Drowned Lake: Everything We Know

Developer Monumental Collab has teased its newest project—a “fishing horror” game that will take Brazilian mythos, and ultimately unravel “a unique, twisted vision of a melting pot of cultural legacy.” In a similar vein as a lot of found footage-type games, the game will adopt a first-person approach, and allow for players to traipse the unknown waters of a dark, dangerous, and seemingly tainted world. So, if you like fishing — so much that you’re almost willing to hurl yourself over the side of the boat and go for a quick dip, then we’ve got some good news: Drowned Lake is on the horizon.

So, what more do you need to know about the so-called Drowned Lake, and when are we likely to catch a few more snippets of it? Well, if we happened to have you at “fishing horror” game, then be sure to read on for a deeper dive into its murky waters. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

What Is Drowned Lake?

Drowned Lake is a first-person fishing horror game, and one that’ll transport its players into the shoes of not one, but three daring protagonists, all of whom share a mutual connection with a particular body of water. As each of the three characters, you will have the opportunity to “navigate through narrow areas, complete intricate puzzles, and experience the true horrors darkness hides.” There’ll be copious amounts of puzzles to wade through, and, according to the blurb, “horrors of the dark”—a web of watchful eyes that rely on sound to locate their prey. No pressure there, then.

From the looks of the in-game screenshots that have been provided to date, Drowned Lake will adopt a traditional first-person style. It will also serve as a continuation for Our Lady of the Drowned Lake, Zero Reporter, a game jam prototype that launched earlier last year. According to the devs, the upcoming IP will build from the foundations of this particular prototype, and will “explore a unique cultural background that games don't see as much and imbue humanity into the cursed setting of the game.”

Story

Drowned Lake will cast its line over three protagonists: a firefighter, journalist, and an elderly man, all of whom share a mysterious connection with the lake in question. Speaking with PC Gamer, the devs touched base on two of the three characters: a reporter “who knows that the lake hides something” and “an old fisherman who, after years, returns to the lake to confront its submerged secrets.” As for who the firefighter is, or even what their association with the lake is, like a lot of the game’s details, remains a bit of a mystery.

One thing’s for sure: Drowned Lake will expand on the story foreshadowed in Our Lady of the Drowned Lake, a short game that launched at the back end of 2022 as part of a game jam session. So, if you’re looking for something to tide you over while Monumental Collab crosses the t’s and dot the i’s on its forthcoming expansion, then be sure to check that early prototype out here.

Gameplay

Drowned Lake will opt for a traditional survival-horror approach, which means “players must investigate, manage their resources, and survive the dangers of the lake.” As there’ll be three characters’ stories to unravel, too, players will also need to search for new routes to explore, and hone in on clues that connect the dots to the overarching mystery. “If defeated, they can retrace their steps with a new character, but this doesn't guarantee encountering the same resources and challenges as before.”

“Fishing, exploration, horror, investigations, puzzle solving – all of that and more hides beneath the surface of Drowned Lake,” the elevator pitch boasts. “Step into the dark waters as a firefighter, a journalist and an elderly fisherman – learn of their personal stories, and uncover the mystery that connects them.”

Development

❗️ ANNOUNCEMENT ❗️

A BRAND NEW BROADCAST BEGINS.

Under the lake lies the secrets.

Add OUR LADY OF THE DROWNED LAKE to your WISHLIST today.

♦️https://t.co/fYsoEOZ4EJ pic.twitter.com/cWhOmKBRsX

— Monumental Collab (@Monumentallab) November 30, 2023

If you happened to miss out on Our Lady of the Drowned Lake and Teleforum—a visual novel set in the same universe as Drowned Lake, then just know this: the upcoming game will be a portlier version of said games, only with a slew of new features and the full support of Unreal Engine 5, to boot.

At the time of writing, neither Monumental Collab nor publisher CRITICAL REFLEX have stapled a concrete release date on Drowned Lake. According to the devs, however, the team will be targeting a late 2024 launch, so if we’re lucky, we’ll have something to bite into between July and December of 2024. Fingers crossed, anyway.

Trailer

Thankfully, we do have a bit of footage to comb over whilst we wait for the official release. Ready to don your yellow raincoat and go fishing? You can check out the extended announcement trailer in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Drowned Lake hasn’t actually been given a release window just yet. Having said that, the devs have gone as far as to staple a “Coming Soon” label to its Steam handle. So, with any luck, it’ll be out at some point in 2024, at the very earliest. And if not, then we’ll likely see it wash ashore in early 2025.

There won’t be any special editions (not yet, anyway) of Drowned Lake, other than the bog-standard digital copy on PC. Even still, you can go ahead and add that version to your wishlist on Steam here.

Planning on staying up to date with Drowned Lake? If so, then be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. If anything changes ahead of its eventual debut, we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Drowned Lake when it eventually washes ashore? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.