Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 is an emotional, narrative-driven adventure that captures the complexities of growing up and the friends made along the way. Developed by DON’T NOD, the studio best known for their masterful and emotional storytelling across the Life is Strange series, the game invites players to step back into the 90s, blending nostalgia with a deeply personal story about four childhood friends who find themselves brought back together to unravel a mystery from their past.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 seamlessly moves between two timelines across its storytelling: the summer of 1995 and the present day in 2022.

In 1995, we follow Swann, a shy, introspective girl who spends her last summer before moving away capturing every memory on her beloved camcorder. Alongside her are Autumn, the responsible leader, Nora, the rebellious wild child, and Kat, the dreamer, with each fitting the roles that you might’ve encountered across your own friend group when younger. These girls are inseparable, sharing together the emotional turmoil that comes with… well… growing up.

In 2022, the story shifts to a more sombre tone as the now-adult women find themselves returning to their hometown, haunted by memories of their past, but also breaking a promise that they made to each other when younger: to never see each other again. The reunion is triggered by a mysterious package with the name of their childhood band, Bloom & Rage, forcing them to confront unresolved conflicts, buried secrets, and the events that tore apart their friendship in the first place.

I adored the storytelling of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1, with it not only perfectly encapsulating the struggles faced across your teenage years, but also how the decisions you make can hold a long bearing consequence on your future life. Your younger years should be carefree and allow you to make memories with your friends that you’ll cherish forever, but as evidenced here, that’s rarely the case and it can alter the course of your life forever. It’s emotional, but it’s perfectly portrayed, with some gripping writing and expert performances ensuring players will be fully hooked in right from the very start. Add to that the dialogue choices you get to make that help shape the storytelling and it won’t take you long to realise that Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 really is some of the team at DON’T NOD’s finest work.

“Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 is a beautifully crafted journey of friendship that’ll keep players hooked in with each emotional narrative beat.”

I really don’t want to give too much away, because the storytelling is the most significant aspect of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1. It brings with it plenty of twists and turns that tie to the overarching emotional connections that you build with the characters as you play, whilst the choices you make really can have lasting consequences that are seen across both 1995 and 2022. It can be very unpredictable and tackles some heavy themes, but… it’s best to discover it all yourself.

The only downside? The two-part nature of the game means you’ll have to wait a little while to see how each narrative thread plays out. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 ends on a cliffhanger that’ll leave you wanting more, which really nails in just how effective the storytelling of the game can be. There are so many unanswered questions that I almost wished that I’d played the game a little closer to the release of the second part of the story just for consistency, but at least the wait won’t be too long, with the release confirmed for April 15^th. I remember the struggle of waiting for new episodes of Life is Strange back in the day, so knowing it’s just two months away does make it a little more bearable.

Whilst the story is very much the focus in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1, there are some unique ideas in the gameplay that makes it engaging to play. This is most prominent when using the camcorder, which sees the player recording footage around them to help solve puzzles, uncover narrative details, discover collectibles, or simply take in the beauty of the world. I’ll admit, I got a LOT more addicted to recording footage than I expected, whilst being able to tinker with your recordings to put together your own special memories always felt engaging. Just be warned: you might find yourself a little too hooked into recording everything, which can hurt the pacing of the storytelling a little. I don’t want to admit how many times I found myself distracted recording footage and forgetting what I was meant to do…

Check out some screenshots down below:

It just felt perfectly befitting of the game’s era, because as a 90s kid myself, I remember playing around with my dad’s camcorder with my friends and making what we thought was revolutionary footage. What complements this is the game’s devotion to authenticity, with plenty of remnants of the 90s to be found in your surroundings, each character’s appearance, the way they talk, and even the music you listen to. It’s wonderfully executed, and if you’re from that era, it’s something you’ll resonate with immediately.

Speaking of the music, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 features a brilliant soundtrack that complement the game’s nostalgic vibe perfectly, with moments of joy, sorrow, and longing perfectly captured through the accompanying pieces that play alongside them. I did a little research after playing and found that the artists Milk & Bone and Ruth Radelet worked on the majority of it, and after listening to their other stuff on Spotify, they’ve made a new fan out of me. I’m excited to see more of their work in part two, because honestly, it’s fantastic here.

The visuals are outstanding too, with the game’s vivid art style giving an almost surreal vibe that fits the tone of the game perfectly. It’s almost cartoon-like with its character designs but also brings a realistic styling that really brings each character to life – it makes the emotions they convey more believable and adds to the game’s cinematic presence. The environments look gorgeous too, whilst the colour palette utilised in the lighting makes some sequences of the game look unbelievable. Whilst there were a few small technical hiccups with the presentation, it didn’t stop the game’s aesthetic from standing out as one of its greatest strengths.

Developer: DON’T NOD
Publisher: DON’T NOD
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC
Website: https://dont-nod.com/en/games/lost-records-bloom-and-rage/