Four friends reunite after 27 years
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a strategy and coming-of-age adventure game from DON'T NOD, the developers behind the award-winning Life is Strange series. As the introverted protagonist Swann, you use your camcorder to immortalize your summer memories with your friends Autumn, Kat, and Nora. This game is released through episodes.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage’s gameplay revolves around making memories with your friends, such as creating memorable music videos, sharing your deepest secrets, and venturing into the unknown. Depending on your choices, you will influence the past and present and find the rationale of their promise, whether they keep it or not.
An exploration of adulthood
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage follows the story of Swann and her friends on Velvet Cove, where a strange phenomenon led to the deterioration of their friendship, resulting in the teenagers parting ways and vowing not to keep in touch. Following their fateful reunion in 2022, the four friends — who are now adults — must grapple with what happened 27 years ago. The entire premise and discovery is revealed through Tape 1.
At this point, the player is left with narrative-influencing choices that can potentially influence the characters’ past and present timelines. As said before, the game is separated into two parts or episodes, with Tape 1 being released last February 18, 2025.
Tape 2: Rage
Tape 2 continues the story where it left off: following a bar incident, Swann interviews Dylan before meeting a distressed Autumn at the cabin. Later, a secret visit to the visibly ill Kat turned chaotic with Corey and Dylan's arrival, causing Swann to lose her camcorder. The tape climaxed at the abyss, where Kat and Corey disappeared. In the present, fragmented memories led the surviving women to open a box containing Kat's mementos, including Swann's camcorder and a note, suggesting lingering mysteries connected to the abyss.
Tape 2 continues the narrative, featuring emotional moments and character development, but fails to resolve the mysteries introduced earlier. Key questions surrounding the abyss, shadowy figures, and other supernatural occurrences remain unanswered. The episode functions more as a middle act, setting up a potential climax, but the lack of resolution leaves a sense of frustration.
Although DON'T NOD has released games featuring younger characters, this new entry is a mature addition to their portfolio. With the cast in their 40s in the present timeline, the game touches upon themes related to adulthood and offers a refreshing exploration of reminiscing one’s teenage years. Group dynamics are also very central and important, as the choices you make may affect Swann’s relationships with her friends and other people indirectly involved.
Make your choice
With a refreshing cast of characters, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage stands as a promising narrative-driven title with choices that influence the past and present and Swann’s dynamic with her friends, offering an eye-opening exploration of adulthood and adult friendships and leaving room for reflection among older audiences. However, the game will be separated into two parts when it’s released in the near future.
