PC (Microsoft Windows)MacXbox One2018

Lake Ridden

On a camping trip during the last days of autumn, your sister disappears in the middle of the night. Lake Ridden is a horror mystery where you’ll uncover dark secrets of the past trying to bring her home.

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Storyline

You are Marie, a 13-year-old girl and the year is 1988. Reluctantly, you join your sister and her friends for one last camping weekend before winter. It was going great, but the second night an argument with your sister ended with her running off into the forest. While looking for her, you stumble upon an old forgotten estate filled with mysteries. As dark shadows emerge from the night, you need to find a place to hide! To survive, and ultimately save your sister, you must find clues, solve puzzles and befriend former residents. You’ll uncover an old conflict driven by envy, madness, and hate.

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Screenshots

Mixed

2 Steam reviews

Review History

Reviews

2 total

≥h

Steam User 3738STEAMNot recommended

Finding this in my backlog, I thought I'd bash it out and see what happens.

I started out looking forward to playing the game, but it didn't take long to feel bored and unimpressed. First off I'd have to say the visuals weren't as great as the screenshots on the store page make it out to be - overall it was pretty dull and seemed mostly to be shades of browns, greens and greys. There is a thing where you can light any lights you come across (as if by magic as some are just lying around in the grass) but I stopped doing this when even this simple action seemed pointless to me.

In all truth though, I had no issues with the puzzles. Everything DOES make sense, despite what others might say. The only trouble I ended up cracking it over was puzzle box 9, but after looking up the answer it seems it can be done as well, haha. Well, I did 8/9 by myself so I'm kind of satisfied. I'll treat myself to a naughty food treat later.

The problem with this game is its pacing. Boredom and falling asleep at your keyboard are your greatest enemies. Various reasons spring to mind: the puzzles are limited to only two or three different sorts (the nine puzzle boxes are all the same type of game); some areas are too big so there's too much running around; looking for items can be tiresome (and occasionally you have to backtrack [strike]for more fun times[/strike]). The background music seems quiet too in comparison to the voices, I hardly knew it was there so I can't really judge it.

Inside the house, there is just far too much of the same stuff everywhere. Bottles and bottles and bottles, and if it isn't that it's books. Occasionally there's a gadget lying around... too bad you can't interact with any of them as it might have added a bit of substance to the game.

Another issue is the convoluted 'mystery'. For starters, it isn't even a mystery when, at the first glowing stone puzzle, you can find a note that says a great evil is sealed here, don't let the stones glow red, so you go and release it and it's the first thing that isn't your sister that speaks to you. I don't even have to spoiler tag it as the game gives it away for you close to the start!

Of course, that knowledge won't help you with the puzzles, I'm not that nice. I won't give you any answers here. But the game has a hint system built into the menu so if you get stuck you won't be stuck for long.

So in the end it's like a lacklustre experience that seems to be trying to be several genres at once but not really doing well at any of them. If you want a walking sim there are better games out there. If you want a puzzle game most hidden object games are better alternatives.

Feb 15, 2026·8h·Verified

Steam User 4553STEAMNot recommended

Walking simulator with light puzzle elements.
Graphics are decent. Atmosphere is well done. Story is also fine.
Puzzles at times could a bit more fleshed out and the controls should be a bit more responsive.

I did not enjoy it enough to recommend it but if you are into stuff like that. Go for it.

Score: 5/9

Feb 5, 2026·5h·Verified