Lakeview Cabin 2
- October 19, 2023
- Roope Tamminen
"Lakeview Cabin 2" is a survival horror game where players control four characters in four different episodes, each with their own story and setting. Use items and the environment to set traps and defeat enemies, and uncover hidden lore as you progress. Survive a family vacation gone wrong, a dangerous fan convention, a haunted tv studio, and a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Emergent gameplay and multiple endings provide high replayability.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Lakeview Cabin 2 offers a unique blend of horror and puzzle-solving gameplay, with each episode providing a fresh and engaging experience that pays homage to classic horror films.
- The game features a cooperative mode that enhances the fun, allowing players to strategize together and explore the various mechanics and secrets.
- The developer has shown a strong commitment to improving the game through regular updates and bug fixes, creating a rich atmosphere filled with intricate details and replayability.
- The game can be overly challenging and lacks clear guidance, which may frustrate players who prefer more straightforward gameplay.
- Some players have reported bugs and issues with the game's mechanics, which can disrupt the experience and lead to confusion during gameplay.
- The story can feel thin and disjointed, making it difficult for players to fully engage with the narrative without external resources or guides.
- story27 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its connection to previous titles in the lakeside series and its anthology-style narrative that evokes classic horror themes. However, others find the overarching plot confusing and lacking in clarity, relying heavily on player exploration and environmental storytelling rather than explicit exposition. Overall, while the game offers immersive horror elements and engaging gameplay, its narrative depth and coherence vary significantly among players.
“Lakeview Cabin 2 is not only a fun puzzle-solving game, but it's also a fairly immersive horror game with a rich backstory and a bunch of fun easter eggs.”
“The story is divided into different chapters that are completely independent to play.”
“A perfect balance of stealth and puzzle solving is on display, all rendered in a familiar aesthetic that brings about a relaxed feeling of nostalgia while at the same time easily transitioning into utter dread and tension - 'Lakeview Cabin 2' combines this with subtle levels of storytelling and intuitive game design that informs the player through visual cues or environmental details, leaving the story vague enough to keep the player thinking.”
“Finally, the main story is paper-thin and somewhat confusing.”
“The game doesn't really explain the overarching story and relies on the endings of each scenario to paint the story, which does get annoying and confusing.”
“Friday the 13th Part 2 put more thought into its story than this game did.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Lakeview Cabin 2 is praised for its creativity and variety, offering unique mechanics and settings that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the engaging storytelling woven into the gameplay, though some report bugs that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the game expands significantly on its predecessor, providing a fun and rewarding challenge for those who enjoy exploration and discovery without hand-holding.
“Lakeview Cabin 2 amazes and entertains in a plethora of exciting ways, being sure to dip into some supernatural, science-fiction, and self-referential stories that take you deeper into the lore and add to the fun of the gameplay.”
“The new levels each have varied settings and twists on gameplay mechanics, the first being The Shining meets Blair Witch, Die Hard with a spookiness, and four Twilight Zone episodes for the price of one!”
“Incredibly creative, really fun, and rewarding gameplay.”
“But be warned, as this game is not for people who like their hand held through gameplay.”
“I had instances of gameplay bugs, e.g. the witches jumped into the water and stayed there. I wandered for around an hour until realizing they were stuck there, and there was no way for me to defeat them.”
“Every stage has its own unique environmental storytelling, mechanics, enemies, and protagonists while still keeping the same cohesive gameplay.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received significant praise for their detailed pixelated style, successfully balancing nostalgia with modern enhancements. While some players find the aesthetic shifts between episodes jarring, the overall art design and environmental details contribute to a tense atmosphere that enhances gameplay. Improvements over the previous title are noted, particularly in graphical fidelity and physics, making it appealing for fans of retro aesthetics and horror elements.
“The different channels your characters are in have different aesthetics to their respective eras of television.”
“The graphics have been overhauled to a more detailed pixelated style; it works very well in this newest title and still maintains the original feel.”
“Currently there are 2-ish levels, tons of new items along with old ones, absolutely fantastic graphical improvements, and new physics.”
“I personally don't like episode 3 very much at all, it changes the aesthetic drastically, showing you on a theater set. I personally don't like this (but like I said, it's a personal preference). I don't hate the game and I'll still play, seeing as it is still only in early access; hence why I won't comment on any of the bugs. But I personally can't recommend this because of how challenging it is and how unaccomplished I feel after completing an episode.”
“The graphics have been overhauled to a more detailed pixelated style, it works very well in this newest title and still maintained the original feel.”
“The environment and behavior of the killers makes the game scary even though the graphics might make you think otherwise.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its tension and immersive qualities, creating a sense of dread and engagement from the outset. Players appreciate the rich lore, terrifying killers, and dramatic deaths, which enhance the overall experience. The intriguing puzzles and clues further contribute to a lively yet eerie world, making exploration both captivating and oppressive.
“The lore is phenomenal, the killers are terrifying, the deaths are dramatic, the tension and atmosphere are perfect, the puzzles are intriguing, the clues are engaging and promote discussion among players.”
“Great optimization for 32:9 monitors, excellent atmosphere.”
“The game feels like playing with a cursed dollhouse; there's this tension and atmosphere that oppresses you from the first moments of exploration.”
“I've sunk a few hours into it, and so far it still has that same tense, playful atmosphere as the first series.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players highlighting its ability to create hilarious moments, often through unexpected mishaps and humorous violence. While it appeals primarily to horror fans, the comedic elements, such as funny character interactions and absurd situations, contribute to an entertaining experience that keeps players laughing, even in chaotic scenarios.
“You could make so many funny moments in this game and have a great time.”
“Haha, the dog and chicken do the funny dance.”
“My friend accidentally set the floor on fire in the house just as I was walking down the stairs, and all of our characters burned to death, but we were dying laughing the whole time.”
- stability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it is largely bug-free and finished, some users report ongoing issues, particularly in multiplayer, which are typical for early access titles. Despite these bugs, many players find the experience enjoyable and appreciate the new mechanics introduced in the sequel, though they acknowledge that the game remains somewhat of a "buggy mess." Overall, while stability issues exist, they do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“Great sequel to the first. If you like these games, give it a look. The game is finished and bug-free now, just to be clear.”
“It is very buggy and a lot of aspects of it aren't clear, but fans of the previous game will recognize that a large aspect of these games are being unclear and nondescript in a variety of ways.”
“The game in this stage is to be expected buggy, yet it doesn't destroy the enjoyment of figuring out the map.”
“Edit: episode 2 has come out and I'd say it's better than the first. It adds many weird but neat game mechanics that are fun to mess with. Still bugs, but less game-breaking ones; though it's still a buggy mess, just a more fun, less buggy one at that.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its great soundtrack, particularly highlighting the lvc soundtrack. Players appreciate the fantastic musical composition, which enhances the overall experience, especially in cooperative gameplay.
“Great soundtrack.”
“All that topped with fantastic music, and it has co-op!”
“When is the OST coming out?”
“I'm a fan of the LVC soundtrack!”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's high replayability, noting its chaotic nature and the abundance of secrets and strategies to discover. Many feel that diving deeper into the game reveals even more layers, enhancing the overall experience and encouraging multiple playthroughs.
“It is chaotic, it has tons of replayability, and if you really sink your teeth into it, you will notice even more secrets and hints towards something else that will make the meta of the Scream franchise look like scraps.”
“Great replayability potential... so many things to find and ways to defeat the 'bad guys'.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features impressive optimization for 32:9 monitors, enhancing the overall immersive atmosphere.
“Great optimization for 32:9 monitors, excellent atmosphere.”
“The game runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware, showcasing impressive optimization.”
“I appreciate how well the game utilizes system resources, making it accessible for a wider audience.”
