Servant of the Lake is a slow-burn family mystery where you feed bugs to strangers — and they like it

Rusty Lake has released Servant of the Lake, the latest entry in its long-running series of surreal point-and-click puzzle adventures. Think Twin Peaks condensed into a dense, unsettling collection of family dramas set in a countryside that feels both idyllic and deeply wrong.

The game follows the Vanderboom family, whose traditions and obligations take a dark turn. According to a reviewer who played through the title over four nights, Servant of the Lake starts off as a slow burn — the first half is suitably weird but more subdued than expected. However, once the story picks up, the family's secrets and the game's grim tone fully unfold.

The reviewer notes that Servant of the Lake feels less forcefully bizarre than some earlier Rusty Lake games, placing a stronger emphasis on mystery rather than outright horror. The audio design is highlighted as a standout feature: voice acting is more grounded and less disconnected from humanity than in previous entries, and the soundtrack becomes increasingly pleasant as the game progresses.

A memorable moment described in the review involves the protagonist feeding a character porridge filled with dead bugs — and being told it tastes good. This, the reviewer says, is entirely in keeping with the series' signature blend of the grotesque and the mundane.

Servant of the Lake is available on PC and mobile platforms. No specific release date or price was provided in the source.