Summary
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage lacks in the gameplay department but shines in the storytelling department as expected. There are times when our playthrough saw frame drops and more choppiness than we'd like to admit through gameplay. The conclusion of Tape 1 - Bloom has us wanting to dive into Tape 2 - Rage sooner.
Developer – DON’T NOD Montréal
Publisher – DON’T NOD
Platforms – PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, and PC
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 has finally arrived from DON’T NOD, the publishers behind the very successful Life is Strange. Lost Records is a new narrative adventure game where every decision you make will determine your friendship level and possibly how the story ends. Tape 1 primarily takes place in the summer of 1995, when four high school friends develop their bonds and strive to form a successful punk rock band.
Off the top, Lost Records has some Stranger Things vibes to it with the music and the setting despite it being slightly later in time.
Right from the jump you are introduced to Swann, the main character you take control of. It’ll begin with a conversation over the phone with her mother and right away you realize their relationship is not the greatest. The story begins in 2022, set in Velvet Cove, at a specific location that will be revealed as the story unfolds.
Swann isn’t the most popular kid in school and often faces bullying. However, she is very passionate about her camcorder and loves recording memoirs, whether it’s birds, scenic views, or anything else that catches her eye.
Going forward into the story, Swann will meet her new friends – Autumn, Nora, and Kat. All four of the high school friends are keen on creating their band and writing their songs. It’s all fun and games until they notice something mysterious in Velvet Cove.
Autumn and Swann attempt to recall the events of 1995 as they meet at the local bar in Velvet Cove in 2022. The story will alternate between timelines, including moments of reminiscing that will provide additional details about the narrative.
Gameplay
In Lost Records, the gameplay is not overly intense. Instead, it focuses on examining items within confined spaces, such as a bedroom, restaurant, or outdoor area. The game features extensive dialogue and requires players to choose their responses carefully. It’s important to pay attention to the unfolding events in order to make the correct choices.
Similar to Life is Strange, your choices may have consequences as you move along within the game. That could also mean that players will get different endings. Lastly, a big part of the gameplay in Lost Records is creating memoirs with Swann’s camcorder whether it’s recording birds, friends, moving objects, and more.
Overall, the gameplay is quite relaxing; however, I noticed some frame drops and choppiness during exploration moments in my experience.
Tape 1 of Lost Records: Bloom and Rage offers plenty of replayability. Players can look forward to discovering numerous collectibles throughout the game. These collectibles are unique, and referred to as “Collectible Memoirs.” To collect them, players must record various animals, critters, people, and more.
Puzzles are very minimal in this game and aren’t too difficult to figure out.
Visually Good
Lost Records does shine visually when you consider the look of the characters and the surrounding environments. One downside I’ve noticed in the game is the design and behavior of the animals. There were several instances where they appeared to move awkwardly, particularly when walking or when I zoomed in with the camcorder.
While Swann and her friends aim to create their own bad and have a dream to be famous, you’d have to expect the audio to be good. The audio in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is outstanding from the soundtrack it has and in general the sounds of environments, voice acting, and more.
The Not So Good
While Lost Records excels in certain areas, there are aspects that hinder the game’s overall experience. One notable issue I encountered during my playthrough was that the animation of the characters’ mouths did not synchronize properly with the words they were saying.
As mentioned before there were a lot of moments where frames dropped while playing on PS5. It feels like more technical aspects have held this game back just a bit.
Verdict: Lost Records Has Potential
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is approximately 6 hours long, and there are moments in the story that may feel slow-paced. However, there comes a point where you won’t want to put down your controller because you’ll be eager to uncover the secret that is frequently mentioned.
Tape 1 ends at such a point that you’ll want to play Tape 2 right away. DON’T NOD knows how to create good anticipation. You’ll start to realize Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat are not just friends, but they are family.
