Part horror game part comedy of errors, Roope Tamminen's puzzle game Lakeview Cabin at first seems like little more than a "quiet weekend simulator" as you guide a voiceless ginger-haired man around a quiet lakeside cottage. Use the [arrow] keys to move, [X] to interact and use or drop items you've picked up, and [Z] to pick up/throw items. You can also hit [R] to restart. The goal? Well... that takes a bit of exploration and experimentation, and the game offers virtually nothing in the way of direction or explanation to help you. As day turns to night and back again, you can trundle around chopping wood, annoying bees, wrestling with your obstinate rideable mower, even shucking off your clothes if you feel like it. After all, it's just you and nature out here, right? It's, like, all idyllic and jOH MY GOSH WHAT IS THAT
Violence aside, which is admittedly fairly gross in a way that I will detail in a spoilered comment below this article for those of you who have certain sensitivities, Lakeview Cabin's main problem isn't the frustrating aiming or the way you can't just sidestep certain hazards. It's that it has so many red herrings, intentionally so, and so few "right" solutions to surviving. The game frequently gives little feedback as to why something doesn't work, or whether you're making progress or not, and just as many players will find the deliberate trial-and-error design of the gameplay frustrating as those will appreciate the madcap challenge of it. There are multiple solutions to your "problems", at least. You'll initially have to wait two in game days for the pivotal moment to happen, and then the game will give you a means of triggering it yourself for when you inevitably have to retry. Winning actually only takes you a minute once you know what to do, but getting to that point sort of starts to feel like you're playing your own version of Supernatural's "Mystery Spot", only without the pig in a poke.
Still, despite the lack of text or outright exposition, I wouldn't call Lakeview Cabin without a narrative. There is a story, it's just contextual, gleaned from the details in your surroundings... like the photo above the bed, the alcohol lying around, the isolation... the sounds you hear when you think you're alone. If the ending were more satisfying, or satisfying at all given the disturbing things you're forced to do, Lakeview Cabin would be a great example of a horror story open to interpretation. But despite its flaws, its clever twist on the concept of a puzzle game wrapped inside a surprising and atmospheric experience is still worth checking out, and something I hope we see explored more in the future.
Walkthrough Guide
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Lakeview Cabin Strategy Guide
Note: Part of the coolness of Lakeview Cabin is how items can combine in inventive ways. Of course, that makes it likely that I've not sussed out a particular solution. If I've missed something, leave a comment and I will update the guide.
Gathering Supplies
Pick up the block of wood and bring it into the outhouse. Leave the outhouse and pick up the axe. Enter the outhouse, and use the axe to split the wood. One of the pieces will fly up and knock the key down. You only need to pick up the key to unlock the cabin. This key unlocks the left cabin, containing the gas can, the shells (which are just added to your inventory, not carried), and another bottle of beer.
Another key can be found buriend in the ground, just to the left of where the deer spawns. There will be a little lump you can see. Hit it several times with your axe, or run it over 2-3 times with the lawnmower to uncover it. As before it unlocks the left cabin.
Inside the left cabin is a box. Use the axe on the box, or throw one of the and you will find a pair of binoculars. This binoculars can be used to look far to the left and right, very helpful once the The Woman shows up.
On the left cabin is a bear trap. Walk by it with a bucket or full log in your hand and you will dislodge it. Be careful: when it's open, walking over it will injure you. Throwing at item on it will set it off, allowing you to pick it up and set it at another locations by throwing it with [X].
Inside the center cabin is a shotgun. You can get it off the wall by throwing a full log of wood at it, or by chopping the log with the axe inside the house. The shotgun is only useful with the shells you find inside the left cabin, once you unlock it.
Notice the Franklin Stoves in the center and right cabin. If you put a chopped log inside it, the fire inside will be lit. It will go out after a while.
The generator by the right cabin can have its cord cut with the axe.
Inside the right cabin is a bucket. You can take it outside the cabin and fill it with the pump.
The lawn mower can be turned on by standing near its rear, and pressing and holding [X] several times, as if you are pulling a cord. It can be ridden. It will run out of gas quickly though, even if not ridden, and will be disabled if it runs into a log.
Killing The Woman
There are several different ways to kill The Woman. Though she will come automatically with darkness, she can be spawned at any time with [o] (as in "octopus). Most ways will require you setting things up ahead of time.
Method 1: Place the set-up bear trap in a place where The Woman will walk over it. This will disable her long enough for you to finish her with the axe. Be quick, though. She will get back up.
Method 2: Get both the shotgun and the shells. Fire the shotgun at the woman with [X]. This will disable her long enough for you to finish her with the axe. Be quick, though. She will get back up.
Method 3: Place either the beer bottles or the gas can in the path of the woman. Fire the shotgun at them and they will explode, disabling her long enough to finish her with the axes. And yes, she can get up again. The gas can makes a bigger boom than the beer bottles, but flames hurt you too. You might want to keep a bucket of water nearby to douse the flames in your path, and if you get tagged by a spark, jumping in the water is a good idea.
Method 4: Cut the cord of the generator. When The Woman comes up on it, chuck the bucket of water at it electrocuting her.
Killing The Child
Once you have killed The Woman, The Child will come out. The Child can be picked up and thrown with [Z], which can buy you some important seconds.
Method 1: Once the child spawns, head into either the central or right cabin. Get a fire in the stove going with a chopped log, pick up The Child and put them in the stove.
Method 2: Start up the lawnmower and run The Child over with it. This will require perfect timing, as it will require you to get that engine running before it gets to you.
Method 3: Activate the bear trap. Pick up The Child and throw them into the bear trap. The bear trap will not activate if they just run over it. This will require perfect aim.
Random Red Herrings And Extra Bits
Inside the left cabine is a box. Chucking a full log at it, or using the axe on it, will reveal a flashlight. It has little use beyond making things easier to see in the dark. And you might not want to be looking
Using the binoculars, you can gaze out from the left dock and see the scene from the title screen. Was The Woman's death an accident? Or not? She does drag you back there after she finishes you off. Of course, you can also use them to gaze out from the right dock and perv on pixelated teenagers. If that's your thing.
You can use the bear trap to wound the deer. And finish him off with the axe or shotgun. Then cook the meat in a stove.
The outhouse can, of course, be used for its intended purpose.
Hitting [X] by the bench at the right cabin will have you remove your clothes. Drinking a beer will have you randomly vomiting and mess with your sense of direction. Chopping a block of wood by the bee hive will cause the bees to attack you until you jump in the water. Drunk, naked, and attacked by bees is no way to go through life, son.
The building on the left is actually a sauna, which explains why you remove your clothes outside it. Build a fire in it, then chuck the bucket of water at it, and you'll get a nice steam room, where you can sit and chill on the bench.
Put four chopped logs in either of the stoves, and you will set the building they're in on fire. And probably yourself, too.
Posted by: Tricky
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October 23, 2013 9:15 PM