Lake: The Cozy Postal Sim with More Endings Than a Netflix Drama

Discovered during the bittersweet swan song of Google Stadia (RIP, sweet cloud child), Lake totally blindsided me. What was supposed to be a quick test drive of a game that looked like a digital version of a slow Sunday turned into me canceling plans just so I could deliver virtual mail before Stadia evaporated into the ether.

Let me explain why I fell for this laid-back, chatty, package-delivery sim—and why I think you might, too.

Welcome to 1986, Please Mind the Floppy Disks

You play as Meredith Weiss, a tired programmer who takes a two-week break from city life and big tech crunches to visit her sleepy lakeside hometown. Her parents are off on a well-earned vacation, and she—very generously—agrees to fill in for her dad as the local mail carrier. No big deal. Just you, a boxy postal van, and a ton of unresolved nostalgia.

Cue the small-town drama, scenic drives, and a lot of "Hey, aren't you little Meredith from way back when?"

It’s Not Just Mail. It’s Vibes.

Gameplay is chill in the best way. You drive around a very Pacific Northwest-y town, deliver letters and packages, and chat with the locals. The controls are easygoing—Meredith auto-mails the letters, but the packages make you hop out, pop the back of the van, pick the right box (no Amazon mishaps here), and walk it to the doorstep.

But this isn’t just a walking sim with postage. Conversations matter. Depending on how you respond—friendly, curious, or the classic "Cool, bye"—you can unlock deeper storylines, friendships, and possibly something a little more... romantic.

Your Two Weeks, Your Drama

Here’s just a sampling of who you’ll meet:

• An old BFF turned aspiring musician

• A lumberjack with serious Hallmark movie energy

• A horse-betting postal colleague

• A teen girl who wants to be a mechanic (girlboss incoming)

• A mysterious RV couple possibly fleeing to Canada?

There are multiple endings, and your choices influence whether Meredith returns to her big-city coding job or stays behind to become the postal queen of Providence Oaks. On my playthroughs, I’ve already unlocked three endings. What if I had pursued the cute video store clerk instead? Or ran away in that RV like some kind of rebellious mail-loving Thelma?

Map Madness & Slow Rides

At first, the map is a bit “Where the heck am I?” but a few in-game days in, you’ll be navigating like a local. Businesses slowly label themselves on the map (thanks for nothing, vague street numbers), and although some of the driving feels like it takes longer than my real-life commute, there’s eventually an “autopilot” feature.

Yes, Meredith can drive herself. No, you still can’t speed it up. Yes, this is your cue to go make a snack while she toodles along in her pixelated postal van.

Looks & Feels

Lake has a charming, stylized look—somewhere between low-poly and late-PS2 nostalgia. Stadia didn’t always treat it kindly (textures? nani?), but it runs much better on PC. The soundtrack is mellow and lovely, the voice acting is on point, and if the camera didn’t insist on snapping back behind the van like an overprotective GPS, I’d be totally smitten.

Final Delivery

If you’re into slow-burn storytelling, wholesome small-town shenanigans, and the idea of combining The Sims with Euro Truck Simulator: Cozy Edition, Lake is worth your time. It’s relaxing, it’s replayable, and it’s a love letter to the idea that even the most ordinary two weeks can change your whole life.

Just maybe bring a podcast for those long postal drives.

Final Delivery Score: 70% 📬 Think of it like decaf coffee: comforting, easy to sip, and occasionally makes you wish it had just a bit more kick.