Do you want to ditch everything and leave the hubbub of city life behind? Easier said than done, we understand. But here’s a game that might give you a taste of it.
Lake tells the story of Meredith Weiss, an overworked 40-year-old computer scientist who, in 1986, returned to her hometown of Providence Oaks, which she left 22 years earlier to study computer science at MIT. For two weeks, she replaces her father as a postman in the city to allow her parents to take vacations. Her brief stint leads her to reunite with old friends, to make new ones and to wonder if she should stay in this little corner of the country or return to her previous life, in the city.
A true postcard, Providence Oaks is a collection of picturesque houses, pretty trees in abundance, quiet roads, all pierced by a large lake with brilliant water. Delivering the mail there is in a way a convenient game mechanic to visit and quickly introduce us to its inhabitants, and it works. We won’t just bring them letters and parcels, either. In this tight-knit city, the postman also runs all kinds of errands.
On the other hand, delivering the mail is also the weakest part of the game loop. We have to deliver, day after day, a certain number of letters and parcels. A repetitive task executed with boring slowness. Yes, Lake purposely embraces a slow pace, like Providence Oaks, but was it necessary for Meredith to walk so slowly? We spend more than half of the playing time doing this tedious task that does not advance the story. Lake Capturing the vibe of a peaceful small town life well, Providence Oaks often feels like a ghost town. There is little to no life on its streets when you walk through them behind the wheel.
On her way, Meredith will meet, among others, her childhood best friend, a farmer who is also a DJ on the local radio, a young owner of a brand new video store, an elderly lady and her countless cats and a concerned lumberjack. of the landscape. These characters are all in all well written and the dialogues convey their personality well. We still hesitate between saying that their game is ordinary, or that they play ordinary people wonderfully.
Our choice of lines will determine how Meredith is viewed by others. Our protagonist will also be invited to participate in activities after his shifts. There is no right or wrong answer, the choice is ours, with potential romances the key.
That said, there will be no mystery to unravel, no surprise intrigue awaits us in this little corner of Oregon. Our stay will pass like a letter in the mail.
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