Summer, 1954. A perfect vacation awaits three best friends, playing games, making crazy plans, and running from bullies... Until they meet the vampire. What really happened that summer at Varney Lake?
About the story
1954. During the long, hot summer, Jimmy, Doug and Christine are spending their fourth vacation together at Varney Lake. Teenage crushes, pranks and card tricks, long days of adventure, a pipe dream of saving the local drive-in from demolition; they’re kids, coming of age. Until they find the Vampire. 1981. Lou Hill, paranormal investigator, has a lead on a mind-blowing case. Will he be able to convince the now 40-something Christine and Jimmy to tell him the truth about that Summer? Do they even know themselves? And what really happened to Doug?
Platforms
Switch PC PS4 PS5 XONE Series X|SGenres
Adventure Indie Visual NovelThemes
Horror Mystery
Languages: English and 4 more
| Interface | Audio | Subtitles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| German | |||
| French | |||
| English | |||
| Japanese | |||
| Spanish (Spain) |
Media
Critic Reviews
GameGrin
By Alana DunitzVarney 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.
Digitally Downloaded
By Lindsay M.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-announced Pixel Pulp physical edition for Nintendo Switch, which I will definitely be adding to my collection.
video games are good
By Nathan HermansonWith all the modern innovations we've made in gaming and storytelling, to imagine going back to PC gaming in the '80s — an era defined by games shoehorning themselves onto devices made for anything other than gaming — made me initially hesitant. But the efforts of the artists at LCB Game Studio made Varney Lake simultaneously thrive in spite of and because of its limitations. The Pixel Pulps series is one to keep an eye on. I can't wait to see this world filled out and certainly wouldn't say no to more installments. If you're looking for some new ways to get your chills and enjoy dabbling in nostalgic pulpy horror, don't skip Varney Lake.
Sequential Planet
By Marcus OrchardVarney Lake is another strong showing for LCB Game Studio. Any fan of horror or visual novels will enjoy this one.
Garage Band Gamers
By Chad JohnsonThe visuals have come a long way from the first entry while keeping the retro visuals intact, almost like going from an Oregon Trail vibe to something that could’ve realistically been released on the Super Nintendo
