It has been a while since I’ve played a newer game, so I decided to fire up my Xbox and work through my backlog. This led me to start playing Lost Records: Bloom and Rage. I know that I’m late on this game, but that’s how I normally am.
I didn’t know much about it going in, but I was pleasantly surprised that it takes place in Michigan. This is where I grew up, and I love it when games take place anywhere in the Midwest.
I’ll probably spend half the game trying to figure out where it is taking place. At first glance, I would say the Upper Peninsula, mostly because of the “Yooper Scooper” ice cream stand, but who knows? For those that don’t know, the residents of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are called Yoopers, and they have a fairly distinct accent from those in the Lower Peninsula.
TLDR: A beautiful adventure game with a wonderful story.
Narrative
The game takes place in the summer. Thankfully, there aren’t swarms of deer flies biting the hell out of all the characters. It is ridiculously hot in the Upper Peninsula during the summer.
Our story revolves around four girls growing up in a small town in Michigan. They nailed the setting, but there are a bunch of little things that someone from Michigan would pick up on as being out of place.
It begins in modern times and is told through flashbacks. It is a fun way to tell a story. I keep waiting for all four girls to show up at this bar, and it takes a while for each of them to show up.
At first, I was wondering why no one was speaking with a Yooper accent, but then it was explained that most of these girls aren’t from the area, so it makes sense. I’m guessing it’s in the Upper Peninsula because of the use of the word ‘Yooper’.
Anyway, the girls are from different backgrounds. In some ways, it feels like one of the random kids’ movies from the 1990s. I have no idea if they still make them, but each one revolved around a group of kids living in a small town and having to deal with some mundane problem, such as being an underdog sports team or looking for buried treasure.
Our characters get lost in the woods and stumble upon a creepy old cabin, so, of course, they explore it and decide to make it their hideout. You can find creepy abandoned hunting cabins all over the place in the Upper Peninsula.
Out of nowhere, the game turns into The Craft, what with the girls putting a curse on people. There is also some stuff about cryptids and supernatural stuff. It is a very fun story that reminds me of growing up in Michigan.
Every time you advance the plot, the game flashes back to the girls as adults. They meet in a bar to discuss a creepy package that one of them received. Why don’t they simply open it? Well, if they did, then the game would be tragically short.
I kept thinking about which one of these characters I would’ve been. If one of them turns out to be a loser, then I guess that will be me. I don’t really see any of my friends in this little group of people.
I like the story in this game. There’s a lot going on, and I’m not sure how to explain it all. I think the developers did a good job of capturing parts of Michigan with this story. There are some subtle things that I really liked.
Gameplay
Like other modern adventure games, the gameplay is fairly simple. There are a lot of cutscenes and parts of the game where you wander through the woods. It is an easy game to play. Occasionally, you have to solve a puzzle or film something with a camera.
This second part is the game’s coolest mechanic. I like how they encourage you to film everything around you, but there are times when I wish I had been prompted to start recording. It is worked into the game quite well, and you’re given an indication of how many things you need to or can record at any given time.
A few of the puzzles are a little tricky, especially if you missed what was said at the beginning of something. There are a few ways to solve each puzzle. You need to explore the area to figure out how to get through these sections, which can be a little difficult as the girls will keep telling you to hurry up.
It is an easy game to get through, and many of the solutions to the puzzles can be found online. The developers want the player to focus on the story and film things. For a modern adventure game, it is well done.
A lot of what you do in both parts of the game is select dialogue options. Some are time sensitive, and others pop up if you let the conversation go on. It’s a cool mechanic, and something I enjoyed.
I do like these types of games. They’re set up for the player to succeed and focus on telling the story the developers are trying to convey. There is also an episodic element to the game that I enjoy.
Visuals
This game has some beautiful visuals. When the game shows off the scenery in the forest, that is when things look spectacular. It bears a resemblance to the forests in Michigan.
The game handles the transitions from whimsical to creepy very well. Usually, things get scary when a character is alone in the woods at night. When the girls are together, there is a sense of safety, even at nighttime. It is a nice touch that took me some time to pick up on.
I like how they capture the little moments with each of the characters. The flashbacks are great, and I think they did a good job of showing how creepy it can be to be in the woods.
It is easy to see what you can click on in this. You have a lot of freedom to explore and find what you need to advance the plot. I never felt like the graphics got in the way of playing the game.
8.5/10. This was a fun adventure game. Given that the game is set in Michigan, I have a lot to say about it that has nothing to do with the game itself. The gameplay is fun, the graphics are beautiful, and the story is great.
Pros
- Beautiful Graphics
- Wonderful Story
- Great Characters
Cons
- There isn’t much gameplay
- Some people might be uncomfortable with the story
Conclusion
A couple of things about the setting of this game. It’s very cool that it takes place in Michigan, and I’m glad it never references Pasties. For those that don’t know, a Pastie is a meat pie that tourists buy in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Sadly, there are no references to Superman ice cream, olive burgers, or Little Caesars Pizza. Most of these are deep cuts, and don’t take them all that seriously. I just found it a little odd that they brought up the word Yooper, and didn’t go all the way with it.
The ending is quite the gut punch. I’m not going to get into it, but it made me tear up as I went through it. It is a very effective way of telling a story. One thing I will spoil is that we didn’t learn what happened to Dylan, which I thought was a shame.
Lost Records left me wanting more. I don’t mean this as a bad thing. I wish there were more to this game, but that gives me another reason to play this game again.
If you liked this post, please check out my other posts on A Short Hike or Road 96.
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