A spoiler-free review of the newly released installment by the beloved video game developer
By BELLA PETERSON —- arts@theaggie.org
The developers of the original beloved “Life is Strange” game, Don’t Nod, just released the second and final part to their newest game “Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.” Having been known best for their choice-based storytelling, it’s safe to say that Don’t Nod has proven that they still know how to do it with this installment.
The subgenre of choose-your-own adventure storytelling in video games isn’t new, but “Life is Strange” certainly made an impact with its initial release in 2014. Since the popularity of “Life is Strange,” Don’t Nod has made various games unrelated to the series that utilized a similar format. It wasn’t until “Lost Records: Bloom & Rage” that Don’t Nod was able to make nearly the same impact as “Life is Strange.”
“Lost Records: Bloom & Rage” follows the friendship made between four girls in a mysterious summer before they all eventually go their separate ways. The story bounces between the adult and teen timeline as more information is given to the player of what made these girls choose to split apart in the first place. Similar to the game that put them on the map, this game makes no shortage of choices for the players to make that will shape their story.
If you have played both parts of this newest game, it is evident that what Don’t Nod was able to accomplish with “Life is Strange” really shines through in this newest piece. The gimmick of “your choices will have consequences” was really nailed in by Don’t Nod. Though, it isn’t said outright in this game, it’s present in the story that everything you do has an effect.
A commonly teased factor of Don’t Nod’s original hit game was its dialogue, and for the time it was relatively accurate. In “Lost Records,” the dialogue echoes a similar tone. It felt like the developers may have an inkling of this reputation, but certainly didn’t shy away from it.
“Lost Records” allows the players to shape the story however they want. The player is allowed to build and neglect relationships with the other supporting cast of characters, and even build a connection with one of the girls that are a part of the core four. Depending on the choices the player makes, it will result in a different ending — allowing for great replayability. There’s so much you can miss on the first playthrough. The game gives you a good amount of motivation to see all of the possibilities within the crafted narrative.
Another main aspect of gameplay is recording your environment with a retro video camera. It’s a refreshing take on a creative outlet for your main character as it allows for real influence by the player — compared to their previous games only allowing the player to press a few buttons in this aspect of the gameplay. The player can capture some of their favorite moments in the story and rewatch them later; Along with being able to watch these clips, the player can also edit them into whichever order they want. Essentially, you can make your own movies on top of playing the game, which is truly unique.
There’s also a supernatural element to “Lost Records: Bloom & Rage” similar to “Life is Strange.” This element was manufactured into the story smoothly — not feeling forced or too far-fetched. Almost feeling like the presence of this supernatural element was symbolic of the main girls’ journey in the story.
“Lost Records: Bloom & Rage” felt very reminiscent of Don’t Nod’s previous games, bringing a great deal of nostalgia in its content. As you explore the environment in the game, you can feel the heart of what makes these game developers so good at their niche. With many recent games coming up with the same cookie-cutter gameplay, it’s refreshing to see a company still committed to their low maintenance-format of gaming.
There’s so much life to these characters and the main story. It’s a big task to try to reach the iconic level that “Life is Strange” had, but it seems that Don’t Nod was able to take it on. It’s exciting to see that the company still holds a lot of potential — whatever their future projects may be.
Written by: Bella Peterson — arts@theaggie.org
