wished it was longer and had more side quests, but not at all complaining! Would recommend this to people who love a slow, laid-back game.

6.5/10
I'd really only recommend this game if you enjoy "cozy" and "slower paced" games. I'd also only recommend getting it on a sale as I do not think it is worth 20$.
It's cute and pretty with the art style the developers have gone with, however a lot of the scenery feels unfinished. It's like playing an early access game but in the very, very early stages. For how long this game has been released, it has very many glitches and bugs. A bit of a disappointment that the developers didn't take the proper time to polish the game up in three years.
Meredith loses her personality within the first week - first three days or so. She has few lines outside of the limited dialogue options that are on repeat until the end. Not a bad thing but it would be nice to have had more voicing from her. The small town vibes of the world are present, but the town almost feels like a ghost town at times. I do wish more of the stores were open, more people opened their doors, and more people were outside doing literally anything.
All-in-all this isn't a 'bad' game, only an unfinished one that clearly isn't going to be finished any time soon.

This is one of those games where I wish steam would give your more than a "yes or no" answer for a rating, but the state it is in right now, I'll have to give it a NO.
I like the idea of the setting and core gameplay. relaxing little game in which you drive around a small countryside town, delivering mail, while having conversations that help you come to terms with your life. But the execution is very lacking.
First of all, it feels like the story should take place over a longer time, like at least 3 to 4 weeks. Enough time for Meredith to somewhat settle in. But even within the short time frame the game has, there's really not enough going regarding side activities, making the mail delivery feel like busywork after a certain point.
Many of the dialogue choices you make don't really feel like they matter.
And the bugs are one of the biggest issue. Especially since this is a story driven game like this. Some of the cutscenes will just stop playing while the dialogue continues. The dialogue will randomly skip audio lines. And during the final events of the game, it just played completely different audio that didn't line up with my choices at all.
I'd refund it if I still could.

Fun, cute, cozy game. I wouldn't pay full price for this but luckily purchased it under $10. Relatively short game even taking my time finished in around 5 hours. It was very repetitive and not just the part about delivering mail. The in game music drove me crazy, very quickly muted that. The story itself and dialogue was lacking, but the game is visually appealing and was still a cool concept just not executed that well. Some of the voice acting was irritating, there is a lot to the plot that seems left out/missing, I'm unsure if this is intentional to set up for future DLC, but the ending felt rushed.

Cute cozy game. Gameplay loop is cathartic. The soundtrack is not to my taste but it's very fitting as the backdrop for a small town. There are some minor bugs in cutscenes throughout the game and a major one in one of the endings that ruins the interaction.

Super cute cozy game to play when you wanna chill and drive a mail truck around a cute little town delivering mail and packages!

It had its moments. An interesting story line and the choice at the end was really cool. I chose differently from what I thought I'd choose when I started playing the game. I really liked some of the characters, like Angie and Kay, but really disliked several of them also. The main character Meredith is a pretty meh protagonist also.

The game makes you take these long drives and I liked it as a calming thing especially with the music, but it felt to me like the story could have been stronger, especially in the way it all ties together at the end. Ran into some weird bugs near the very end, like characters hugging each other while being several feet apart and facing different directions (lol) but overall, it's a solid game I'd say - but I don't like it enough to play the endless mode. I was happy when it ended!

ive only played the seasons greetings so far but the ending made me choke up a little, its so heartwarming and such a relaxing game, i knocked it out in only a few hours

driving is awkward. people be asking for too many favors and bothering you with their problems, and you cant tell them to kick rocks

10.9 Hours: Its a very nice, calm, time filling game. Although I do wish the radio had more than (roughly) 3 songs, and I wish you could use the left and right mouse buttons to make the mail truck use indicators if you wanted immerse yourself more. Its very well made, and Im enjoying it

TL;DR:

Themes & Philosophy:

Gameplay:

Dialogues & Voice Acting:

Characters:

Musics:

Additional Notes:

• Slightly increasing traffic density could enhance the atmosphere.
  
• I would have liked a waypoint system on the minimap.
  
• Instead of showing target locations as icons on the minimap, coloring the 2D house visuals or marking them with 3D elements would have been better. I occasionally got confused in narrow streets and areas with dense vegetation.
  
• Subtitles were hard to read in certain scenes. A black or blurred background for subtitles would have helped.
  
• At times, I wished to revert to an earlier savegame due to making a wrong choice, but I couldn’t. The game only relies on manual saves, and I occasionally forgot to save at the end of the day. I believe the game should have automatic daily saves. That said, choices don’t seem to result in drastic consequences, so it’s not a major issue.
  
[*]Some players suggested adding more gameplay challenges, but I think that would contradict the game’s atmosphere and philosophy.

And the end.

Its a good, simple. boring game. I got it on sale for about $7.50 and I think it's worth that. I wouldn't pay $20 for it however. Not a negative necessarily, it's just not a long game.

I enjoyed the coziness of this game. The scenery is beautiful and I loved the music as well.

In my humble opinion, this is the best cozy game of all time. The nature is gorgeous, the characters are realistic and loveable, the soundtrack is just amazing. Combine it with the Xmas DLC, and you have yourself a wonderful relaxing escape from everyday troubles. Could not recommend this game any more! :-)

I absolutely love this game; you can get away from the stress and strains of real life and immerse yourself in a world where you can deliver the post and meet old friends and make new. Stories develop throughout the game and decisions you make can change your relationships with them. You are covering your dad who is the normal postmaster and has gone on holiday with your mum.

Good characters and a beautiful world to drive through. Turn on the radio, listen to some good tunes and take as much time as you like to explore the local area. I have played all the scenarios based on your decision making. Personally it's my 'get away from the world game' and I cannot wait for further instalments to come out. Yes I have also played the Christmas dlc. Yayyy

Great chill game with likable characters. A bit dialogue heavy, but entertaining enough to not be too annoying.

An interesting idea marred by a subpar execution, Lake 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.

This game is definitely on my top 5-list of story based cosy games. Played it including the DLC, which adds additional content and a different viewpoint to the game. A very easygoing nice little game with a story and a message. Choices definitely matter to the outcome of the game and some different endings are possible, which adds some replay value. I love the idea of the endless-mode (not tested though), since driving out in the beautiful Oregon countryside to deliver mail is very relaxing.
The player's choices for Meredith can also represent the player - one can easily relate to her and her motivation of doing changes. A well made game! I Love it!

This is one of those games that will chage you a little bit. It was absolutely beautyfull with a rich story and a DLC that only adds to the story. 9.2-10

If Hallmark Started Making Video Games, This Would Be it...

...And that is NOT A BAD THING.

My Only Complaint

Mild Wishes/Complaints

I honestly hope they make ANOTHER CHRISTMAS DLC! Seriously best DLC ever made and way too short! My Wife and I love playing this game together its very peaceful and the way they made the snow for the DLC is absolute magic <3

A cute, short little semi-narrative game with a few decisions, great art direction, a good setting and an evening's worth of relaxation.

My only complaint is that it is a little sparse on anything more than skin-deep, but given the clear budget nature of the title (the price is right, even when not on discount) I've been looking forward to kicking back and rolling around the Pacific Northwest since I played the demo in 2021. Well worth the wait, with satisfying endings regardless of which one you inevitably pick.

Cozy relaxing game with inviting and intriguing story line. I played in one sitting and then when finished bought the dlc. Excited to play that as well!

I like the game so far. Great way to chill, relax and basically turn your mind "off". The game's concept is charming, offering a slice-of-life experience that allows players to explore the town, reconnect with old friends, and enjoy the simple act of delivering mail. However, although the routine of mail delivery has a calming, almost meditative quality, the repetitive nature of the tasks can become tedious over time.

One of the standout features of Lake is its stunning visual style. The game's world is beautifully crafted, with sun-soaked streets, cascading waterfalls, and dense foliage that brings the town of Providence Oaks to life. The attention to detail in the environment, from the creaky cabins to the glistening lake, creates a truly immersive experience. The game's visuals are complemented by a relaxing soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.

This game offers a unique and relaxing experience, perfect for those looking to escape the stresses of everyday life. While it may not be for everyone, its charming visuals, engaging narrative, and well-developed characters make it a worthwhile experience. If you're in the mood for a slow-paced, narrative-driven adventure, Lake is definitely worth a try.

Relaxing, narrative-driven gameplay that sometimes has you drive and deliver.

Dialogue is very folksy, even moreso than your average Midwest conversations. It's a better game when paced out and played over time. I spent longer than I'd like trying to 100%, all thanks to the metal detector man being hard to find.

Multiple endings was a welcome surprise that made me feel like my choices mattered! Not a lot of bang for your buck (in my opinion), but a memorable experience nonetheless

I've bought this game because the graphic is beautiful and hope the story too. I'll come back later after i finish the game

I highly enjoy this game, its nice, relaxing, honestly nice to just zone out while driving

Is Lake fascist? No. I'm not sure why you would even ask that, in fact.
Lake is a very "chill" experience that asks relatively little of you, being content to simply offer you a relaxing, possibly nostalgic, few drives around the circular town of Providence Oaks. And it works. So yeah!