Varney Lake

Playstation UniverseNeil Bolt

8.5/10

On the surface, Varney Lake is just more of the Pixel Pulp adventure we got from the excellent Mothmen: 1966. Yet Varney Lake's story of childhood interrupted by a chance encounter with a vampire is a more captivating one.

Varney Lake was, at its heart, exactly what I expected it to be: a mystery story, a horror story, and a coming-of-age story all rolled into one neat package. There’s even some surprises in there. Playing Mothmen 1966 first was definitely useful for referencing characters, but it’s not absolutely necessary to play it first. The developer did a wonderful job at creating an immersive experience while confined to the visual standard it set for itself. I’m eagerly awaiting the final title in the series: Bahnsen Knights is about a cult. I’m also awaiting further news on the recently-announce…

GameGrinAlana Dunitz

7.5/10

Varney Lake is an interesting coming-of-age story with a supernatural twist. The characters were all fun and the interactions between the children were great. If you have a couple of hours to spare, check this pixel pulp story out and learn what happened in the summer of 1954.

XboxEraAmanda Van Parys

7.5/10

With a low play time of 2 hours or less, I would definitely recommend this game if you are at all interested.  The story is engaging, even though it ends abruptly.  You might feel yourself wanting more, but if you save your progress along the way, you can go back and complete those mini-games you might have skipped or try to find the secret scenes.  there isn’t much to dislike about this charming installment other than it ends too soon.

Checkpoint GamingLisa Pollifroni

6.5/10

There’s something magical about narratives that focus on a group of teenagers embarking on several weeks of summer holidays. Expectations are high, the sun is ever present and warm, the air is rife with the possibility for adventure. Varney Lake, the new narrative game that is the follow-up to 22s’ Mothmen 1966, features three teenagers’ experiences during the summer of 1954. A shroud of innocence hangs over the heads of the three protagonists, Jimmy, Christine and Doug, as they spend t...

EurogamerChristian Donlan

The follow-up to Mothmen 1966 is another fascinating, spooky treat.