Lakeview Valley
- July 27, 2019
- Hypnohustler
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Lakeview Valley" is a murder mystery RPG set in a shady town where everyone has a secret. Day/night cycles and encounters with horrifying enemies add to the suspense. Your moral choices will determine one of the game's multiple endings, encouraging replayability as you uncover the unique backstories of over twenty NPCs.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and intriguing horror story with multiple endings, providing a lot of replayability.
- The pixel art style and atmosphere are charming, creating a surreal and unsettling experience.
- There is a lot of freedom in gameplay, allowing players to choose between being a good neighbor or a murderous villain.
- The game is plagued with numerous bugs and glitches that can make it frustrating and sometimes unplayable.
- Many players find the gameplay tedious, with slow mechanics and a lack of clear direction on objectives.
- The dialogue and character interactions can be poorly written, making it hard to connect with the characters.
- story190 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "Lakeview Valley" is a complex and dark narrative that blends horror with RPG elements, featuring multiple endings and deep character backstories. While some players appreciate the intriguing and disturbing plot twists, others find the storytelling convoluted and hindered by gameplay mechanics that can lead to tedious trial and error. Overall, the game offers a unique experience with a rich narrative, though it may not resonate with everyone due to its vagueness and pacing issues.
“Lakeview Valley is probably Roope’s most ambitious title, ditching the side scrolling and going for an isometric open world RPG with things to see, people to do, and a rabbit hole story that goes so deep you may find yourself shaking hands with the devil himself, with revelations that are as shocking and disturbing as they are rewarding to discover.”
“The story is a slow burn, but the revelations help to contrast the generally laid back facade of the setting with grisly and pretty disturbing story beats.”
“This game is incredibly in depth from the storyline to character backstories; it definitely deserves more hype!”
“The story is incredibly vague and convoluted, keeping in mind that this is a part of the Lakeview Cabin franchise. This shouldn't be a surprise, but somehow the way it's executed here, along with certain plot elements, just comes across as plain weird or extremely off-putting.”
“In theory, this all sounds like it could be interesting, but in practice, it means a lot of trial and error, a lot of waiting, and a lot of redoing things you've already done just to try to get a slightly different result. It also affects the storytelling because it means major story elements are revealed to you in a pretty random order depending on your actions.”
“The pacing of the gameplay and story and how they interact is another major problem.”
- stability86 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly detract from the overall experience, often rendering it frustrating and unplayable. Many players report game-breaking issues, such as soft locks and missing items, leading to a feeling that the game is unfinished or abandoned. Despite these stability problems, some users still find enjoyment in the game's unique concept and atmosphere, hoping for future updates to address the issues.
“It is nothing but a buggy mess full of soft locks and stun locks that ruin your run.”
“Bugs and freezes forced me to ctrl+alt+del out of the game several times causing me to lose 30+ minutes of progress every time.”
“I love the idea and theme of this game but it feels very unfinished and riddled with glitches which sometimes makes it unplayable.”
- gameplay74 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Lakeview Valley is a mixed bag, featuring intriguing mechanics and a unique atmosphere, but marred by significant bugs and clunky controls that can frustrate players. Many reviewers noted the need for walkthroughs to navigate its complex systems, as well as the tedium associated with real-time event triggers. While some found the open-world exploration and replayability enjoyable, others criticized the lack of intuitive guidance and the presence of game-breaking glitches.
“So much fun and massively replayable, with a deep story, interesting characters, and great gameplay; Lakeview Valley is a hell of a good game!”
“The open-world mechanic is very fun because it lets you explore the village and choose exactly what activities to do and people to help.”
“The gameplay is enjoyable and killing the NPCs feels significant.”
“The fast forward mechanic outright breaks a number of events, and entire mechanics that seem important are completely nonfunctional.”
“There's a lot of tedium in this game, most of it stemming from the basic gameplay idea of having events tied to real time passing, forcing you to be in the right place at the right time or wait for certain events to trigger, combined with the time loop plot mechanic.”
“In terms of gameplay, it's not intuitive... it's hard to figure out how to play if you don't watch walkthroughs and stuff.”
- grinding40 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the need to repeatedly complete minor quests and manage mundane tasks. While some appreciate the edgy twist on familiar farming game mechanics, many find the gameplay lacks depth and feels unfinished, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from enjoyment. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback, making the game feel more like a chore than a fun adventure.
“Like Harvest Moon with a twist and no farming.”
“The problem is that at the same time you have to endure stuff like re-doing all of the tedious little quests to gain footing from the villagers, and even minor things like moving the garbage from your lawn each reset.”
“While I was excited about the concept of this game, I found the constant need to restart after accidentally pressing the wrong key and killing someone to be tedious and repetitive.”
“It seems unfinished and is incredibly tedious.”
- replayability30 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players noting the deep story, interesting characters, and numerous secrets to uncover. Different endings and the ability to learn new things in each playthrough contribute to its appeal, making it enjoyable even after multiple runs. However, a few users mentioned that replayability may be limited for some, suggesting a mixed experience in this aspect.
“I've never played a game with this much replay value, honestly.”
“This game has a lot of replayability and I'm already on my third game and still can't believe all the things I'm finding to do.”
“Seriously, this has crazy replayability and so many secrets to uncover.”
“But not a lot of replayability.”
“It's not a very complicated game and has a lot of replay value (and given the length of the game that is appreciated).”
“There are different endings, which adds for replayability.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's pixel graphics are widely praised for their beauty and ability to evoke a nostalgic slasher horror atmosphere reminiscent of classic films from the 70s and 80s. While the art style and overall visuals contribute positively to the experience, some players have reported minor graphical glitches and bugs that detract from the enjoyment. Overall, the graphics are a highlight, though potential players should be aware of the graphic violence and sexual content.
“With its great and disarming allure of pixel graphics and a calm setting, surreal and unsettling atmosphere, and its homage to classic slasher films of the 70’s and 80’s, the 2D side scrollers are a must-play for any fans of the slasher genre or horror in general.”
“The pixel graphics are beautiful and add to the old school slasher horror feel.”
“The crime scenes, the graphics, and the music are quite on point and atmospheric, though so I'll keep playing and may revise my review.”
“Great game (story, unique art style, etc), but sadly, too goddamn buggy to recommend.”
“Some bugs are minor, for instance the numerous off-putting graphical glitches and the Steam achievements that often fail to work.”
“Same lo-fi graphic approach as his previous games, same low-key humor.”
- humor22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dark and unsettling elements, often juxtaposing comedic moments with horror, leading to a unique but sometimes jarring experience. While some players appreciate the witty dialogue and the twisted humor reminiscent of games like Stardew Valley, others find certain scenes, such as graphic violence and crude jokes, detract from the overall impact. Overall, the humor is described as charming yet unnerving, contributing to a fun and intriguing atmosphere, albeit with mixed reactions to its execution.
“So this is a very interesting, twisted, and fun game with lots of dark humor and some scary moments.”
“The game tells you nothing about what you can actually do, and it's all down to your own discovery, which leads to some truly horrifying experiences, and some pretty funny ones too.”
“-the dialogue is witty, hilarious, and at times -- downright unsettling.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its surreal and unsettling qualities, effectively blending pixel graphics with a calm yet foreboding setting reminiscent of classic slasher films. Reviewers highlight the tension and mystery created by the music and visuals, making it an engaging experience for horror fans. Overall, the atmosphere is described as intriguing, disturbing, and immersive, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“With its great and disarming allure of pixel graphics and a calm setting, surreal and unsettling atmosphere, and its homage to classic slasher films of the 70s and 80s, the 2D side scrollers are a must-play for any fans of the slasher genre or horror in general.”
“Its atmosphere has a very mysterious, foreboding vibe which is what drew me in.”
“The atmosphere and horror in this game are second to none, really, and I love the setup.”
“Aside from the glitches, I enjoy everything that this game has to offer; its atmosphere and the whole plot of the story are genuinely entertaining to experience.”
- music20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and ability to create an atmospheric and mysterious tone, particularly noted for its impressive opening track. While the soundtrack features a limited number of pieces that repeat frequently, players find them to be engaging and well-suited to the game's themes. However, some players feel that the repetitive nature of the music can become monotonous during extended gameplay.
“The rest of the music builds the atmosphere and feeling of mystery in the best way.”
“All of the music is absolutely amazing, and it sets the tone perfectly.”
“The music you hear right as you get off the bus is some of the best opening music I've heard in a horror game.”
“Not my type of game, too much monotonous walking and trying to find things over a grating soundtrack.”
“The crime scenes, the graphics, and the music are quite on spot and atmospheric though, so I'll keep playing and may revise my review.”
“There are only a few pieces of music in the soundtrack that repeat a lot, but fortunately for the player, they are all incredibly good.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, being described as the "most wholesome game on Steam," which resonates well with players, particularly those who appreciate horror elements and titles like Lakeview Cabin. Despite some areas needing improvement, it remains a strong recommendation for its heartfelt experience.
“The most wholesome game on Steam! <3”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players express a desire for deeper character development and resolution of the town's mysteries, along with the inclusion of additional endings to enhance the narrative experience.
“I hope there is more character development and some solutions to the mysteries around town, as well as added endings.”
