Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia

About

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia is a single player casual simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by Bryce Bucher and was released on December 22, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia" is a fishing game that lets you catch over 30 different fish in the unusual Lake Ophelia, where fish from around the world reside. You can cook your catches and collect various fishing rods and lures. The game features full controller support and a vintage vibe with its VHS conversion.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 330 reviews

atmosphere44 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features solid and satisfying fishing mechanics that provide a relaxing experience.
The art style and atmosphere are charming, evoking nostalgia for PS1 and Dreamcast aesthetics.
Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia offers a unique blend of casual fishing gameplay with subtle horror elements, making it intriguing and enjoyable.

The ending is widely regarded as disappointing and abrupt, leaving many players unsatisfied with the resolution of the game's mysteries.
Some players found the fishing mechanics to become repetitive and grindy, especially when pursuing achievements.
The game lacks a clear narrative or deeper lore, which may leave players wanting more substance beyond the fishing experience.

atmosphere
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
41%
4%
The atmosphere of "Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia" is widely praised for its unique blend of eerie and calming elements, creating a sense of unease that enhances the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the game's beautiful art style and sound design, which contribute to a nostalgic yet unsettling ambiance, making it an engaging choice for those seeking a relaxing fishing game with a hint of spookiness. Overall, the atmosphere is described as remarkable, with many players appreciating its ability to evoke feelings of mystery and nostalgia.
- “The atmosphere of this game is remarkable: it's entirely peaceful, a beautiful PSX style lake view with charming fish and a nice companion.”
- “This game is so perfectly atmospheric and chill to play, with just enough of a hint of spookiness that doesn't overwhelm the main experience and only really adds to it.”
- “The general atmosphere is a nice combination of comfy and unsettlingly mysterious.”
- “As a horror game, it succeeds in atmosphere but severely disappoints with the payoff.”
- “This is by no means a negative; however, the whole game gives off an uneasiness/ominous atmosphere throughout.”
- “Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia might not be a 'horror game' per se, but it hit the right spot with its calming yet unsettling atmosphere.”
graphics
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
47%
4%
The graphics of "Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia" are widely praised for their nostalgic PS1 aesthetic, featuring charming low-poly art and beautifully rendered fish models that enhance the game's eerie yet relaxing atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the authentic retro visuals and the effective use of sound design, which together create a unique blend of psychological horror and cozy gameplay. Overall, the game's art style is considered a significant draw, appealing to those who enjoy retro aesthetics and a chill gaming experience.
- “The graphics and atmosphere are stupendous.”
- “I'll start by saying that the PS1 aesthetic is quite literally phenomenal.”
- “The psychological horror coupled with a relaxing fishing sim and PS1 era graphics made this game such a special experience that won't be soon forgotten.”
- “The graphics are authentic as hell, the UI looks like it came from a PS1 game and the sound design is crunchy.”
- “There's also a steady day and night cycle, and being up close and personal with these maritime creatures in the dark, combined with the retro graphics and subtle use of ambient unsettling music, creates an overall unsettling feeling.”
- “When a lot of other games try to emulate the aesthetic of old hardware, they usually mess it up a bit and there's just something there that tells you you're playing a newer game.”
gameplay
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
54%
5%
The gameplay is centered around simple yet satisfying fishing mechanics that provide a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the straightforward controls and charming aesthetics, although some find the cooking and meal mechanics a bit confusing. Overall, the game offers a delightful fishing experience with hidden secrets and a cozy atmosphere, making it a recommended choice for fans of fishing minigames.
- “The fishing mechanics are incredibly satisfying, the artwork is beautiful (especially the very well made 3D renders of the fish), the relaxing atmosphere is so calming and cozy that I want to revisit this game often in the future.”
- “Fantastic fishing mechanics, enjoyable secrets, and cool fish.”
- “The winning combination of simple but effective fishing mechanics with the immense charm of its styling and attitude make this little game a gem hiding out in Steam’s new releases.”
- “There is really only one detail I find confusing in this game, and that is the mechanic of meals and cooking.”
- “Last thing: the game has certain mechanics and extra details that, while not 100% necessary to use, are needed to get all the achievements and the full experience.”
- “There's no tutorial indicating how these work, so you might need to do some thinking outside the box or watch a gameplay video to understand them.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
62%
13%
The game's story is described as lacking depth and coherence, with many players expressing a desire for more substantial narrative elements beyond the minimal lore provided. While there are hints and flavor text that could enhance understanding, they often feel disconnected from a central plot, leading to a sense of disappointment. Despite these shortcomings, the game is still considered enjoyable and atmospheric, appealing to those looking for a casual experience rather than a rich storyline.
- “A lovely little lo-fi ghost story.”
- “But Bryce Bucher managed to use that trope in such a creative manner, both mechanically and for storytelling purposes.”
- “The story comes from the creeper dude who sells you lures and buys your fish.”
- “Maybe it is a spoiler, but the game has no lore, no secrets, and no story.”
- “At least a few story bits here and there would make this game a 10/10 for what it is.”
- “A backstory of the salesman or some other mysteries besides 'all kinds of fish appear here, weird', like a murder mystery or a few forest spirits for example.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The music in the game is widely praised for its gorgeous, atmospheric quality, effectively blending calm and creepy elements that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the ambient soundtrack's ability to create tension and evoke emotions without relying on jump scares, contributing to a cozy yet unsettling atmosphere. The integration of sound design with the game's visuals and day-night cycle further enriches the immersive experience.
- “Bryce is a master of atmosphere by now; the soundtrack is calm and sometimes creepy at the same time.”
- “The music and sounds were quite honestly one of the best parts and added to the tension when nothing was even happening.”
- “A really great little game with extremely appealing visuals and a pleasant, atmospheric soundtrack (and good sound design overall).”
- “There's also a steady day and night cycle, and being up close and personal with these maritime creatures in the dark, combined with the retro graphics and subtle use of ambient unsettling music, creates an overall unsettling feeling.”
- “An image and some spooky music, after that a cute little claymation sequence but nothing more than that.”
- “No jump scares or loud musical stings.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the initial fishing experience enjoyable, but it quickly becomes repetitive and grindy. The large lake size contributes to a tedious travel experience, especially since resetting fish requires returning to the campsite at night, leading to lengthy backtracking.
- “It's initially pretty fun, but the fishing gets a little repetitive and grindy.”
- “A critique I would make is that traveling around the lake can be a bit tedious due to how large it is, and resetting fish being tied to resting at the campsite at night can sometimes mean running back for a pretty long while to do so.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is enjoyable, but many users feel it lacks sufficient replay value, suggesting that once completed, there is little incentive to play again.
- “Fun game, but it lacks replay value.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The humor in the game is perceived as light-hearted and serves as a quirky conclusion to the fishing experience, though it may not align with all players' expectations. Overall, it is appreciated for its comedic intent, even if it doesn't fully meet everyone's desires.
- “The game has a quirky sense of humor that really shines through in its unexpected twists.”
- “I love how the dialogue is filled with witty one-liners that keep you chuckling throughout the game.”
- “The absurd situations and playful characters make for a hilarious experience that I didn't expect.”

Skip Game Offers

Buy Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia

2h Median play time

2h Average play time

3h Main story

4h Completionist

2-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia

89%42.8kreviews

DREDGE

2023

Open World Role Playing

+15

93%778reviews

Fatum Betula

2020

Casual Puzzle

97%378reviews

Wretched Depths

2023

Survival Sport

96%4.1kreviews

Cast n Chill

2025

Casual Role Playing

91%713reviews

Dreaming Sarah

2015

Casual Platformer

More games like Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia is a casual simulation game with horror theme.

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Windows and PlayStation.

The main story can be completed in around 3 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 4 hours to finish. On average players spend around 2 hours playing Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia.

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia was released on December 22, 2021.

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia was developed by Bryce Bucher.

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its atmosphere but disliked it for its grinding.

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia is a single player game.

Similar games include DREDGE, Fatum Betula, Wretched Depths, Cast n Chill, Dreaming Sarah and others.

Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia

Platforms

About

Buy Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia