Summary
- Lost Records: Bloom and Rage players take on the role of Swann in a nostalgic 90s setting, forming bonds with friends and uncovering life-changing secrets.
- Lost Records promises an immersive narrative adventure with player choice impacting the past and present.
- Dialogue notifications in the game show how choices affect relationships and the story in a dynamic way.
Narrative adventure games are a bit of an underdog in the gaming industry, but Don't Nod Entertainment remains a pillar of the genre after creating the Life is Strange series and continuing to push forward with similar titles with Lost Records: Bloom and Rage. Players will go down memory lane with four girls who made a promise to never see each other again, but the story of Lost Records: Bloom and Rage kicks off when they're all made to face the secret they swore to take to their graves. This new IP from Don't Nod Montreal promises to deliver on a mystery in the present that can only be solved by remembering, reliving, and interacting with the past.
The Life is Strange series may be in the hands of Deck Nine these days, but Don't Nod is still focused on narrative adventures as Lost Records is set to be a brand-new IP that can continue these types of stories by the same people behind Max and Chloe, as well as Sean and Daniel's titles. In a recent interview, The Best War Games was reassured that Don't Nod Montreal aims to have this game resonate with fans of the original Life is Strange games, saying that Lost Records has "the same DNA" of the beloved narrative adventures, but with improvements that Creative Director Michel Koch says the studio learned from its classic title. In particular, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage uses some creative features that have rather interesting inspirations.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Hands-On Preview - Growing Up
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is yet another narrative adventure from DON'T NOD Montreal that proves how far the studio's come with the genre.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Aims to Adapt to the Player Rather Than Holding Their Hand Through a Story
Don't Nod Monreal's Michel Koch tells The Best War Games that many of the original people behind Life is Strange still enjoy the idea of making a game with interactive dialogue and an emphasis on player choice. The team on Lost Records in particular want to go against the idea that narrative adventure games are just playable movies, creating something that really immerses fans and includes them. After the demo The Best War Games got to experience, there were choices in Lost Records: Bloom and Rage that seemed promising for just how many dialogue options have the potential to truly change the game.
The Dialogue Notifications in Lost Records: Bloom and Rage
As players make their way through Swann's memories, they'll see hearts and growing plants appear on the choices they make. At first glance, these seemed like they were prominent answers that Lost Records would keep track of as the game went on. When asked about these icons, Creative Director Michel Koch did in fact confirm this was the case, teasing that even the most mundane choices will have an impact; unlike how the first Life is Strange felt at times.
Maybe you've seen the hearts when you have the actual effects, positive or negative. This is a much more medium and long-term thing that we are building all over the game. It's really going to put you in the shoes of Swann as she's trying to fit in, in this group, and she's trying to navigate through this friendship. Like... "Do I try to please all of them? Or do I try to say what they want to hear, or do I say the truth? Do I stay true to myself? Maybe stay a bit in the back," and all of this will advance through the game and creates bonds with some of those [choices.] And you cannot please everybody, so maybe some will be less close to you in the end than others will.
Koch went on to say that what players choose will "definitely affect a lot of the scenes coming next in the game, especially the ending," which sounds like what fans would naturally expect from a narrative adventure game. However, the Creative Director did say that the choices made will affect both the past and the present, closing on a statement that "the reason why the girls promise to never see each other again and even the content of the box will all be different based on all those choices."
The idea of Lost Records: Bloom and Rage's endings being that dynamic based on player choice absolutely sounds exciting. It speaks volumes of how far Don't Nod, and even the narrative adventure genre as a whole, has come since the original Life is Strange with its endings only being defined by the bigger decisions made throughout. Exactly what lies in the box and the truth behind the Bloom and Rage band is still being kept hidden thus far, so fans will have to stay tuned for more clues to get a bigger picture of what choices they'll be making.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 72%
WHERE TO PLAY
Rewind back to the 90s and live the defining summer of four high school girls as they forge bonds through their growing friendship, their punk band, and an unexplained event that will forever change their lives.
A 27-YEAR PROMISE
Navigate between dual timelines and shape both narratives – in 1995 and 2022 – with each offering a piece of the larger puzzle: the life-changing secrets they uncovered back then and why they’re reuniting now, after all these years. Together, in this place, they’re forced to try and remember clearly the fateful memories that have eluded them for the past 27 years.
CAPTURE & CONNECT
Connect with your newfound sisterhood through lifelike interactions and conversations that feel real: engage in immersive dialogue that changes based on where you look and what you say; where you can do things like interrupt and ignore. Grab your camcorder and explore, filming Velvet Cove and capturing the essence of its people, places, and lush nature. Film just for the fun of it or try to find the dark secrets tucked away.
GIRLS TO THE FRONT
Play as Swann and get to know your new friends, each with their own lives and battles. Come out of your shell and embrace rebellion over the summer as you form friendships with Nora, Autumn, and Kat. Through your actions and words, you’ll shape your relationships with each of them on your journey to self-discovery. Will your bond wither over the years or will it feel like you were barely separated at all?
A NOSTALGIC DREAMSCAPE
In a picturesque corner of Michigan in 1995 lies the seemingly sleepy little town of Velvet Cove. Between dense woodlands and serene lakes, it’s a place where beauty meets the bizarre. Cloaked in a carefully crafted dreampop soundtrack that blends nostalgia and ethereal vibes, you’ll definitely find it all nice and relaxing...
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Mystery, Adventure, Narrative
