Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1

Lost Records: Bloom is a wonderful time that explores the past and present while presenting an intriguing mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. Don't Nod somehow managed to capture the energy of the first two Life is Strange titles while giving something new and heartfelt.

Lost Records explores and depicts adolescence in a way that not only surpasses many games, but several works of media in general. It's no secret that we are inundated with "coming-of-age" stories, and as a fan of the cliche, I'd argue it's for good reason. The era between childhood and adulthood is one filled with hormones, emotions, self-discovery, lust, defiance, and experiences that ultimately shape the person you will become, shedding some semblance of your former self. Yet both the story that Lost Records explores and the one being shaped in the "current" time, in which women in their 40s come together and dispel the grating notion that women of that age are decrepit, matronly, and boring, do so in a way that feels fascinating, new, and important. As it stands now, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is poised to be one of Don't Nod's greatest titles. Ultimately, however, much of the game's success is dependent upon the release of its second half, which is scheduled to release this April. It will take answers, action, and rewarded patience to stick the landing, but as of right now, I have faith that the team will do so.

The wait for Tape 2 is going to be a long one, because Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 has me utterly hooked. It perfectly captures the highs and lows of being a teenage girl, brought to life with a cast of characters that feel as real as your childhood friends. While it's a slow burn, and most of the game's major secrets will (hopefully) unravel in Tape 2, this is still an absolute must-play for any fans of the narrative adventure genre.

As much as I wish I could dive into Rage now, the story’s second and final part, Don’t Nod is very clever in holding the instalment back. Its lack of availability only proves that the studio has achieved what it set out to do as I’ve not been able to stop theorising about what may happen next. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a modern classic. Tape one, Bloom, proves that this is the evolution that the episodic adventure genre needed, replacing player passivity with a clear sense of agency and involvement. When all that is backed by an intriguing story, well-written characters, and an infusion of 90s nostalgia, well, you end up with something very special indeed.

The narratively profuse mystery game Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is like living in a Bikini Kill song followed by a Phoebe Bridgers ballad. The D.I.Y. riot grrrl essence here is inspiring, especially for those who lived through the time.

It remains to be seen how this work will end with film number 2, which will be released next April, but for now, we have been delighted by Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. It offers a narrative adventure full of very charismatic characters, impeccable artistic design and a soundtrack used with skill at the most appropriate moments.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 presents a heartfelt look at girlhood in all its flaws and triumphs. As only half of the full picture, Tape 1 can feel slow and lacking in payoff, but it’s still an intriguing journey with lovable characters, reactive choices, and some phenomenal needle drops. It’s flawed in a lot of ways, particularly with regards to performance on PS5, but its heart shines through.

Don’t Nod’s latest videogame arrives with the heavy responsibility of being Life Is Strange successor. However, rather than crumbling under the pressure of such a comparison, it confidently makes a serious attempt at overtaking its legendary predecessor. While Max Caulfield was a relatable character players could easily identify with, Swann is an incredibly powerful protagonist—her fears, anxieties, and dreams are deeply felt and effortlessly understood. This connection is so strong because, in one way or another, we have all been Swann at some point in our lives. Don’t Nod has crafted a story that strikes directly at the heart and soul of its audience, executing a true nostalgia-driven experience filled with countless references to 1990s pop culture. Lost Records: Bloom and Rage – Tape 1 is an undeniable success, making it easy to accept the delay of Tape 2. If these additional refinements serve to enhance the final product, then we can expect the bar of quality to be raised even higher.

While it’s clear there’s more drama bubbling below the surface, ready to burst out, Bloom & Rage is shaping up to be my favorite narrative adventure game since Life Is Strange: Before The Storm.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 is everything you’d want from a DON’T NOD game: realistic characters, a gripping journey, and a sci-fi-infused adventure. While it doesn’t break new ground in the genre, it delivers a well-rounded, intriguing story. The first part lays the foundation for multiple compelling narrative threads. With its rich character drama and lingering mysteries, Tape 2’s release on April 15th can’t come soon enough.

A fascinating new narrative adventure from the original Life is Strange team, this first slice boasts fresh twists that help move the formula forward, even if its story sometimes feels a remix of genre tropes.

Don't Nod is back with a vengeance, with a proposition calibrated for fans who fell in love with the studio thanks to Life is Strange. Lost Records has everything to appeal to an audience that swears by the emotions they experienced playing Max Caulfield in the Arcadia Bay era or even with the Diaz brothers. The story and its direction are undeniably the strong point of Tape 1. ‘Bloom sets the scene and the stakes to create a title that has every chance of becoming a new studio benchmark. It still stumbles at times, notably due to a technical aspect that isn't quite finished. We're obviously hoping that the studio has given itself enough time to ensure that the sequel doesn't suffer the same disruption. So we can't wait to launch Tape 2 and get to the bottom of the story behind this reunion of friends who haven't seen each other for 27 years. We look forward to seeing you on 15 April 2025.

With Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, struggling studio Don't Nod returns to its roots, offering loyal audiences everything they loved about Life is Strange. The slow-paced story may put off some action fans, but it builds to a powerful and shocking conclusion.

Without spoiling any of the story elements, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is captivating so far with the first act. The characters are well-written, the narrative, albeit slow, is gripping, and the game is gorgeous to look at as you take videos of the wildlife and characters around you. It'll be exciting to see where the narrative goes when the second part releases this April. Let's just hope those frame rate hiccups and performance issues get fixed by then.

Tape 1 of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a solid prologue for what might hopefully "bloom" into a memorable story of reunion and reconnecting after decades apart. There are some bold new steps for the genre here, that are unfortunately held back by design choices that already felt archaic back when we first encountered them a decade ago. For now, I'm intrigued and interested to see what comes next, despite the obligatory wait.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a game that should be enjoyed in the right "vibe". It brings back a sense of nostalgia for the 90s, while also having a plot that manages to hook us in. The character development is solid and creates bonds with the player. There are some technical issues that patches could fix, as well as some slow moments in the narrative. But, in other words, if you liked the other DON'T NOD narrative games, it's hard not to like this one. [Review based on TAPE 1: BLOOM]

There are moments when Tape 1 stumbles. Performance issues crop up from time to time. I noticed pop-ins pretty consistently when the story switched from third-person to first-person. And the frame rate chugged for me in a climactic moment towards the end of the chapter. But the game's bigger problem is that Lost Records continues Don't Nod's penchant for corny dialogue. Some of that stems from the game incorporating dated '90s slang like "parental units" and "geez-o," which works well enough as period language. But one big late-game moment, where a character attempts to make a serious point by reciting lyrics to a punk song, falls especially flat. But the game's utter sincerity is a major point in its favor, and these kinds of missteps are a side effect. If I have to put up with some deeply goofy choices in order to get a character as heartbreakingly earnest as Swann Holloway, I'll accept the trade-off.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 is a fun nostalgic trip back to the '90s and the mechanic of making short clips on Swann's camcorder is a clever gameplay element that adds another welcoming layer to the mostly narrative experience.

Tape 1 is mostly build-up, and I’m left wondering how significant its more mundane events will be when the story concludes in Tape 2.

The first part of Lost Records does a great job of building anticipation for the second, thanks to its well-written characters and slow-paced yet engaging story. While there are some issues, both big and small, that need to be addressed, the overall experience remains promising.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is an adventure that is recommended for those who are already captive audiences of the genre. There is nothing new here, and there shouldn't be any. It seems that the studio knows who its audience is and what they like, and chooses to invest the time in a good story, an excellent soundtrack and graphics that will simply carry them along properly and not continue.

Don't Nod latest game is like Life is Strange but with some new additions to the dialogue system. An interesting narrative adventure, although still the same formula, and the camera mechanic doesn't stand up very well through the full game.

Lost Records: Bloom and Rage relatively successfully captures the essence of nostalgia and mystery in a completely original new adventure in the spirit of Life is Strange, but the gameplay is too simple and passive, even compared to previous Don't Nod releases.

Ultimately, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage proves to be an uneven experience where the characters are more interesting than the plot. With a final twist that doesn't feel earned and fails to illuminate the game's greater mystery, it's hard to imagine players eagerly awaiting the second half of the story when it arrives on April 15. However, it's still possible that the remainder of the title could continue building its wonderful characters and make the juice worth the squeeze.

Even if Tape 1 won't immediately grab you, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is off to a decent start, thanks to its intriguing characters and plot.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage has a premise that's way more interesting than its execution. It draws heavily from the classics of the genre, and in particular from the novel IT by Stephen King, to tell us a story of friendship divided into two timelines: 1995 and 2022, with a great mystery in the background that separated the protagonists, keeping them away from Velvet Cove. The balance between the coming-of-age story and the horror part, however, is totally unbalanced in favor of the former, and the serial writing is not helped by the extended time of the screenplay, with a central part that is too lacking in impact. We will find out on April 15th if the mystery is hidden in the second episode, but for now we are saddened by the wasted potential of this story.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is an intriguing introduction to a mysterious new world. With its characters and setting at the forefront, this rose-tinted view of the mid-90s is welcoming, nostalgic, and perfectly blends this tale’s more enigmatic side. It is incredibly slow at times and it doesn’t answer an awful lot, but truth be told, we’re dying to have those questions addressed in the latter part of the story. Tape 1 has teed it up, so it’s down to Tape 2 to secure the home run.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage has a lot going for it—a compelling mystery, a strong cast of characters, and a nostalgic atmosphere that captures the era perfectly. But the technical issues are hard to ignore. From audio glitches to animation bugs, it feels like the game needed more time in the oven. I’m hopeful that Part 2 will smooth out these rough edges, because there is certainly some potential here. It’s just not quite there yet.

I loved the nostalgic feel of the game, and how detailed the world was, with the ability to capture everything with the camcorder. However, a lot of the conversations felt too drawn out, with a lot of awkward pauses, or overlapping conversation that just felt too overwhelming.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 tells a beautiful coming-of-age story, but takes far too long building up something that never pays off.

Tape 1 of Lost Records introduces us to a charming group of characters and presents an intriguing story that sets up a lot of questions and mystery for Tape 2, but a ton of technical issues and awkward dialogue really hamper the overall experience for the first episode of this two part adventure.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 kept me interested throughout, though its heavy focus on character moments got in the way of forming a more cohesive main plot. I’m hopeful that all of the setup that’s been done will allow Tape 2 to fully explore the mystery behind Bloom & Rage’s ‘wild’ summer of 1995.

If you have been a longtime fan of Don’t Nod’s repertoire of games, then Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a great addition to the studio’s titles. However, the narrative sets up more than it answers in part one, making the experience frustrating by the time it’s over. For the start of the Lost Records universe, “Bloom” presents incredible scenery amidst a lukewarm story driven by self-discovery and mystery. In the end, the game doesn’t capture the full sunset of what is to come but sets up a story that has the potential to show its true colors.

In returning to its narrative adventure roots, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage feels like a retreat for Don’t Nod. Draped in nostalgia for both the 90s and Life is Strange, Bloom & Rage struggles to find itself among uneven pacing, tonal inconsistencies, and an uninteresting cast of characters. Despite some neat visual tricks with its VHS overlays, there’s little on this first tape worth a rental.

While Bloom and Rage was an enjoyable romp through someone’s nostalgia, the frustrating pace of both the drama and the central mystery did not endear me to it. As is, I don’t feel as if I can recommend it the game until I see how things resolve in Part 2.