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.