Growing up is quite possibly the hardest thing any of us has ever done. This is, of course, amplified when you grow up in a small town, where feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt are easy to plague a young mind. Well, Don’t Nod, known for games such as Life is Strange, is back again with a brand-new game titled Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.
Lost Records is a new game that focuses on four girls in a two-part episodic experience that tackles growing up in 1995. This especially hones in on the idea of growing up different from everyone else and feeling like an outcast. Honestly, as someone who feels like an outsider looking in at times, I was really able to relate to the girls. The game tackles so many of these feelings that a single playthrough cannot do it justice. In many ways, Lost Records could be what many people needed when they were younger.
A Rage Blooms in Us All
First, it should be noted that the story of Lost Records is divided into two “parts”, or “tapes”, as the game calls them. For now, Dontnod has only released one tape: Bloom. Bloom revolves around Swann, a girl with body issues and a severe lack of friends. This is her life until she meets three girls named Kat, Autumn, and Nora. Each girl has their own wants and dreams. You have Nora, the classic bad girl who dreams of making it famous. There’s also Kat, the writer angry at her parents, the town of Velvet Cove, and her entire situation. In the midst of it all, Autumn is the responsible one of the group, wishing to make a difference in the world in some way.
The girls become fast friends as they film movies and dream of becoming rock stars together. All the while, they promise to stay connected, no matter what happens. This is put to the test when something more supernatural begins to occur. One night they find a mysterious cabin with a lock on the inside. Maybe it’s meant to keep something or perhaps someone out, or maybe it’s meant to keep something locked inside. With the mysterious cabin discovered, the girls must figure out their place in the world and how the cabin can help them find their purpose.
Looking Back on It
The story is divided into two parts: “The present day,” which takes place in 2022, and “the past,” which takes place in 1995. These parts follow the same characters but in different stages of their life. In the present, Swann is still the main character. It focuses on her returning to Velvet Cove twenty-seven years later after learning from Autumn that a package was supposedly delivered to her mom.
Due to the narrative unfolding across these two drastically different settings, the mystery feels much more compelling. On one hand, you’ve got an awkward air of old friends attempting to reconnect after years of absence, and another focused on their initial meeting and youth. Naturally, many questions are raised as the story plays out. We explore the past, learning what caused this group of friends to drift away from each other over the years, in addition to the mysteries of the cabin and the package.
I found the narrative compelling, especially as the pieces of the past came into focus, providing a sort of first-hand experience of what had come before. This style of narrative also helps create a greater illusion of choice. Similarly to previous Don’t Nod games like Life is Strange, choices generally impact the finer details of the narrative. For instance, what color of banner did the band use? What stickers did Swann like the most? The human memory is blurry at best, so having these girls attempt to remember something while reminding themselves about the past fits well with the narrative.
This also creates a feeling of nostalgia for you, the player. Instead of only looking at children through a flashback, you’re watching adults reminisce on their childhood. The writing team does its best to remind you of this lens as certain objects will allow Swann to reminisce on the past. This will cause the adult Swann to talk about the past or even prompt one of the other girls to speak about what they remembered. It’s a fun narrative device that Lost Records uses well to craft a story that’s unique and nostalgic at the same time.
A Video to Remember It All
Anyone familiar with the previous works of Don’t Nod will know that the studio uses media as a way to make their collectibles more interesting and exciting to discover. For instance, in the aforementioned Life is Strange, Max frequently took photos. As a result of her being established as an aspiring photographer, these collectibles further highlight her personality.
Similarly, Swann has a camcorder that she films everything on. Like Max’s picture-taking, this establishes Swann’s personality, as she sees the world through the lens of a movie. This is a great collectible to both witness from a distance and collect first-hand. Each short clip players can film will contribute to the overall memoir that Swann is filming while moving away from Velvet Cove. Once a memoir is completed, players can watch the completed product, which will usually include some voice-over from Swann that wasn’t included in the initial filming.
There is even a minor editing component where players can rearrange certain clips or replace clips with better shots that they may have taken from later in the tape. That being said, the editing does feel a little lackluster. I found myself not caring too much about the order of the clips, especially as the final product almost came out feeling like a mess. I’m sure I could film better to make the clips line up, but there are not enough instances of objects being close to one another to make this viable.
However, it is nice to see the videos that Swann filmed reappear as an actual short home video. It helps to further explore her mindset and personality. This also expands the broader world of Lost Records. Additionally, it’s worth noting that if you ever feel like you’ve missed anything, there is a free exploration mode for each scene to allow you to look around and find anything you missed.
Otherwise, gameplay is what you would from Don’t Nod. Players will talk to other characters, with choices that impact that narrative. So, no, there isn’t any high-octane combat or anything of the sort, but these situations still feel tense. I was frequently on the edge of my seat watching these girls talk to each other.
This tension broadens even more when it’s clear that Swann is developing feelings for one of the girls. In fact, most choices will allow the player to have affection with one or more of the girls. These can change simple choices like which girl would want to be locked in a room with you, to having a secret rendezvous filled with awkwardness and attempts to flirt with one another.
This affection system comes with a clear indication of who is gaining affection and when. In fact, when thinking about playing again this system held a major influence on wanting to return. I kept thinking what would change if I had romanced a different character. Would the future change at all, or would a scene not happen with another girl? This is at the core of what made Lost Records: Bloom & Rage compelling.
Add in the ever-present fear of acting on your feelings and losing your family, and this gives a winning formula for a game that players will want to come back to. The narrative is as much of the gameplay as what we collect, even if what we need to collect was actually within us all along.
Self-Exploration
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage follows one central theme between these two narratives: the idea of self-exploration. Each girl is attempting to find themselves in a world that clearly doesn’t accept them. This is especially at the forefront of the narrative because of the game’s focus on members of the LGBTQ+ community.
However, unlike other games, this is done in a way that feels genuine and from the heart, rather than something the developers added haphazardly. The characters are well-written and filled with personalities that make them lovable and compelling. I can personally say that I fell in love with each of them as I experienced their struggles and self-doubt. In fact, I couldn’t help but see my own struggles as a kid reflected back at me.
This earnestness easily makes Lost Records my favorite game from Don’t Nod. The studio somehow managed to capture the energy of the first two Life is Strange titles while giving something new and heartfelt. I was constantly on the edge of my seat as the girls stumbled through the mystery and the interactions between each other.
I am currently getting ready to go through the entire story again making slightly different choices and figuring out who I want to romance next between the three girls. I’m excited to see what Rage, the second chapter of this story, will have in store, especially seeing where the ending left players on a cliffhanger. There is so much room for expansion and growth in the narrative to follow, and I am ready for every single turn this April.
Disclaimer: Don’t Nod provided Final Weapon with a PlayStation 5 copy of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage for review purposes.
