I had a lot of hopes going into Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 1.
But as the credits rolled, I was stunned.
I don’t just like Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, Iloveit.
Its supernatural, Stephen King-style scares are played more abstractly than just ‘teens with superpowers’.
And, most importantly, its four teenage protagonists will absolutely spirit your heart away.
At the start of Tape 1, we meet the first of our teenage cohort.
The girls form a quick friendship and the game follows their antics in the Summer of 1995.
It’s all too easy for angst to veer into being annoying.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is worlds away from this problem.
She was excited to tell me her favorite punk rockers.
I felt a deep care and affection for each girl, and its astonishing Dont Nod accomplishes that feat.
Here I feel like every choice has much more impact, even the smaller decisions.
Sweet 16
Fab pop-punk anthems and lo-fi throwbacks score Lost Records.
It’s a teen angst banger.
There are also plenty of moments for subtle unspoken storytelling.
Her room feels like a historical artifact, a perfect snapshot of a 16-year-old’s room in the 90s.
So far so Life is Strange, even if Lost Records revels in the details to a greater extent.
But poking around isn’t the only way you interact with Lost Records.
There’s also Swanns camcorder.
Swanns camcorder is her outlet, and it becomes yours too.
The game prompts you to make these mini-films and seamlessly guides you through the process.
When youre done you might watch back your creations.
Its a wonderful creative outlet for both Swann and you as the player.
Its a wonderful connection you make with Swann, as you share her enjoyment in making these films.
Its also a great way to appreciate the environment too.
It strengthens the bond between Swann and the gang too.
Youre not just capturing snippets of an environment, but documenting your friendship between the girls.
It’s giggling and kicking your feet levels of pure wholesomeness.
Video killed the radio star
Swanns camcorder is also a piece of the games supernatural puzzle.
Swanns camera also heightens the tension with strange glitches and purple interference affecting the camera and whats recorded.
Its Stephen King, Blair Witch, and Yellowjackets all rolled into one delicious.
Im hooked by the supernatural mystery but Im also hyped to learn more about the girls.
Its so wonderfully sincere.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage was reviewed on PC, with a code provided by the publisher.
Tape 2 will release 15 April, 2025.
Looking for another captivating narrative?
Then turn the page to find out our picks for thebest game stories.
