Lou’s Lagoon is a clever cosy game that clearly strives to be very different from others in the genre – and it’s all the better for it. Playing through a recent demo, my first impressions were immediately thrown out, thanks to mechanics that feel fresh and new, and a world that feels so open to endless possibilities. While only short, the demo was a clear window into how this game plans to make an impact in an ever-crowded games market.
After a brief setup – your Uncle Lou has mysteriously disappeared, leaving you in charge of a seaplane delivery service – the demo sets you free into the game’s world. The seaplane has been damaged after a storm, so you must break down and collect resources to repair it.
Along the way, you’ll meet a cast of characters in need of help. There’s a troublesome duo who have a propeller, but won’t give it up without a special meal from their grandma. You can’t find that grandma without building stairs to chart the higher reaches of your island (rich, vibrant jungles), and then, it turns out that grandma needs resources to make her soup.
So, you’ll set about collecting those resources – and Lou’s Lagoon really is clever with its novel crafting mechanics. Taking cues from Fortnite, the game knows its systems must be streamlined and snappy to be moreish and compelling for players. To that end, it arms you with a canon that can inhale or exhale items. You simply push a button, the cannon starts up, and any available resources nearby are broken down into their unique parts and added to your inventory.
Some items are too complex to break down in the demo, suggesting there will be a level-up system allowing you to eventually gather more useful items. In any case, once you’ve gathered what you need, you can then reverse the flow of the cannon to regurgitate resources, laying down stairs (or making food) to continue your journey.
It’s clear this system will greatly benefit Lou’s Lagoon as its crafting systems grow more complex. Early trailer footage has revealed you’ll be able to build your own home and furniture in the later parts of the adventure – and I can see exactly how snap building will make the entire process simple and enjoyable.
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What was also teased in the game’s demo, that I’m very keen to see more of, is a plane traversal system that allows you to move between islands around your home archipelago, at will. Once your plane is repaired, you can hop on board, take to the skies, and fly freely as you please. It’s a smooth, easily-manoeuvrable vehicle, and it’s great fun to wheel over the skies.
While this was the conclusion of the early Lou’s Lagoon demo, the tactility of the plane, and the novelty of being able to escape the ground, was very promising. I can’t quite think of another cosy game I’ve played that lets you travel such vast islands, and it should make Lou’s Lagoon a standout.
Between its bright, lively world and its archipelago setting, there’s plenty to admire about the game’s approach so far. Even with just a small taste included in the demo, there’s so much promise here, and I’m certainly excited to see more.
Those keen to check out Lou’s Lagoon for themselves can now play its demo via Steam.
