Dakota's DON'T NOD Side Blog

Dakota Wren's (@dk-wren) side blog dedicated to their love for DON'T NOD and all the games they have developed & produced (why am I referring to myself in 3rd person?)

[dakotalovesdontnod]

May I present to you, the worlds and characters of DON'T NOD

I love these characters and these stories so much! 🥺 (As if that wasn't already clear)

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Release Date Announced

Yesterday, DON'T NOD announced the release dates for their upcoming game, Lost Records. Tape 1 (titled Bloom) will release on February 18, 2025, and Tape 2 (titled Rage) will release the following month, on March 18, 2025.

With this announcement, DON'T NOD also released a new trailer. (Just gonna put the warning/advisory included at the beginning here too: "This content contains depictions of self-harm that may be distressing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised")

As stated in my announcement post, upon release, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Taken from the video's description, Lost Records "About the Game" states:

Embark on a new narrative journey by the creators of Life is Strange. Film your summer of 1995 and create memories of a lifetime with your new friends. 27 years later, confront the dark secrets that made you all promise to never speak again after that fateful summer.

.

.

.

After a planned delay, it's exciting to finally know the release date(s) for Lost Records. I'm also glad that part 1 and part 2 are coming out only a month apart. That feels like a good amount of time to allow people to play the first part, especially if they can't play day of, but to build enough anticipation for the second part.

In choosing to delay this game from fall 2024 to winter 2025, I'm curious to see if any changes or potential upgrades were made. I know that's not a lot of time, but maybe just enough to work out a few additional bugs. I remember seeing a statement when it was announced Lost Records would be delayed to allow Life is Strange: Double Exposure to have the spotlight. And I don't know, I think it's kinda cool if that's at least partially the case since Life is Strange was DON'T NOD's baby. I am eagerly counting down the days until Lost Records' release!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Releases Today!

Happy launch day for DON'T NOD and Focus Entertainment's Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden!

Marking the second collaboration between DON'T NOD and Focus Entertainment, follow Red Mac Raith and Antea Duarte, two Banishers who have vow to protect the living from lingering ghosts and specters.

From the game's page on DON'T NOD, here are some additional details about the game!

BOUND BY LOVE When Red met Antea, she was traveling through Europe to study and discover the roots of the Banishers’ art. She fell in love with a good man crumbling beneath guilt. She banished his ghosts, setting him free to recover himself. He fell for her as she taught him how to improve his understanding and perception of ghosts and specters. Having been haunted himself, he forswore killing the living and set out to become a Banisher.

STUCK BETWEEN TWO WORLDS As Banishers, you will solve haunting cases in a mystical, lore-rich world full of ancient secrets and lingering spirits – entities trapped in the liminal space between life and death. Their inability to progress to the next plane of existence is a consequence of past errors, choices, or tragic destinies. Investigate and uncover the truth behind the spirits’ malevolence.

YOUR CHOICES WILL CHANGE EVERYONE’S LIVES Explore beautiful yet eerie New Eden, meeting memorable characters. Tormented spirits and afflicted residents share common stories involving love, betrayal, suffering, and hidden depths that bind them together. You will face challenging choices which will impact your story and the fate of New Eden’s inhabitants—be they living or dead. Beware: they may not be willing to let their fate rest in your hands.

.

.

.

Sorry for my inactivity over the last few months. My schedule has been all over the place. I hope to jump into this game (and the others I have on my backlog) soon! I really enjoyed Vampyr so I can't wait to see what Banishers is all about!

Hope everyone is doing well and you are all taking care of yourself. And, welcome new followers! I appreciate you checking out this blog! I'm gonna do my best to get back on a regular posting schedule again!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

New Game Announcement

Last week at the 2023 Game Awards, DON'T NOD announced their newest game, introducing...Lost Records: Bloom & Rage!

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is currently scheduled for a late 2024 release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. From the game's official page on DON'T NOD, here is its synopsis:

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a brand-new story-driven journey through time from the creative minds behind Life is Strange. The magical summer of 1995 is one of self-discovery and forging unbreakable bonds for high school friends Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat. 27 years of no contact later, fate reunites them to confront the long-buried secret that made them promise to never speak again. 

Additionally, from DON'T NOD's Instagram account, it has been confirmed that this will be the first game to be produced by their Montreal studio. Sending the biggest congratulations and round of applause to the DON'T NOD Montreal team! 👏👏👏

Equally as exciting, it has also been teased that Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will be the first installment in this new series, simply titled Lost Records. No word yet though as to how many games are planned for this series or when the next installment will be released.

.

.

.

Based on the teaser, it seems like music will have some influence on the storyline, which always makes me excited. I'm a sucker for a good soundtrack, which if the Life is Strange series is anything to base my predictions on, I bet this game will have an amazing soundtrack too. But also, I love watching or playing through games where music becomes another language for some of the characters. That being said, "Records" may also refer to the VHS tapes that have been repeatedly alluded to through their capturing, or recording, of events.

The Life is Strange games are what introduced me to DON'T NOD and made me want to explore more of the games they had developed. So, with this new game/series being lead by the same creatives, I'm super excited to see what they have in store!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

DON’T NOD added this to their Instagram story today. Looks like we’re only hours away from a new game announcement!

Don’t know what exactly this game will be about, but I think it is a fair assumption that this logo corresponds to the new game.

With this emphasis on a VHS tape, I’m interested to see when this game will be set and what role these tapes will serve. Only time will tell though!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Game Tally

[Updated: November 1, 2023]

Been a while since I've posted one of these. I think it's long overdue given the number of games DON'T NOD has been announcing/releasing. So, without further ado, my familiarity or I guess experience with DON’T NOD’s games:

Watched Playthroughs of:

Life is Strange 2

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

Life is Strange

Tell Me Why

Twin Mirror

Played:

Life is Strange

Gerda: A Flame in Winter

Watching:

Remember Me

Jusant

Playing:

Vampyr

Life is Strange 2

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie

(Excitedly) Waiting For:

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Koira

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Jusant Releases Today

Happy launch day for DON'T NOD's latest game, Jusant!

Here is the game's official synopsis from its Steam page:

Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower’s past.

(for a more detailed breakdown of Jusant, check the game's official page or my announcement post)

.

.

.

Like I previously wrote, very curious to dive in and explore the world of this game. Seems like it'll be quite a calm and relaxing game, which on one hand would be cool to see DON'T NOD take on this type of game. But I feel since it is DON'T NOD, it's also likely there's gonna be a lot of story or world building that adds depth to the characters and maybe hints towards why this game's world is referred to as a "bygone civilization." Either way, can't wait to watch a playthrough of it since there are no current plans to release this game on Switch.

And for those who celebrate it, happy Halloween!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Concept Art for Life is Strange

To celebrate the 8th anniversary of Life is Strange ep. 5, Polarized, being released, and the 10th anniversary of the storm hitting Arcadia Bay in game, this month we take a look at concept art for:

Life is Strange

With concept art by Edouard Caplain, Fred Augis, Florent Auguy, Gary Jamroz-Palma, and Michel Koch

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Concept Art for Life is Strange 2

Welcome back to this concept art series!

In celebration of its first episode releasing 5 years ago today, and being the game that introduced me to DON'T NOD, this month we are going to look at the concept art for:

Life is Strange 2

With concept art by Edouard Caplain, Florent Auguy, Grégoire de Coatparquet and Margaux Wurtz

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Music Appreciation for Jakob Støvring Hansen - Part 2!

While I have still yet to find the full soundtrack online, here is a wonderful loop of the main menu theme from Gerda: A Flame in Winter (courtesy of Ambient Game Sound on YouTube).

It does a fantastic job of setting the mood of the story, and while it's a little hard for me to describe, I feel it really suits the snowy/winter landscape of the game.

Also, with it being back-to-school time (or approximately around that time), I've enjoyed playing this music in the background while I study. I hope you may also find this music helpful as you study hard or when in need of some nice, chill background noise.

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Teaser Logos for 14th Anniversary

Last year, DON'T NOD celebrated its 14th anniversary by introducing a new logo and announcing they will now simply be referred to as DON'T NOD. In the brief, 20 second video, DON'T NOD revealed their new logo as stylized to match the worlds/environments of 7 of their upcoming games. With several game announcements this year (and 2 having been released since this video's publishing), I thought it would be fun to look at/hypothesize which logo belongs to which game.

For the two games' that have already been released, we have Harmony: The Fall of Reverie and Gerda: A Flame in Winter:

As for the game's that have been announced, but not released, my guess is we have Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden and Jusant:

The remaining three images I am not too sure if the corresponding game has been announced yet (please let me know though if I am wrong or forgetting an upcoming game!):

Koira was recently announced, but based on their reveal trailer, I don't really feel any of these three logos match. So that means there are still three games in development at DON'T NOD that have yet to be announced! And I for one am looking forward to the day they are announced since the backgrounds (specifically the last two) already have me intrigued.

(Perhaps I will make a part 2 after all the games and their logos have been released? Who knows!)

[dakotalovesdontnod]

New Game Announcement!

Announced this morning, published by DON'T NOD and developed by Studio TOLIMA, introducing...Koira!

Koira is expected to release in 2025 and will be Studio TOLIMA's first project (how exciting!). From the game's official page on DON'T NOD, here is the synopsis:

"You wake far from the heart of the forest – from home. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of a puppy’s bark echoes through the trees. It sounds like it needs help. You get to your feet… Koira is a heartwarming tale where you befriend and protect your new puppy from danger. Traverse a musical forest, solve ancient puzzles, meet woodland creatures, and try to find your way home. Discover your untapped powers and learn the true value of friendship"

And from Studio TOLIMA's official page, the following FEATURES are listed:

"Befriend a little puppy.

Immerse yourself in an atmospheric and musical world.

No text or dialog.

Minimalistic and hand drawn graphics.

Emotional and wholesome story.

2D top-down adventure."

As of right now, Koira has been announced for Steam, with additional systems TBA.

Like I wrote on my announcement post for Jusant, I'm loving all the different animation styles DON'T NOD has been exploring in their recent games! The fairly monochrome color palette for the environment also draws my attention since it helps to support the forest setting, specifically the dangers hidden within it, and the pops of color seem like they will really help to emphasize or frame certain objects.

Very excited for this game and what Studio TOLIMA will create in the future!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Concept Art for Remember Me

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of DON'T NOD's first game, this month we're gonna take a look at concept art for:

REMEMBER ME

With concept art by Aleksi Briclot, Paul Chadeisson, Gary Jamroz-Palma, Michel Koch, and Frederic Augis.

[dakotalovesdontnod]

New Game Announcement!

As one game releases, another is announced.

During last week's Xbox Games Showcase, DON'T NOD revealed their next project. Introducing...Jusant.

Jusant is scheduled to release in Fall 2023 on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Steam. Here is a synopsis I found on the game's Steam page:

"Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower’s past...Challenge yourself at your own pace, explore different paths, and unravel the secrets from a bygone civilization."

Experience Climbing Like Never Before "Master your climbing tools and watch your stamina meter to successfully navigate this mysterious and changing tower. As you go higher and hone your skills, you’ll have to figure out how best to use the tools at your disposal to get to where you want to go. Explore alternative paths to find clues about what happened here."

Relax and Bask in Nature "Play at your own pace. As you climb, you’ll come across breathtaking biomes full of flora and fauna, accompanied by a peaceful and atmospheric soundtrack. Brace yourself on arid, windy slopes, seek refuge in tunnels lit only by bioluminescence, and more."

Journey With a Companion Made of Water "Meet the mysterious Ballast. This creature will help guide you throughout your journey by waking nature along your path and helping to reveal clues that will help you piece together the tower’s past and reach the top."

I'm loving the different animation styles/environmental looks that DON'T NOD has been exploring in their recent games (i.e. Gerda: A Flame in Winter and Harmony: The Fall of Reverie). I've kinda always associated DON'T NOD with a very hyper-realistic animation style, so to see these other styles being utilized has been exciting.

Not too sure what to expect since it seems like a chill game, but also, in my head, it's DON'T NOD so I'm betting there's gonna be a strong storyline throughout this game. Could be wrong, but I definitely feel there's more than meets the eye to this game. Can't wait to learn more about it!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie Releases Today!

Happy launch day for DON'T NOD's Harmony: The Fall of Reverie!

Adding on to the previously released synopsis, here is some more info about the game's mechanics, characters, and setting:

"DECIDE YOUR DESTINY 

As Polly, or Harmony, each action you take will affect both worlds and send you down sprawling narrative paths. See into the future and explore the consequences of possible choices in the Augural, a game board and visual representation of Polly's gift of foresight.

In pursuing whichever destiny you desire, you’ll also bond with and obtain crystals from the Aspirations. These will unlock different paths at important crossroads that will change how the thread of the story unravels, and ultimately the fate of humanity.

FIND THE NEW HEART OF HUMANITY 

Whichever Aspiration comes to lead Reverie, with Harmony’s help, will also become the heart of humanity. Their personality and style of rule will change Reverie while also giving the people of our world a new direction too: when the link between worlds is stronger, Reverie has a bigger influence on the state of our world. 

Glory, Bliss, Power, Chaos, Bond, and Truth are all wildly different entities with their own distinct personalities, goals, and opinions on how to make things better. You’ll get to know each of them as visit Reverie in your dreams as Harmony, but only you know best – as Polly – what your world needs.    

A COLORFUL WORLD  

As you play, revel in artistic direction that is bright, vibrant, and futuristic. Immerse yourself in the daily life of a Mediterranean city and get to know its people, with a cast of characters who are fully voiced and animated. Enjoy an enchanting soundtrack by award-winning composer, Lena Raine." (Taken from Nintendo eShop page)

.

.

.

School/work has been keeping me busy, so haven't had too much time to look at all the teasers DON'T NOD has been posting. Hope to start playing soon, but honestly, a little excited to go into this game mostly blind. Like I've said before, the visuals alone got me excited. Happy gaming!

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Liva's Story DLC Launches Today

After posting a few teasers over the weekend, DON'T NOD and PortaPlay announced a new story DLC for Gerda: A Flame in Winter.

In this new DLC, play through the storyline of Gerda: A Flame in Winter, this time as Liva, leader of a small Resistance group.

Here is the official synopsis from Steam and the Nintendo eShop:

Become the leader your team needs you to be in Liva’s Story. Play as Liva – the Sparrow – after she and her small group of Resistance members are forced to flee Copenhagen and retreat to the small village of Tinglev.   Desperate and downtrodden, the mission remains: regroup, patch up your wounds, and hit the German army again using sabotage, infiltration, spying, and even assassination. Opposite to Gerda’s empathic approach, Liva is not afraid of using violence and often struggles to tell revenge from justice. You will have to carefully balance her fury towards the enemy, duty towards her mission and country, and care for her teammates.  A good leader is a good listener: your small team of 4 have different opinions and attitudes. They will challenge you as well as seek guidance and support as they risk certain death for Denmark. Will you become the leader your team needs?

DON'T NOD's instagram account also published a short announcement trailer, and one thing that I loved was how they framed Gerda and Liva as fighting the Occupation and this war through their own means. War is messy and unpredictable, so I like how this game is now allowing players to follow each of their stories and show all the ways a war can be fought.

If you do not already own Gerda: A Flame in Winter, the main game and Liva's Story can be bought together through the Modstand Bundle. If you already own Gerda: A Flame in Winter though, from what I could gather, the DLC can be added on both Steam and the eShop for $5.99.

[dakotalovesdontnod]

Concept Art for Vampyr

Welcome to a new series where I will share some of the amazing concept art for DON'T NOD's games. Absolutely in love with the different art styles I've seen throughout the concept art I've looked at and seeing the environments and characters in a style that may not reflect the one used in game.

I don't plan on posting chronologically (in terms of game release dates). So for this first entry, since supposedly it was recently "halfway to Halloween"...

First up: Vampyr

With concept art by Gary Jamroz-Palma, Gabriel Lemaire, Florent Auguy and Adrian Meribault.