General Information
During a rebellious streak in the summer of 1995, teenagers Swann, Kat, Nora and Autumn developed an unbreakable friendship which led them to form the eponymous garage band Bloom & Rage. Despite their bond, events during that summer led to them vowing not to see each other again…
Decades later, their past unexpectedly comes haunting them, leading to their reunion and forcing them to face their former deeds and revisit their relationship.
A blooming and raging sisterhood
You’d be forgiven if you thought that Lost Records: Bloom & Rage was a new instalment in the Life is Strange franchise as it follows a similar visual style. But looks can be deceiving as this game takes place in the new Lost Records universe, with Bloom & Rage being the first instalment.While it does not reach for realism, its stylistic look is detailed and its varied environments feel lived in. The presentation is enhanced by the excellent voice acting and the dreampop soundtrack sets the nostalgic tone.
Nostalgia plays a central part in Bloom & Rage as the plot segues between past and current events. It’s an original way to build intrigue as it’s obvious to the player that there is some heavy baggage between Swann and her friends, but the details are always just out of reach (or out of memory, in this case).
While this dual timeline narrative mechanic works well at keeping the player intrigued, its execution could be better optimised. I found the near-constant back-and-forth off-putting. Sometimes you’re viewing a past event for a few minutes, brought back to the present for a few minutes, only to be sent back in time. This could have been better paced to be less grating.
In addition, the plot keeps teasing the big reason for the former band members to meet up after decades apart, but there are hours of fillers and dragged story beats before this is revealed. This does build the anticipation but nearly to a frustrating level.
Furthermore, once the plot gets to the point of the reunion, the game ends without answering many of the lingering questions. This is due to the fact that only Tape 1, "Bloom", of this two-parter is currently available. Tape 2, "Rage", will be available from April 15 as a free downloadable update. One can hope for a satisfying conclusion but Tape 1 remains an incomplete story.
Applying the Life is Strange formula to a new universe
In Lost Records, DON’T NOD essentially applies its tried-and-tested Life is Strange formula in a new setting. This means that Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is practically a walking simulator, with no combat and interactive elements highlighted. While exploration is mostly a linear affair, it is encouraged as you might miss some interactions. These help flesh the universe and can also unlock some dialogue options.
As with the developer’s other games, the narrative is the focus here, and it also adopts a branching design that is influenced by the player’s decisions. Tape 1 of Bloom & Rage features quality writing, exploring the nuances of the four band members and their relationship. Having the player influence how those relationships evolve and guide the direction of the plot based on their in-game choices makes for an engaging experience.
There are also some timed options in dialogue that add a sense of urgency to responses, while other options become available only after a particular mention in a conversation. As such, you’ll want to pay attention to what is being and has been said before selecting a reply. Based on your response, you’ll experience a different conversation or plot outcome. Irrespective of the choices, the conversations and plot flow well and feel cohesive, attesting to the developer’s expertise in crafting such branching narrative games.
As with Life is Strange games, there is a gimmick to Lost Records as well. In Tape 1 of Bloom & Rage, it is teenage Swann’s propensity for videography. You can take videos and build your memories with her camcorder. While this feature appears to play a central role in Swann’s story arc, it ultimately feels more like a gimmick than anything else. Its use is not really encouraged or matters much, except for some specific instances in the gameplay where its use is needed.
For me, completing Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 was ultimately unsatisfying as the experience mostly amounted to a buildup of what comes next. Tape 2 should, hopefully, tie up the many loose ends of the first part and unravel the lingering mysteries surrounding the members and their fateful summer of ‘95. As much as I love games with branching narratives, this one didn’t particularly strike me as a noteworthy one. It would be best to wait until Tape 2 comes out before deciding to hit play on this record.
