Mike Reitemeier
Mike ReitemeierDONTNOD has had quite the decade since Life is Strange first started dropping episodes in 2015. I’m someone who’s been there from the start, playing episodes the day they came out, loving Life is Strange 2 to the point I awarded a rare 10/10, and seeing the studio branch out into winners like Jusant and Twin Mirror. Because of this, it only makes sense that I have kept a keen eye on anything else DONTNOD was willing to show to the world. With Lost Records: Bloom and Rage looking like a return to form, let’s see if the magic can be recaptured in this coming-of-age thriller.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is a tale of sisterhood, getting out of your comfort zone, and capturing lightning in a bottle both figuratively, and literally with your trusty camcorder. As Swann, most scenes in Tape 1 will let you film specific areas and objects, that are automatically compiled into a memoir with a voiceover and production quirks. This mechanic is simply irresistible and is leaps and bounds more profound than Max taking a few photos in LiS. It also becomes central to the mood and vibe each of the gorgeous settings provide.
There are three girls to deep-dive within Lost Records: Bloom and Rage: Autumn, Nora, and Kat. Each has a profound personality and acts just like a teen from 1995 would. They are brash, unflappable, and steadfast. As the game flashes from 1995 to 27 years later as a bar meetup, it’s a case where choices really do matter. Almost every dialogue option will either bemuse or bemoan the conversation partner and when talking with the group, you can’t escape disappointing one of the parties. As the timelines weave, certain choices greatly change each character, their feelings towards you, and even minute things like the breed of your cat or what piercing one will get in the future.
As the story progresses in Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, it’s not until late in the tape that the ever-present supernatural elements come into play. Having the game let you formulate deep feelings towards each character really played into this climactic moment. It creates a real tearjerker due to the surprise factor and the uncertainty of the cliffhanger ahead of Tape 2. I found myself aching to know how things would pick up from the very first second of the next tape, which is due out on April 15th, 2025.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage takes all the things that made Life is Strange 1 and 2 so memorable, and expands upon it with a bold new storytelling mechanic with the camcorder and a bevy of characters that I truly cared about when things wrapped up. It’s not without some weird delivery (characters sigh legitimately every time they talk) and that cringy teenager dialogue (Swann will not stop calling her cat “fluffbutt”), but it’s still essential viewing for any fans of DONTNOD or character-driven stories with an emphasis on twists and turns.
A PC review copy of Lost Records: Bloom and Rage was provided by DONTNOD for this review.
Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.
Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!
41 Lost Records: Bloom and Rage
39.99
Pros
- Incredible Camcorder Mechanic
- Larger than Life Story
- Excellent 90's Setting
Cons
- Odd Voice Direction
- Some Rough Dialogue
