Game Review: Lake – Season’s Greetings DLC (Xbox Series X)

Sometimes we all just need to relax. Sometimes we all just need to get away. Sometimes we all just need to escape. That’s the thinking behind Lake, released in September 2021, a very stress-free narrative-driven game from Gamious.

The game takes place in 1986 and puts players in the shoes of Meredith Weiss. A young woman who is taking a much-deserved break from city life and her demanding job. On a two-week vacation in the small, quiet lake town of Providence Oaks, her childhood hometown, Meredith is planning to stay at her folk’s place while they’re away on holiday and to pass the time, step into the shoes of her postman father. Delivering mail and packages for the residents.

Which is the crux of gameplay. Deliver letters and packages, all while interacting with the residents of town. How you interact with these people, what favours you do or where you chose to go, is up to you. You could do absolutely nothing but the postal job and leave at the end of the two weeks. Lake is not demanding in the slightest.

Which comes with positive and negative points. The former, because a stress-free and relaxing game is promised, and that is what players get. The latter, because it could be quite a dull and monotonous game too. Overall, it is quite a charming game that doesn’t try to pretend to be anything it isn’t and is better for it. You can read our full review here.

No-one really expected anything further to come from this world, but over two years later, we have a piece of downloadable content with a festive theme.

Are you ready to return to Providence Oaks?

Set one year before the events of the main game, Season’s Greetings puts you in the worn shoes of Thomas Weiss, the town’s mailman and father to Meredith. It’s the winter holidays, but the mail never stops needing to be delivered. Over an in-game week, players will once again need to ensure the residents of Providence Oaks gets their mail, all while meeting new and old characters.

It’s extremely familiar stuff for those who played the main game, and gameplay is unchanged. Yet, the festive spin has breathed fresh live into this content, giving it a cosier feel, even if it doesn’t feel significant enough to warrant a ‘must buy’ tag. Both the positives and negatives that made up the main game are present still. It can be extremely dull, but that’s the point. Life in Providence Oaks is simple, stress-free (to a point) and happy, even if the world is changing around them.

Whereas the main game dealt with Meredith’s work challenges and stress levels, showcasing a woman near breakdown, and needing to step back, Season’s Greetings changes the tone. Introducing a main character that loves his chilled life but is getting increasingly worried about the future and what it means. This is exemplified by interactions with characters, some of which are brand-new, and meaningful. In particular, the news team, who really add a lot to the over-arching narrative, and it’s fun seeing those relationships develop over time.

Thomas is a genial man and easy to warm to as well, which wasn’t always the case with Meredith. It truly is relaxing to jump in the postal van, drive through the snow, admiring the festive lights on the houses, and simply deliver parcels and letters to homes.

However, there’s a strong sense that a little more could have been done here to really make this stand out. Instead of the same few songs repeating on the radio, how about a festive tune or two, perhaps? The snow actually having an impact on driving, so it feels more real? Achievements? Small things that could have helped make Season’s Greetings more noteworthy and worth the asking price.

That being said, if you loved Lake, you’ll love this just as much. It’s more of the same, except with a festive spin.