Lake for Windows

Slice-of-life adventure game

Lake is an indie adventure game developed by Gamious. Here, you will play a 44-year-old computer programmer named Meredith Weiss, who returned to her childhood home. For two weeks, she will be taking over her father's job of delivering mail and packages to the residents of Providence Oaks.

Unlike other AAA or indie games on the market, Lake offers a strikingly ordinary premise. There is no mystery to solve, and there is a big twist in the latter part of the game. What makes this title special is its simplicity offering players a few hours of relaxing, reflective storytelling. 

What does the game offer?

Lake is a unique game that offers a very ordinary premise. As mentioned, it is a slice-of-life game that is all about driving around a beautiful, entirely unremarkable American environment. If you are the kind of player who follows the traffic law in Grand Theft Auto, then this will be your vibe. The game keeps things to a very small cast of characters and the rekindled relationship between them.

The gameplay has two elements. The first will be Meredith's task of delivering packages. Players can drive themselves, but they can also put the van on autopilot and enjoy the atmosphere. The second will be about forging relationships with the townspeople. However, unlike Persona and Fire Emblem, relationships have no high-stakes context. The player can decide Meredith's future. She can return to her career or stay at Providence Oaks.

Additionally, there are no bad endings in this game. There are also no conflicts to consider. Even driving is easy as the van does not take damage when you bump into things. You also cannot run anybody over.  However, it appears that time and money were spent on the town's visual. There are a lot of quick cuts in place of animations, and the game can be pretty buggy. 

Is the game good?

Overall, Lake is a simple and sweet game that you can play to unwind. The game offers relaxed gameplay, allowing you to make decisions without worrying too much about the consequences. It also lets you visit a quaint little town, at least virtually. However, due to the slow pace and lack of combat and conflict, the game can be quite bland and boring in the long run.