Life isn’t easy being a teenager. It’s a chaotic and confusing phase, especially when you’re an introvert. Swann Holloway, the lead of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, isn’t an exception when it comes to the struggles of being an introverted teenager. She’s expected to fit in and have friends, especially by her mother who thinks Swann is too different for her own good. However, just because she prefers to talk to her cat rather than people or has very niche interests, that doesn’t make Swann a weirdo or different. It just makes her a normal kid.
The first thing that caught my attention after Swann’s introduction was how relatable she felt as a character. The personality of an awkward and introverted tomboy who doesn’t mind her own company, but in fact cherishes it, reminded me of my own teenage years. Little does her lack of friends and social skills cross her mind, but the moment Swann meets Autumn, Nora, and Kat, she knows her last summer in Velvet Cove, Michigan, will be a special one.
The story opens in the year 2022 where a 42-year- old Swann contemplates her mixed emotions of being back in Velvet Cove to meet with her friends after 27 years of radio silence. But this isn’t a happy reunion as there’s the looming mystery of what actually happened all those years ago that made this close-knit group drift apart with a promise to never speak again. And to connect everything together is a mystery package sent and addressed to them. Who sent it and what is in that package? The mysteries kept me engaged throughout part one.
Hailing from some of the same developers, I could feel the Life is Strange influence while playing Lost Records: Bloom & Rage as the story is impacted by certain choices the player makes. Choices also affect Swann’s relationship with her friends and, based on her interactions with them, the player can decide with which friend does Swann want to be closest. However, by the middle of the game, I realized the storytelling and characterization is based so much on real experience that makes it feel more grounded than any other Don’t Nod game.
For starters, Lost Records divides its story into two timelines — 1995 and 2022. The ’95 timeline acts as a series of flashbacks where you play as a younger, carefree Swann who tries to make the most of her summer with her newly found friends. The modern day timeline is more tense and anxious as an older Swann, Autumn, and Nora try to uncover what went wrong that changed their lives forever.
Lost Records‘ two timelines play very differently to each other in terms of ambience and gameplay. The nostalgic year of 1995 reflects its simplicity and cheerful attitude where summers are spent outdoors with no mobile phones in sight. The only piece of technology here is Swann’s beloved camcorder, which she can use to film the world around her during a more linear exploration. By exploring and recording, Swann is able to make memoirs of the collected footage, which can be edited to your own liking. Talk about adding such a cool feature that makes you miss the creativity of documenting memories in the old days.
Coming back to the modern day of 2022, the one important detail is the camera that changes from third-person to first-person in Swann’s point of view. Not only does it fit the gloomy, depressing, and dreadful environment, but it also brings a more personal and immersive experience playing as Swann as she awkwardly reunites with her then-friends, now-strangers. I mean, we’ve all been there, right?
With just the first part out, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage cements itself as a classic Don’t Nod game because it already has me invested in its characters and world. The friendship between Swann, Autumn, Nora, and Kat is the heart and soul of this story. Even though these four teenagers are individually different with their own personalities, they all have one thing in common – big dreams. It reminds you of your own childlike dreams you had back in the day and no matter how crazy they were, you didn’t care what anyone else thought.
Though the 1995 flashbacks were my favorite parts to play, the stark reality of 2022 doesn’t elude me. Older Swann’s interactions with Autumn and Nora feel more hesitant and nervous as they aren’t as close as they used to be. Gone are the guileless wonder and innocence which is replaced by the dullness of adulthood, responsibilities, and small talk. It made me think of how I would act if I met my ex high-school best friend now after all these years of not keeping in touch.
As I eagerly anticipate the release of Tape 2 on April 15th, Lost Records‘ complex storytelling reminds me why I’ll continue to love interactive story games.
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