The Indie Informer

Set eight months before the events of Lake, the wintery DLC Season’s Greetings just announced its releasing November 15. But I got the chance to sit down with the team behind the upcoming title ahead of the announcement to talk over what to expect and watch a the snow fall on the lake.

The first question I tackled was: Why a prequel? The answer to this was fairly straight forward. Lake, for those who have finished it will know, has multiple different endings depending on how you interact with the world. This being the case, the developers knew if they continued the mail-delivering adventure into the future, they would have to pick one ending to be canon. This would effectively invalidate all the other endings, and players experiences.

So, we head into the past. Thomas Weiss climbs into the delivery van, excited for his daughter’s visit for the holidays. Like the first game, much of the action centers around meditative driving and thoughtful conversation. This is made somehow more dreamy in the snowy setting. As the radio plays, its announcers discuss the falling blanket’s ability to absorb sound, making the world feel quieter — more peaceful.

I’m sadly not controlling the vehicle myself, but it occurs to me to ask if the snow changes the feel of driving. In response, I get a little laugh and an explanation that navigating the roads won’t be any different. The developers didn’t want driving skill — in the DLC or original game — to hinder or be a barrier to players.

It’s not just the tranquil setting that’s new. There are three fresh characters coming to the game, as well as a handful of familiar faces. One, we meet in a place I didn’t expect. The garage, which in the original game houses Lori — a young gifted mechanic, is now firmly in the hands of Ben, Lori’s father. And as we talk, I realize I’m witnessing the birth of the mail truck’s nickname from the original game. Being a prequel allows for a lot of these little nods to the previous game’s events.

We also stop of at the town’s best and only movie rental store, motel, and bookstore. I don’t want to spoil what’s new and the same about these locations — though veteran players will recognize some things just from the list — but each locale offers fun encounters. One of my favorite things being the spoof movie and book offerings that pay humorous homage to real titles.

My session only covers the first two days of the DLC, but there’s plenty more to experience. Anyone interested in returning to the snow-covered town won’t have long to wait, with Lake: Season’s Greetings dropping next month.