Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Review — True to Life

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a narrative-driven mystery game with impactful choices and meaningful character dynamics. Developed by the creators of Life is Strange, this game surprised me with just how good the writing can be, and while it is a little light on the actual gameplay, it will hook you in with its story and leave you feeling a deep connection to its surprisingly real-feeling cast and characters. This 90s mystery stands out in a sea of similar titles for feeling true to life as if it was inspired by true events.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a two-part narrative-heavy mystery game, currently featuring the first chapter, Bloom. The second chapter, Rage, releases in April; in case you were worried about having to purchase the second chapter, it will be released as a free extension to the game’s story, much like how Final Fantasy 15 handled its story. Think of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage like a television event, where you have plenty of time to stew on your theories about the plot and characters before the second chapter drops.

If you’ve played Life is Strange, you already have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the game in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. Mechanically, a lot of the game is fairly simple, focusing instead on delivering its narrative. After all, the game is made by former Life is Strange creators, as I alluded to in the first paragraph, so some similarities are to be expected.

While the game is still very narrative-heavy, it does make a few noticeable mechanical changes from Life is Strange and similar titles in the genre. While those looking for a very interactive game are still going to be a bit disappointed (this simply is not the title for those looking for a gameplay-heavy experience), little elements make the narrative storytelling more interactive. Dialogue options are often locked behind not only your choices but also your ability to discover items or information in your environment. Your ability to interact with characters in conversation is also expanded, allowing you to interject, use timed dialogue options, and even not respond at all, each of which changes how the story plays out.

The photo mechanic in Life is Strange is similarly replaced with a video camera, allowing you to record footage throughout the game. This can simply be something done for fun, but it also often proves vital to uncovering mysteries hidden in the game’s environment.

Being a narrative-focused game, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is made by its writing. Luckily, it does not disappoint; the story is captivating, and the characters are easy to become invested in, even with their flaws or when their dorky teenage dialogue makes you cringe.

See, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage takes place simultaneously between the 90s and 2022, following the story of a group of friends and the promise they made in the past. Jumping between the two settings is done in a way that is not only digestible but artistically intriguing; both settings are portrayed incredibly well, and the juxtaposition between the characters in the past and “present,” defined by the changes in their lives since, is wonderfully explored.

The game touches on themes of homophobia, weight and body image issues, illness both physical and mental, and domestic violence. Moreover, it explores how casual these issues can be, aiding in what is undeniable, in my opinion, the game’s strongest feature: just how real everything feels.

It’s no secret that games in this genre can often feel forced. Characters with weight issues, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, etc., can often feel, at least to me, like they were inserted into the story to virtue signal to the audience, and often feel like parodies of the communities they seek to represent. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage has all of this representation, but it all feels casual and real; the game does not feel like it panders to me or the other communities it represents, rather making all of its characters feel like actual characters without erasing their very realistic identities, traumas, and personalities.

Not only that, but the way these characters interact with the world they’re in, and how the world interacts with them back, feels incredibly believable. Oftentimes throughout the story, I felt as though Lost Records: Bloom & Rage was based on true events, or its characters were pulled from real lives lived by the developers who made them. This is true not just for little things, like how the characters dress, speak, or the interests they share, but in the darker tones of the game as well.

For the sake of my own privacy, I can’t tell you just how many themes in the game struck a personal chord with me. There are moments and interactions in the game that I had to simply throw my head back, laugh a bit, and say, “Yeah, I’ve lived this,” which is not something I can often say about video games.

It was refreshing—a shockingly real portrayal of life that makes not only for a highly relatable story but one that stands out in a genre where these stories can often feel fake, pandering, or too exaggerated. What else could we expect from the creators of Life is Strange, the incredibly popular original that all but kickstarted the genre as a whole?

All of that being said, you should know what you’re getting into before you play it. If you’re looking for a gameplay-heavy game and lose your attention quickly during heavily narrative-focused titles, this is not the title for you. If the topics of casual homophobia, domestic abuse, and the other trigger warnings presented by the game developers seriously bother you, you might also want to avoid this title. The game can feel incredibly true to real life, and thus, your own experiences, which is something players will either find therapeutic or too close for comfort.

TryHardGuides was provided a PC review copy for this game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles on our Game Reviews page! Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.