Lake Ridden

Lake Ridden is a challenging and intriguing mystery solving game whose puzzles will test even the sharpest tools in the shed.

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Lake Ridden is a first-person narrative-driven adventure game set in a mysterious forest. As a 17-year-old girl, you must solve puzzles and uncover secrets to find your lost friends during a summer camp. The game features a rich and atmospheric environment, with a focus on exploration, story, and detective work.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 335 reviews

story94 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game features beautiful environments and a captivating atmosphere that enhances the exploration experience.
Puzzles are varied and interesting, providing a good mix of challenge without being overly frustrating.
The hint system is helpful, allowing players to progress without getting stuck for too long.

The story is convoluted and difficult to follow, leaving many players confused about the plot and character motivations.
There is excessive backtracking and wandering, which can make the gameplay feel tedious and slow-paced.
Some puzzles lack logical clarity, leading to frustration and reliance on trial-and-error or external guides.

story
341 mentions
28 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story in "Lake Ridden" is often described as confusing and poorly structured, with many players finding it difficult to follow and lacking emotional depth. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and the mystery surrounding the narrative, others criticize it for being vague, disjointed, and ultimately unsatisfying, often feeling like a mere backdrop for the puzzles. Overall, the game is recommended more for its exploration and puzzle-solving aspects than for its storytelling.
- “The unique puzzles were engaging, the story kept me curious, the graphics were immersive, and the spooky atmosphere was intriguing.”
- “Overall, I found it an interesting story, with a bunch of mystery left to chew over after gameplay has ended.”
- “This is a nice exploration/puzzle game that tells the story of a girl searching for her sister in the woods.”
- “The story is a disaster and doesn't really make any kind of sense.”
- “Story is basically impossible to follow and the game just dumps it all on you near the end.”
- “The story felt like a bit of a mess: it started as a typical horror story, with people gone missing, and then changed into more of a children’s ghost fairytale.”
graphics
114 mentions
57 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the visuals as gorgeous and immersive, contributing to a captivating atmosphere. However, some players report technical issues, such as poor performance and hazy visuals, particularly in darker environments, which detracts from the overall experience. While the art style is often described as beautiful and well-executed, there are criticisms regarding the lack of contrast and saturation, leading to navigation difficulties in foggy settings.
- “First, graphics - gorgeous.”
- “The unique puzzles were engaging, the story kept me curious, the graphics were immersive, and the spooky atmosphere was intriguing.”
- “The graphics are really incredible, I can't stress that enough.”
- “The graphics are quite shite to be honest, the atmosphere almost non-existent, the story is trash (girl goes missing, sister is looking for her and encounters other characters, who send her on a merry-go-round to find her).”
- “With my GTX 1070 Ti I usually got only about 45 FPS and the graphics are bad, to be honest.”
- “A dark, dull environment and poor graphics aren't very helpful to keep you motivated.”
atmosphere
99 mentions
63 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, featuring stunning graphics, engaging sound design, and a mix of spooky and soothing elements that enhance the overall experience. While many players appreciate the atmospheric environments and the sense of exploration, some critiques mention that the story and puzzle design can be lacking or frustrating at times. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that captivates players, making it a compelling choice for those who enjoy atmospheric puzzle games.
- “The environments are gorgeous and atmospheric, the sound design is awesome.”
- “The atmosphere really sets the mood and the setting is beautiful.”
- “I enjoyed this game a lot, the puzzles were well designed with logical answers and the atmosphere was great.”
- “Sadly, Lake Ridden's atmosphere only works up to a point.”
- “The graphics are quite shite to be honest, the atmosphere almost non-existent, the story is trash (girl goes missing, sister is looking for her and encounters other characters, who send her on a merry-go-round to find her).”
- “Even an enchanting, unearthly atmosphere and its accompanying folk soundtrack cannot fulfill all of Lake Ridden's promises.”
music
65 mentions
46 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as calming and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience with its soothing qualities and beautiful melodies. While many players appreciate the ambient soundtrack and its ability to set a mood, some express frustration with the repetitive nature of certain music-related puzzles. Overall, the combination of music and visuals creates an engaging environment, though there are mixed feelings about the puzzle variety associated with the music elements.
- “The sound was well done; the music was mesmerizing and enjoyable, and the ambient sounds made the world feel lived in.”
- “The visuals are wonderful and the soundtrack really sets the mood.”
- “The art and music create a great atmosphere, and the puzzles were interesting and varied.”
- “I can think of no other explanation for putting in a large open area with nothing to do in it, where the only way forward is a music puzzle tucked in an obscure corner of the map that gives no feedback to show if it's even working.”
- “It's always the opposite, can't act fast enough to turn down blaring music and annoying sound effects, if the game even lets me.”
- “The remaining puzzle boxes and Simon Says music box puzzles which are scattered throughout the map are repetitive, giving all but the most dedicated binge gamers a reason to take a break when found.”
gameplay
38 mentions
37 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally smooth, with some users noting minor stuttering during auto-saves and issues with mouse sensitivity that complicate puzzle interactions. While the puzzles are described as clever and varied, repetitive mechanics and clunky controls lead to frustration, particularly in later stages. Overall, the game offers an interesting story and a decent amount of content for its price, but the gameplay experience can be hindered by technical inconsistencies and design choices.
- “Gameplay: cool and interesting puzzles, some familiar puzzles from other games but also a variety of new puzzles I had not encountered before (won't mention them since it would be a spoiler).”
- “There weren't any technical issues that I saw or experienced, so the gameplay was smooth.”
- “The graphics are great :) the gameplay just wow!”
- “This was extra frustrating as the game auto-saved at points that often meant I had to undo a lot of gameplay in order to get going again.”
- “The game mechanic is so clunky it was too frustrating to finish.”
- “Some of the riddles were clever, yes, but after a point in the game it becomes really frustrating, both story and gameplay.”
grinding
10 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some elements, like repetitive puzzles and navigating dark environments, can become tedious, others appreciate the realism added by retracing steps and lighting lamps. Overall, the balance between challenge and monotony varies, with many feeling that certain tasks drag on too long.
- “However, the puzzle boxes are starting to get tedious and you can't skip them.”
- “Three of the same puzzle is bordering on tedious, but four?!!”
- “A lot of lighting lamps and candles is a good way to keep track of where you've been on the map, but it got really tedious after a while.”
optimization
7 mentions
57 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is inconsistent, with some players experiencing smooth performance while others face significant frame rate drops, particularly in village areas. While some users report it as well-optimized, others struggle with clunky controls and low FPS on less powerful systems, leading to discomfort. Overall, the optimization appears to vary widely among different setups.
- “Well optimized”
- “Unfortunately, controls are really clunky and navigation is problematic, and it seems like there is an optimization issue because the game runs on my laptop at low fps, which gave me nausea.”
- “Unfortunately, controls are really clunky and navigation is problematic, and it seems like there is an optimization issue because the game runs on my laptop at low FPS, which gave me nausea.”
- “Performance dropped here and there (mostly in the village), but was pretty stable otherwise.”
emotional
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting a confusing narrative and a lack of engaging storytelling that fails to resonate. Many find the story and puzzles uninteresting, resulting in a diminished emotional experience typical of the adventure game genre.
- “Boring story and boring puzzles... and there is barely any of both.”
- “A rather boring story.”
- “Boring story and boring puzzles... and there is barely any of both.”
stability
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-17 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting various bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Many express a desire for a more polished, bug-free environment to fully enjoy the game.
- “It's great to have a bug-free game to immerse myself in.”
- “I appreciate the stability; it allows me to focus on the gameplay without interruptions.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
- “It's even more problematic since some objects are buggy.”
- “Graphics are 'eh' and there are quite a few weird bugs and glitches.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly noting the amusing directions provided by characters, which add a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience.
- “There are also funny directions given to you by characters, like one time when I was coming out of a house in the middle of a forest.”