Are you wondering if you should play the base Lake game before the Season’s Greetings DLC? Here’s what you need to know. Season’s Greetings takes place one year before the events of Lake, so chronologically, it’s a prequel. It has you exploring the life and story of Thomas Weiss, Meredith’s father, in 1985 in Providence Oaks. However, since it’s focused on the holiday season, many players are wondering if they can jump straight into the DLC without trying the base game. Let’s see.
Do you need to play Lake base game for Season’s Greetings DLC?
The short answer is that no, you don’t need to play Lake before Season’s Greetings. However, playing it would improve your experience overall. It’s not necessary since it’s showcasing a standalone story. However, playing the base game first will make it easier to understand the relationships with all the characters in town. Additionally, you’ll have a bit more background on them and Meredith.
Thus, while it’s not necessary to play it, I highly recommend it since it will allow you to appreciate the story more. To make this decision easier for you, both games take about 5 hours to beat (10 if combined), so if you have the time to spare, trying Lake first is worth it.
Lake showcases the story of Meredith, as she visits Providence Oaks in late 1986 when her parents are on a trip to Florida. She takes the job of Thomas delivering mail and interacts with residents around town. In Season’s Greetings, you’re playing as Thomas delivering mail around town and preparing to celebrate the new year.
The gameplay is the same but by playing both games, you get to see how characters change and develop through the year. Additionally, during the base game, you get to interact more with some characters. For instance, Kay (Meredith’s childhood friend) has more interactions in the main game compared to the DLC. Just keep in mind that Season’s Greeting is winter-themed while Lake has no festive theme. If you’re in it just for the Christmas experience, go for Season’s Greetings.
In conclusion, if you want to relax and enjoy the winter holiday festivities, you can play Season’s Greetings. However, if you want to better understand the story and characters of Providence Oaks better, I highly recommend playing the base game first. If you’re still unsure about whether you should get the game or not, check out our Season’s Greetings DLC review. Alternatively, if playtime is your concern, here’s how long Season’s Greetings takes to beat.
