Days go by as you explore and residents of the surrounding area will go about their routine on a daily basis. By interacting with the environment or NPCs at various times the player can make new discoveries. This could be encountering a previously locked door, unique dialogue, or quests by finding NPCs in certain places or areas only accessible at low tide.

Inspired by Majora’s mask, Wake’s main area will feel lived-in as people wander around and get up to various activities throughout their day. The player may encounter them by chance in specific circumstances or by monitoring their movements and learning their schedule. As the story progresses, world shifts occur that altar the dialogue or available quests from NPCs as they react to the actions of the player (similar to Dark Souls NPC questlines and environment progression in Sekiro).

Building lights turn on at certain times and the colors of the setting change, giving the various times of day a distinct feel throughout the environment.