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

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 165 reviews

story47 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
Puzzles are varied and interesting, providing a good mix of challenge without being overly frustrating.
The story, while vague at times, is engaging and encourages exploration to uncover its mysteries.

Controls are clunky and navigation can be problematic, leading to frustration during gameplay.
The narrative is disjointed and can be confusing, making it difficult to follow the story's progression.
There is excessive backtracking and some puzzles feel repetitive, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.

story
171 mentions
27 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story in this game is often described as confusing and disjointed, with many players struggling to follow its narrative threads. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and the mystery surrounding the protagonist's search for her sister, others criticize the execution and clarity of the plot, noting that it feels more like a vehicle for puzzles than a cohesive tale. Overall, the story is seen as lacking depth and coherence, leaving many players unsatisfied despite the game's engaging puzzles and visuals.
- “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.”
- “The story was engaging and a nice mix of voiceover and eerie journals and other things to read.”
- “The story is all over the place and makes no sense.”
- “The story is a disaster and doesn't really make any kind of sense.”
- “The story was not my favorite.”
graphics
57 mentions
56 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the beautiful visuals, immersive environments, and atmospheric lighting. However, some users criticize the overall quality, noting issues like poor visibility, haziness, and technical problems that detract from the experience. While the graphics are often described as gorgeous and well-designed, they are not universally appreciated, with some players finding them lacking in contrast and saturation.
- “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.”
- “Adjusting any graphical setting does nothing and it defaults to 60hz with whatever resolution you chose, sometimes that doesn't even work.”
- “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).”
- “A dark, dull environment and poor graphics aren't very helpful to keep you motivated.”
atmosphere
49 mentions
61 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning graphics, sound design, and a mix of spooky and soothing elements that enhance the experience. While some found the atmosphere captivating and engaging, others noted that it occasionally faltered due to poor story execution or overly dark lighting. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate atmospheric environments, even if the narrative may not always meet expectations.
- “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
33 mentions
45 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its calming and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience with soothing melodies that complement the visuals. While some players found the soundtrack mesmerizing and enjoyable, others noted that the repetitive nature of certain music-related puzzles detracted from the experience. Overall, the combination of pleasant music and beautiful graphics creates an engaging environment, though some players wished for more variety in puzzle mechanics.
- “The music is calm and peaceful, except when it isn't, which sets a mood.”
- “The sound was well done; the music was mesmerizing and enjoyable, and the ambient sounds made the world feel lived in.”
- “The art and music create a great atmosphere, and the puzzles were interesting and varied.”
- “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.”
- “Even an enchanting, unearthly atmosphere and its accompanying folk soundtrack cannot fulfill all of lake ridden's promises.”
gameplay
19 mentions
37 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally smooth, though some players experienced stuttering during auto-saves and issues with mouse sensitivity that complicated puzzle interactions. While the puzzles are varied and interesting, repetitive mechanics and clunky controls led to frustration for some, particularly in later stages. Overall, the game offers a decent experience with a mix of clever riddles and engaging story elements, but can become tedious due to its reliance on similar puzzle types.
- “Overall, I found it an interesting story, with a bunch of mystery left to chew over after gameplay has ended.”
- “There weren't any technical issues that I saw or experienced, so the gameplay was smooth.”
- “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).”
- “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
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game, such as repetitive puzzle boxes and navigating dark environments, to be tedious, particularly when tasks require excessive retracing of steps. However, some appreciate that certain elements, like lighting lamps and candles, enhance realism despite becoming monotonous over time. Overall, while some grinding elements contribute to immersion, they can also detract from the enjoyment due to their repetitive nature.
- “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
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is inconsistent; while some players report stable performance, others experience low frame rates and jittery navigation, particularly in certain areas like the village. Controls are described as clunky, contributing to a frustrating experience for some users.
- “Well optimized”
- “Unfortunately, controls are really clunky and navigation is problematic. 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
3 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 elements. Many feel that the story and puzzles fail to evoke any significant emotional response, resulting in a dull experience overall.
- “Boring story and boring puzzles... and there is barely any of both.”
- “A rather boring story.”
stability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is a significant concern, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Many players express a desire for a more polished, bug-free environment to fully enjoy the game.
- “It's refreshing to play a game that feels so stable and bug-free.”
- “I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is; it really enhances the overall experience.”
- “The stability of this game allows me to immerse myself without any interruptions.”
- “It's even more problematic since some objects are buggy.”
- “Graphics are 'eh' and there are quite a few weird bugs and glitches.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % 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.
- “The characters provide hilarious directions, like the time I was coming out of a house in the middle of a forest.”
- “The humor in the dialogue is top-notch, with witty one-liners that had me laughing out loud.”
- “I love how the game incorporates absurd situations that catch you off guard and leave you in stitches.”