This isn’t a normal review per se, as Lakeview Cabin is a name most gamers know already. In this review, I discuss my experience with the PlayStation 5 release of the Lakeview Cabin Collection, a bundle of various sandbox-horror instalments.
You can pick up the Lakeview Cabin Collection via the digital PlayStation store now!
Lakeview Cabin Collection Review
Going back to 2013, the original Lakeview Cabin game got its first release. Interestingly, it’s a free-to-play flash game. Due to its popularity though, Roope Tamminen was able to create a full collection of these 80s-style pixelated puzzle levels on PC in 2015. Fast forward to the present day, we can now enjoy the iconic horror game on consoles.
Playing Lakeview Cabin Collection on the big screen is certainly a treat for the eyes. The colours pop, and the simplicity of the graphics makes it all the more charming. I usually play these side-scrolling pixel games on my Nintendo Switch or PC monitor, so it was fun to finally try one out on my TV.
My One Problem With the Port
Don’t get me wrong, I love Lakeview Cabin, and I have a sense of nostalgia for it from when I used to watch playthroughs on YouTube. My main issue with the console port is the button prompts on the screen. Do I think it’s enough to put me off playing it? No. But the overlaying large pop-up symbols were distracting, if not confusing at times. While initially trying to work out which button did what, another prompt would appear on top, leading to me getting attacked because I didn’t exit a room or pick an item up in time.
To fix this, the prompts need to be smaller, and possibly line up next to each other rather than on top, to prevent hiding the previous symbols entirely. The console version is still playable, but it takes some getting used to because of this. It’s mainly the initial pop-up that takes up too much space, as they expand on-screen, and then become smaller.
With a few tweaks, I reckon I’d have been less confused as a person who’s never played the game themselves before. It may be a user error, but with the constant overlays, I kept accidentally picking stuff up and exiting rooms without meaning to.
Controls
Depending on your preference, you can either use the D-pad on your controller or the joystick. I opted for the joystick as it was more comfortable, but I know a lot of players enjoy using the D-pad for side-scrollers, so this was a nice touch for the port.
I also think the decision to make the triangle button on the PS5 controller the control to change between characters was a good shout. It lets me quickly swap in the middle of a level with a swift tap of a button, rather than having to mess around with UI.
The involvement of the touchpad on the controller was a pleasant surprise too, as it opens up additional information regarding the level, such as clues. Again, I’m happy that it wasn’t all bound to an interactive menu, and instead, was all accessible with a quick button tap.
The good
- Charming pixel graphics
- Retro horror vibes
- Fun sandbox gameplay
The bad
- Button prompt overlays make controls confusing at times
- The prompt overlays are quite large on the screen