Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 Reviews
Despite the technical issues I had, I still love Bloom & Rage and greatly anticipate Tape 2. The bombs dropped in Tape 1 make my heart ache. I love this broody high-school drama, brilliantly shown through the eyes of Swann Holloway. If you have any love for Life is Strange or adventure games, you need to play Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1. Remember 1995!
I am afraid to say that Don’t Nod simply dropped the ball with half of the first chapter of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. Luckily, they caught themselves, sparing the other half from being a complete disaster. Much of the game was great and had me re-experiencing my youth in ways I had forgotten. The story of four girls wanting to reimagine the world they are in and escape together was compelling and the way it was presented through the eyes of an awkward teen with a love for movies and the best technology on the planet for capturing the paranormal made it all the better. While playing in the past was strong, the present story kept taking me out of the experience as it slowed everything to a halt and filled in the empty space with near-meaningless conversation of older women who just wouldn’t get to the point.
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.
I’m genuinely excited for the second tape of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. The first part delivered a captivating mix of mystery, friendship, and atmosphere, wrapped in a beautiful audiovisual package—proving once again that DON’T NOD knows how to tell heartfelt, immersive stories.
Review in German | Read full review
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage shows strong potential, but Tape 1 alone feels incomplete—its true value may only emerge once the full story unfolds.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is a fantastic and immersive narrative adventure that's filled with drama, happiness, and spooks to pump you up for Tape 2. A great time playing Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. The storytelling kept the player's attention for the majority of the play, and it definitely has great replay value to unlock different outcomes, endings, and rewards.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is commendable for its world-setting and character introductions, which work well in getting players to feel for them despite dialogue that can be sub-par. I wouldn't say you need to rush to play it, especially without having Tape 2 to serve as context and closure for the whole narrative.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage can be considered a spiritual and successful successor to Life is Strange. Thanks to its outstanding story and narrative, it successfully delivers an experience similar to what fans have been seeking for over a decade in the best possible way. If you are a fan of interactive adventure games, especially the Life is Strange series, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will provide you with a highly satisfying experience.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 brings Don't Nod back to their narrative roots, offering a griping story that seizes your heart with the raw intensity of friendship, the relentless sweep of time, and the nostalgia of a frightful summer that defined a lifetime.
Lost Records Part 1 is a half-successful graphic adventure that combines intriguing elements with aspects that don’t fully convince. While the story and narrative are of high quality, the pacing slows down in the second half, choices feel less impactful than expected, and the camera mechanics can sometimes feel forced.
Review in Italian | Read full review
For those who enjoy narrative adventure games that are fairly relaxed in their gameplay, this one comes highly recommended. Played as an interactive story, even casual gamers will be able to find their way around without a care. The story strikes a chord with me in terms of storytelling. It's about friendship, while the teenage girls are still searching for themselves. Their actions have consequences that we're just beginning to see in this first chapter of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.
Review in French | Read full review
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is an intimate, beautifully crafted experience that leans heavily into storytelling and atmosphere. If you’re drawn to games that explore emotion, nostalgia, and the bonds that shape us, this is an easy recommendation. Just be warned, it might take you down a path of remembering, so make sure you’re prepared.
But really, it’s the tale we’re here for and this is Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 really is the old adage of being about the friends we made along the way. After a slow start, things pick up nicely, doing a great job of recreating that teenage feeling of the 90’s, with no mobiles or internet but more random happenstance that leads to unforgettable adventures. Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 ends at a point that I’m now chomping at the bit to see what’s next, and I just hope the big mystery gets the pay off it deserves.
A wonderful throwback for the 90s adjacent kids with immersive story telling of the summer.
As I started this review I said it would be a tough one to do. Sitting here at the end it’s still tough. At its core Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 is a great game. The characters are easy to fall in love with, the world is gorgeous and the story is beginning to click. The problem is the payoff to all of this has to wait until April. If I had to predict it, my overall score for Lost Records will be higher once it’s complete and we do get all the payoffs. But for now, Tape 1s slow start keeps Bloom in the good category with Rage expected to tie it all together. The fact that I can’t wait for Rage though should at least tell you Bloom is worth a play, but maybe wait til April and play it all at once?
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage delivers a nostalgic, character-driven story with strong writing and a dual-timeline structure. Its slow pacing and light gameplay may not appeal to everyone, but its emotional depth and well-developed relationships stand out. Minor technical issues exist, but the visuals and soundtrack effectively capture both eras. As the first half of a two-part story, it leaves many questions unanswered but remains worth following.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 starts to scratch the itch that recent similar games just couldn’t. The mystery and setting leaves me feeling nostalgic for a time when I was very young. Just don’t expect the story to move at a mile a minute. The game’s pace glides along at a steady rate. Not much is revealed, but it’s up to Tape 2, coming in mid-April, to finish what this game has started. It’s going to be a long wait but in the meantime, I am happy to give Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 a Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a phenomenal narrative adventure from DON'T NOD. It expertly blends supernatural elements with a deeply personal coming-of-age story.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, the new Canadian team at Don't Nod, continues the studio's style, improving almost every aspect introduced in Life Is Strange. This first part of the story of Swann, Autumn, Nora, and Kat may surprise with its pacing and narrative, revolving around a MacGuffin that reunites old friends after years apart. Everything falls into place by the end of this installment, leaving you eagerly awaiting April 15th. True to Don't Nod's famous gaming style, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will win over fans who appreciate the studio's narrative approach, delivering a heartfelt story that captivates emotionally. Let’s hope the second and final part lives up to this promising start.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Lost Records Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 is recommended for offering a captivating experience. The story and characters manage to keep you interested from beginning to end. So, if you like narrative games with a strong emotional component and a dash of mystery, this is a title you can't miss.
Review in Spanish | Read full review