France-based game developers Don’t Nod, the creators of the award-winning and critically acclaimed Life is Strange, have helmed a new story-based choose your own adventure game titled Lost Records: Bloom & Rage after Square Enix sold the rights to Life is Strange to Deck Nine. The first of two parts, Tape 1, takes you on a whirlwind journey of friendship and mysticism through a dual narrative that feels best compared to major TV show Yellowjackets, topped off with a hearty dose of 90s nostalgia. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage takes many notes out of its predecessor’s book to craft a major return to form for the studio.
In Lost Records: Bloom & Rage you play as Swann, an awkward, introverted film fanatic returning to her childhood town for the first time in almost 30 years. She has returned to Michigan to reunite with her friends from her final blowout summer in 1995 before she moved away. Dual timelines set out the story and the relationships between all the girls. A single location in the present day doles out the mystery to be explored in the picturesque locations of the past.
Over the course of the narrative Swann makes friends with best friends Nora, an offbeat musician with bold dreams, and Autumn, Nora’s band mate and keen skater, and Kat, a sixteen year old with a rebellious spirit. As their relationships build, the narrative’s magical realism engulfs the group of girls ending in a nail-biting cliffhanger. Due to the focus on Swann getting to know the other girls the story moves at a slow pace, but this isn’t to the games detriment, it gives the gut punch in the final moments even more weight.
You will love Lost Records: Bloom & Rage if you are into dialogue-heavy games, where the aim is to dig deep into the protagonist’s relationship with the NPC’s. Don’t Nod introduces a whole new segment to the game, one that isn’t available in their Life is Strange games, where you can pursue relationships with each of the three girls. Swann’s – or your – actions and dialogue choices directly correlate to the level of closeness to each girl. There are options and opportunities which directly impact your level of relationship with each character at the end of the game. It’s deftly realised and the freedom to choose which character speaks to you makes it even more exciting.
In Life is Strange, the protagonist, Max Caulfield, had the ability to turn back time. This mechanic manifested itself as a spiral in the top right corner of the screen. At the press of a button you could retry moments of the levels to get a different outcome. As well as being part of the narrative this ability is part of why Life is Strange is such a fun game.
In Lost Records: Bloom & Rage this ability is swapped for something different but equally as impactful and fun. As Swann is an eager film fan she has a retro – well not retro for the 90s – camcorder. Through this she – and by proxy you – have the ability to film anything and everything the world in the game will let you. From your furry friend in your room, to the band practice with your friends, to the dazzling landscapes of the Velvet Cove, everything is capturable. As well as the fun of engaging with your inner cinematographer, it links the two timelines thematically in such a beautiful way. The video camera and home videos Swann captures are the perfect encapsulation of memories and nostalgia in a game that hangs on both things to tell a rich story.
There are also fun opportunities for collectibles too, as everything you can capture with your camera is neatly sifted into different categories. These are ‘memoirs‘ which are both part of the story and optional. For example in the beginning of the game you have to capture various bits of footage of the Video Shack where Swann gets her films from. But there is a plethora of other memoirs to collect throughout the game, this includes critters, wildlife, landscapes, and even one for each of your friends. You also have your own ‘edit suite‘ where you can switch out clips and delete ones you no longer need. It’s an incredibly vast system, and you might find yourself getting distracted from the story to capture some perfect little films.
Despite Lost Records: Bloom & Rage being a triumph of the genre, there are bits of the game that lack polish. This mainly revolves around when Swann is engaging in dialogue with other characters, and the frame rate tends to drop. You should also be careful when filming your memoirs as in-game dialogue can transfer into the edited films, and as Swann narrates over them it can leave your creations feeling a little clunky. That being said these little nitpicks don’t impact the overall playability of the game in any way.
In a nutshell, the first part of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage evokes the same feeling within that the first Life is Strange game did. By returning to a type of game Don’t Nod succeeds at, they’ve crafted an experience that rivals that of their earlier games. Considering that Deck Nine’s Life is Strange games have been incredibly hit-and-miss, it feels right to be returning to the company that started it all, but joining them on a new fresh journey. One that has a future as promising as Life is Strange did all the way back in 2015 during its initial release. Part 2 in April can’t come quick enough!
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, Tape 1 is now available on digital platforms.
Learn more about Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, Tape 1 at the Don’t Nod website for the game.
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