Servant of the Lake

Servant of the Lake expands the Vanderboom story with excellent puzzles, superb atmosphere and a welcome dose of character, even if its heavier storytelling and gentler difficulty occasionally dilute the wonderfully unsettling mystery that makes Rusty Lake so special.‍

Servant of the Lake is a strange little puzzle game that sits somewhere between dark, cosy, and quietly unsettling. You play as a newly hired housekeeper at the Vanderboom estate, spending a weekend completing tasks for the man who lives there and his visiting family members. At first, it all sounds rather ordinary. Then the house reveals things a normal housekeeper probably wouldn't expect. Servant of the Lake is weird, creepy, and occasionally downright disgusting, but it has a wonderfully distinctive identity. Its puzzles can be genuinely difficult to crack, and the game loves hiding its clues in places you might never think to look. I found myself frustrated more than once, but I enjoyed the challenge even when I was smacking my head off my keyboard. It's a particularly good fit for players who enjoy dark, atmospheric puzzle games and don't mind getting a little gross along the way. I wouldn't call it my perfect puzzle game, but there's something really compelling about how confidently Servant of the Lake commits to its strange little world.

Servant of the Lake is a creepy and enjoyable point-and-click adventure packed with bizarre charm and varied puzzles, even if some design choices keep it from reaching greater heights

The point-and-click adventure Servant of the Lake captivates players with its macabre humor and increasingly bizarre puzzles. At the same time, the story surrounding the Vanderboom siblings grows increasingly dark.

Servant of the Lake in another brilliant title from the Rusty Lake series. It offers a glimpse of the story about the first generation of Vanderboom—Alduos, Willian and Alexandra—and reveals the kind of people they are. The unnerving narrative and events that unfold during their family reunion will keep you engaged and curious. The puzzles are clever and well-thought-out; even if they are not that hard, it is still rewarding to solve. The full playthrough lasted about five hours—a pretty decent duration. This title will most appeal to long-time fans, but newcomers shouldn’t be discouraged. Even if you miss some narrative details, the gameplay is still well worth your time. I truly think any fan of mystery and point-and-click adventures will enjoy Servant of the Lake.