Ok, so the Lake: Season’s Greetings DLC isn’t here just yet, but I thought I’d share a Lake walkthrough with you, seeing as I came back to it on the PS5 to finish up the other endings I didn’t get after the first review.
This is more of a reference point than a bona fide walkthrough, as it’s not that hard getting in a van and delivering the post to Johnny Public, is it? Nevertheless, some of the achievements are missable. Here’s how to get 100% achievements and the Platinum trophy on the PS5. I assume the PC version is the same.
Lake 100% Completion – All Achievements
As a rule of thumb, your answers don’t typically matter, aside from a handful of quest lines, but I’d recommend helping everyone so that you can unlock each questline on the first playthrough.
Additionally, you will want to save your game often (in case you miss anything), but more importantly, on the 13th day, just before you return to the post office. That way, you can skip as much dialogue/repeat actions as possible and unlock all three endings.
Jeitaro
There are two love interests in the game: Angie from the video shop and Robert, the lumberjack. I got the Platinum by romancing the latter, but I wonder if the same applies to Angie. Regardless, go for it. You have my blessings.
- Good morning – start your shift for the first time – an unmissable trophy!
- Cat lover – an easy one. Agree to help Mildred and drop off her cat to Burt (it’ll show on the map) with an exclamation mark. An exclamation mark will show the next day, indicating that you can pick up the cat from Burt and return it to Mildred.
- Movie carrier – after meeting Angie, she’ll loan you a film. Make sure you watch it in the evening. The next day, she’ll have a proposition to deliver videos. Agree to the proposal, and you’ll provide tapes to Lori and Burt in due course. It doesn’t matter what options you choose, i.e. whether you watch the film with Lori or Jaws or The Dirty Dozen for Burt. The same applies when returning to Angie – your response, as long as you deliver the goods, won’t affect the trophy.
- Workaholic – you need to help Steve with the accounts on two occasions. The first time is on the 3rd day, where you need to agree to help Steve and, on the following evening, decide to work on Addit ’87. The second is on the 7th day. When Meredith has free time the following evening, choose to look over the accounts rather than read a book or watch TV.
- Shutter bug – speak to Nancy in the convenience store on the 5th day and agree to help her take photos. I believe there’s a time limit to do this, but I took all photos during the round. There are 12 to take, and can be as random as you like. There won’t be a prompt to return to Nancy, so go back to her when you’re done, and she’ll develop them for the next day.
- Higher ground – there’s a bendy road to the west of the convenience store. Follow it up in your van, and there will be a church. Ensure you stop and listen to Meredith reminisce as I got out while she was talking and didn’t get the achievement. Patience is a virtue, baby.
- Tower watcher – you can complete this one after hanging out with Kay. She will meet you at the tower. Return to the location on a separate day (the icon will now show on your map and is southeast of Robert’s home) and climb to the top.
- Metal detector – the hardest one to miss. There’s a chap from Blighty scavenging for metal on Reynold’s Farm around the 5th day. You’ll see him walking in the cornfields, so have a chat for the trophy. Note that he won’t appear near the end of your placement – especially when it rains, so seek him out early on if you can.
The Endings
After your first Lake ending, go into settings and make sure the option to skip dialogue is selected. The cafe scene will drag three times in a row, irrespective of how charming Meredith is…
- Life in the fast lane – On your final day, tell Frank you aren’t accepting the job and to take you home. When Robert stops you, tell him you’re returning to the city.
- Hometowner – On your final day, tell Frank you’re staying. When Robert stops you, pick to finish your round or to go with him – it won’t affect the trophy.
- Free Spirit – this involves delivering mail to Mickey and June at their campsite, close to the motel. After a third time delivering to them, agree to hang out with them. Eventually, they’ll head to Canada and offer you the RV. Accept it, store it with Lori and let her fix it up. As before, on the final day, tell Frank you’re leaving and going on a road trip. Lori will meet you and confirm it’s all good to go. Give her a hug (or not), and snatch your achievement.
- Delivery status: Complete – collect all trophies, a.k.a. Platinum.
