Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a narrative adventure by the creative minds behind the original Life is Strange. Fans of Don’t Nod’s previous work will likely feel right at home in Velvet Cove, Michigan. The small town setting is brilliantly brought to life with a cast of characters that outshine the overall plot of the story. While it proves to be a very slow burn, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will likely keep players engaged with its moment to moment drama and fun.
As Swann, the player embodies a teenage girl struggling with her identity and surroundings. A quiet soul, Swann takes an interest in movies, both watching them and filming some of her own. While she seems to have accepted that she doesn’t have any close friends, everything changes when she meets a group of girls who help her fend off a bully. It’s this chance moment of fate that changes her entire life.
The Plot Holds Back the Characters
In 2022, Swann is brought back to the town where she spent her teenage years, but more specifically, 1995. She’s asked to return to Velvet Cove by her friend Autumn, who has received a mysterious box addressed to their old band, Bloom & Rage. Upon reuniting, the women catch up while reminiscing about the summer of 1995, which becomes a recurring theme. While the old friends remember their promise to never see one another again, they’re foggy about the details of what happened that summer. As they retrace their steps, the player sees the world from Swann’s perspective and skips between the present and the past.
Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat prove to be a dynamic group of misfits many fans will likely identify with. Each girl manages to bring something special to the table, which turns out to be the real magic of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. Swann is a nerdy loner who tragically connects with a group of peers mere months before she’s supposed to move to Canada. Knowing what’s ahead, the girls set out to make the most of their summer: playing punk rock music, finding a secret hideout, and spending as much time together as possible. Swann begins to come out of her shell and find her voice, something that seems to make her endlessly happy within the narrative.
Unfortunately, 1995 in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage proves to be much more interesting than the present, where the women sit in a bar gathered around the mysterious package that has brought them back together. Despite seeming extremely concerned about the contents of the box and the consequences it could signify, they’re content to hang around having drinks, catching up, and even playing pool without addressing the object, using it as a catalyst to reference a mysterious traumatic event. Even in the final moments of Tape 1, there’s no real indication as to what may be in the box or its significance within the larger narrative. By the time the game reaches its “to be continued” moment, 2022 feels like an afterthought when compared to the events of 1995, making a large portion of the game feel uninteresting by comparison. It’s a lopsided experience that doesn’t justify itself by the time the first set of credits roll.
Collectibles Make the World Feel Alive
Fortunately, the world manages to feel just as rich as its characters. References to a bygone time are scattered everywhere, and it’s likely to be a nostalgic delight for anyone familiar with the era. Collectibles are seamlessly integrated into the game, which prove to be an incredibly rewarding experience. Instead of walking around and collecting items, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage has players use Swann’s camcorder to capture moments in time. These can be anything from a conversation, to scenery, or even animals. It’s a joy to walk around the world, soaking in the details and basking in the sounds. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is likely best experienced with a headset or in a quiet setting.
The camcorder itself is also an interesting device within the story. It can be utilized as a flashlight and as a way to view the world from a different vantage point. When used, the screen takes on a grainy quality with a square ratio that truly makes it seem as if the player is looking through a viewfinder. If played on PlayStation 5, the DualSense controller even has some motion functionality that allows gamers to manipulate the camera in a unique way. The camcorder gives fans the ability to truly step into the shoes of Swann, experiencing the world through her eyes. Its inclusion by Don’t Nod is one of the most satisfying parts of the game.
The Supernatural Isn’t So Super
Something is amiss within Velvet Cove, but Lost Records: Bloom & Rage doesn’t seem to want to players in on the secret. At first, it might be easy to question if the supernatural events are truly just the girls’ overactive imaginations. However, some truly strange things happen that demand more explanation.
This is one of the areas where Lost Records: Bloom & Rage becomes more frustrating than fun, as the secret feels overly teased. There are no breadcrumbs for the player to follow in their search for answers, and it leads to the feeling that the characters have a secret they won’t divulge, despite the fact that the player is living in Swann’s shoes. Curses, rock music, and blood pacts all promise a payoff that might be coming, but its delay may lose the interest of gamers who are forced to pause between parts 1 and 2.
While Lost Records: Bloom & Rage’s first half does its best to create a fresh start and new identity, it still struggles to crawl out of the shadow of Life is Strange. Without seeing the full picture, it’s difficult to know if Don’t Nod will manage to pay off the many promises made in the first half of the game. Branching choices have yet to feel significant, and dialogue options don’t feel like they have true consequences.
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.
Reviewed on PS5
- Released
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February 18, 2025
- Wonderfully written characters.
- A setting that truly brings 1995 to life.
- Great music that players have come to expect from Don’t Nod.
- Collectibles that feel meaningful.
- A present timeline that feels stagnant and uninteresting.
- Branching choices that don’t quite feel like they matter.
- A mystery that’s more frustrating than fun.