A Cozy Return to Providence Oaks: Lake - Season’s Greetings DLC Review

Lake: Season’s Greetings returns to Providence Oaks with a gentle, wintry embrace, offering a short, character‑driven vignette that leans into holiday warmth rather than gameplay complexity. This DLC casts you as Thomas Weiss (father to the base games main character Meredith) on a handful of snowy delivery routes in December 1985, and its strength is the way it slows everything down: the soundtrack, the frosted streets, and the small conversations you have with townspeople all combine to create a deliberately unhurried mood. If you’re looking for a compact, cozy experience to play over an evening or two, this expansion delivers that feeling with sincerity; if you want mechanical depth, long campaigns, or varied challenges, it’s not designed for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSu1G0WVAVw

The core of the experience is familiar to anyone who played the base game: driving a van, dropping off parcels, and pausing to listen to short, well‑written exchanges that reveal the town’s personalities. The writing is warm and personable, and the seasonal touches including holiday decorations, winter lighting, and a soundtrack that leans into nostalgia make Providence Oaks feel lived‑in and festive.

The decision to switch the playable character from Meredith to Thomas Weiss reframes familiar locations and faces through a long‑time resident’s eyes, giving players insight into the family relationships that inform the main game. In addition to returning residents, the DLC introduces five new characters, each with their own mini‑storylines that expand the town’s emotional range and provide fresh interpersonal beats during the holiday season.

On Switch the presentation is pleasant and the atmosphere holds up, though players should be prepared for occasional performance dips compared with more powerful platforms with GTA style pop ins. Overall, Season’s Greetings is best enjoyed as a short, reflective holiday interlude: play it for the characters and the mood, not for new mechanics or extended playtime.

Pros: 

• Strong seasonal atmosphere

• heartfelt, character‑focused writing

• compact runtime ideal for a single sitting

• relaxing, low‑pressure gameplay.

Cons: 

• Limited gameplay variety

• short overall length

• repetitive delivery loop

• Switch can show occasional technical hiccups.

Lake: Season’s Greetings is a tender, well‑crafted holiday postcard of a game that knows exactly what it wants to be: a brief, comforting return to a small town in winter. It doesn’t overreach, it doesn’t try to reinvent the base game or add complex systems and that restraint is both its greatest asset and its main drawback. For fans of the original who want more time with Providence Oaks and for players seeking a calm, story‑led experience to match the season, this DLC is a delightful, if fleeting, treat. So settle in with a warm drink and let the town’s quiet moments do the work.

XPN Rating 3.5 out of 5 (SILVER)

Lake - Seasons Greetings is Available Now!