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Totemally magic, August 26, 2023I haven't played the Balderstone game from which Skuga Lake has been upgraded, so I can say that this definitely shines as a standalone piece. There is a nice vignette at the start of the new edition interviewing the fictional author Leah Naidu which whets the appetite by introducing a few of the main themes and characters in the game...
The protagonist Charybdis has travelled to Skuga Lake to track down her boss Kyth who has disappeared while researching a story for the travel magazine at which they both work. The reason that they both share such funky names is the game's main premise: this is an alternate modern world in which magic works and witches rule the roost. Charybdis explores the town tracking down clues about what's happened and what needs to be done next. In the meantime, she accesses a very elegantly implemented magic system which works through totems found around the town. By combining two elements together (Spoiler - click to show)(various eyestones in various amulets), Charybdis can unlock a great variety of powers which enable her to unlock areas, new items (and further powers) while smoothly pushing forward the plot towards a big finale.
I found this game a total pleasure to play. It's written with Ryan Veeder's trademark wit and attention to detail so each section unlocked delivers rewards in the prose. I'm usually a poor puzzle solver but I didn't really get stuck for any length of time. There are always things to be trying and plenty of alternative solutions too. Much of the magic feels very cool to use. Ironically, spending a few hours at spooky Skuga Lake does make for a perfect holiday - and it deserves the extra publicity this new edition should give it.