Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Reviews
Even if Tape 1 won't immediately grab you, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is off to a decent start, thanks to its intriguing characters and plot.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 kept me interested throughout, though its heavy focus on character moments got in the way of forming a more cohesive main plot. I'm hopeful that all of the setup that's been done will allow Tape 2 to fully explore the mystery behind Bloom & Rage's 'wild' summer of 1995.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 tells a beautiful coming-of-age story, but takes far too long building up something that never pays off.
Impeccable vibes, a solid narrative, and strong characters make the trip to Velvet Cove more than worth it. Tape 1 of Lost Records: Bloom and Rage effortlessly transports you back to a simpler time, while telling a grounded and melancholy tale of what happens when the perfect summer, isn't. While it's occasionally let down by an uneven technical state, the strength of the story still stands tall. I'm more than excited to continue the story of Swann and her friends in Tape 2.
Also, how the story continues and ends will be crucial. Such an emotional and powerful ending needs a lot of care and attention , because the theme is anything but banal or nostalgic.
Review in Italian | Read full review
In returning to its narrative adventure roots, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage feels like a retreat for Don't Nod. Draped in nostalgia for both the 90s and Life is Strange, Bloom & Rage struggles to find itself among uneven pacing, tonal inconsistencies, and an uninteresting cast of characters. Despite some neat visual tricks with its VHS overlays, there's little on this first tape worth a rental.
A solid start to this narrative adventure
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].
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Tape 1 of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is immersive, delicately crafted to feel as close to real life as a video game can get, and bursting with supernatural mystery.
Lost Records: Bloom sets the scene for a very intriguing finale with good character and story build-up but it does take time to get there and the episode ends just as the story is taking a turn. In that build up is some brilliant characterisation across two periods in history, world-class acting that makes these characters feel truly three-dimensional, compelling writing that keeps you hooked and a truly stunning depiction of Michigan that glows and glistens with beautiful, natural scenery. Swan’s recording adds an interesting approach for players to tell their own interpretations of the memories and this is a pleasant trip that often feels soothing and wholesome, but you feel Rage has quite a bit of work to do to stick the landing.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage has a lot of great moments with just a few outliers that keep it from being an amazing experience. The story is great, which is elevated thanks to a wonderful cast and an interesting way of telling it. The basic gameplay for these kinds of games is here again, but with an intriguing Memoir feature to record different objects to create your own mini-videos. I wish the magical elements and finale were a bit more impactful, but I feel the narrative had enough to keep me interested in how they would continue the tale. It is also playable on the Steam Deck, albeit with some compromises. I wish I could get it to a fully stable 30 FPS without major visual downgrades, but with a game like this, the short drops down below weren't the end of the world. This is still going to be an enjoyable portable experience, and I had a blast playing it on the go.
Lost Records Bloom and Rage (Tape 1) not only recaptures the magic of DON’T NOD'S lightning in a bottle, but it enhances it in every way.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage teleported me back to a time when freedom meant everything and there was nothing to be concerned about other than what my friends and I would do the next day.
With ‘Lost Records: Bloom & Rage’, developer Dontnod captures the cosy, melancholy feeling for which I also loved ‘Life is Strange’. Unfortunately, I now have to wait two months to make a definitive judgement
Review in German | Read full review
Unlovable characters, no decision making, tedious mechanics, novice writing, terrible sound design and the most boring story in years add up to what is looking to be DONTNOD's worst game ever.
Lost Records’ opening chapter doesn’t quite provide enough of the mystery to have me excited for its next and final chapter. That said, the bonds created by these girls is a captivating experience that drew me in. While dialogue choices are the bread and butter of this experience, I do wish the reliance on the camcorder did something to flavor that story in ways that we just don’t see here. While Bloom is a fairly enjoyable chapter, here’s hoping that Rage can seal the deal.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 1 is a stunning return to form, offering a great story and a bunch of wholesome, special characters. The choices feel more personal to you, and the camcorder mechanic adds more depth to Swann, allowing you to feel more in control of your own destiny than before.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 is a beautifully crafted journey of friendship that’ll keep players hooked in with each emotional narrative beat. It captures the universal experience of growing up while celebrating the nostalgia of the 90s, with the traditional DON’T NOD style of storytelling ensuring that each character feels special, each decision you make feels significant, and each twist you unravel feels shocking. Add to that the wonderful soundtrack and visual presentation and it’ll be clear that this is another special experience that easily lives up the high standard of storytelling that the team set with the original Life is Strange. I simply cannot wait to see how the story ends… roll on April 15th.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage lacks in the gameplay department but shines in the storytelling department as expected. There are times when our playthrough saw frame drops and more choppiness than we’d like to admit through gameplay. The conclusion of Tape 1 – Bloom has us wanting to dive into Tape 2 – Rage sooner.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is Don't Nod's new all-female graphic adventure, a ‘spiritual sequel’ to Life is Strange in atmosphere. In this first part, entitled ‘Tape 1: Bloom’, we discover how the friendship between four outsiders, the young Swann, Kat, Nora and Autumn, came about. What really happened in the summer of 1995? The title takes its time, giving us some juicy new clues only at the end of this first episode. Impossible to judge now, halfway through the adventure, we'll have to wait until 15 April to draw conclusions, but this first part has left us a little lukewarm: the more dynamic and realistic multiple-choice dialogues are a nice step forward, but will they be enough to make the title truly unforgettable? On the gameplay side there isn't much else, and even from a technical point of view the game has several smears. We'll have to see.
Review in Italian | Read full review