It’s not very often that I get captivated by a game, including titles that I am already obsessed with. So, it was a surprise that I was excited for the release of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2, aptly named Rage. After all, I wasn’t a huge fan of Life is Strange despite having played most of the games in that series.
In fact, I frequently poke fun at the series, and after developer Don’t Nod moved on, I didn’t feel the need to continue after True Colors. However, after my review of Tape 1 Bloom, I was hooked and needed more. So, was my excitement actually rewarded, or did the first tape setup promise that it couldn’t keep?
Someday You Will Ache Like I Ache
Rage picks right back up where Bloom ended, and I would say it’s all about dealing with consequences. The three girls, Swann, Nora, and Autumn, are recovering from the night before and dealing with the fallout from their families. I constantly felt like a teenager again, in trouble with my parents and angry at the powerlessness Swann had.
The opening has her film her talk about her current feelings while her mom badgers her to pack and apologize for her actions. The frustration of the situation and the forced separation of the four girls serve to hammer this feeling home. In fact, this even leaks into the future, as the characters start to become more uncomfortable and helpless.
The biggest difference between Bloom and Rage is the pacing, because despite being around the same length, Rage felt half as long as Bloom. I had to think about this, and finally, I reached a conclusion that I could reconcile. Rage follows through on its namesake. There is never a moment when feelings don’t force the characters forward. Swann attempts to keep her friends together in both the past and the present. This is where you will start to see the consequences of your previous actions, as the characters can change their feelings towards the group.
It isn’t perfect, but there is something that makes the entire tape compelling. I was shocked upon finishing the game at how many variations there could be in a single playthrough of a game. In fact, you are able to fill each of the three save slots with a different version of the ending and the context each character is leaving behind. I want to go back and play again, even as I type this review out. The illusion of choice is so strong that I feel like I need to see the other events, and I never wanted to do that with Life is Strange.
No, No, It Didn’t Happen Like That
The gameplay in Rage is relatively the same as in Bloom. Swann can film anything around her, and your console will save it as if you had used the share button. There are some new collections to record, as well as others that are being continued. For example, the Mothgirl Chronicles collection has some exclusive instances where you can gather more footage to finish or add to it.
The major difference is that some sequences will force you to return to a checkpoint if the characters start to mention that it didn’t happen that way. This is an interesting way to use the fact that we are looking back on memories. This is one of the first times that I have seen something like this used in this style of game. After all, the idea was that you don’t have a game over, you just continue on with your choices.
The only frustrating part is that due to a fail point system, if you fail repeatedly will lock content away from you. For one section, I had to retry numerous times before I understood what the game wanted me to do. However, this doesn’t mean that if you can’t pass these sections that you won’t see the rest of the game. Instead, the characters will get tired and prompt you to finish the recollection as an incomplete memory. The game will actually keep track of this and seems to affect the ending in some way. I am intrigued by these fail states and want to see them further explored.
Soaking in the Rage
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a ride that I, at times, find hard to explain. It’s compelling in a way that feels nostalgic, but feels modern at the same time. Despite the few frustrations I have with the title, I came away wanting to play more and see all the endings. Yes, this means that I would also need to play Bloom again repeatedly, but there are some additions that come with playing both tapes as a single package.
I am glad that I got to experience this story, and that Don’t Nod has learned from the mistakes that Life is Strange made. Lost Records is far from perfect, but those imperfections form together to make something that feels human. If you ever had a passing interest in any sort of text adventure title, you owe it to yourself to pick up this game. In fact, I would argue that this belongs as an example of the best this genre can show you.
Disclaimer: Don’t Nod provided Final Weapon with a PlayStation 5 copy of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage for review purposes.
