I literally can not shut up about Lost Records: Bloom and Rage
I need to talk about everything I love about this game because I can’t stop thinking about it, just absolutely CONSUMING my mind. It has become my favorite game I’ve ever played, because it improves on everything I loved about the original Life is Strange. It is. THE GGOAT (Gayest Game of All Time)
Story and Queer Female Protagonists
The story and mystery immediately drew me in; An idyllic summer, tinged with something much darker lurking out of sight. You don’t need to have 90s Nostalgia specifically to appreciate looking back at your childhood memories as an adult. It’s a story about perseverance, friendship, memories, grief, joy, the past, and love. Most importantly to me, this game has FOUR female protagonists! (There are literally only two men in the whole game and neither of them are romanceable options. Huge win for women.) The Bloom & Rage girls all have incredibly compelling and different personalities that feel realistic, have great chemistry, and work well together. It focuses on girlhood friendships and queer experiences in a way that no other game has ever done, with sensitive, nuanced, and accurate representations. The thrill and fear associated with making new friends and connections, escaping the loneliness of being an outcast in a conservative town, gaining the confidence to be yourself, are themes that are so powerful narratively. I love that the characters are allowed to be cringe, because being a teen is inherently cringe! (/positive)
I love the big focus on the small group of main characters instead of getting distracted with a big cast. Swann is relatable, awkward, nerdy, and charming, still trying to find herself. As a character, she enjoys taking her time to observe her surroundings, spending time on her thoughts and introspections, which serves the style of gameplay perfectly.
It is the Most emotionally impactful game I have played since Life is Strange in 2015 (10 years ago!!!) with an incredibly heartfelt and powerful narrative experience. There are also so many different ways the story and themes can be interpreted, because the messages are so complex and layered.
(All of this is so important to me because I can’t remember seeing any queer representation to this extent as I was growing up. Thinking back, I don’t remember seeing any queer-coded media until I was in HIGH SCHOOL. Like?
Steve Universe…premiered in 2013
Adventure Time Bubbline…hinted in 2011, cannon in 2018)
The whole game is full of stunning visuals- atmospheric lighting, cinematic shots and framing, and detailed areas with tons of things to explore and interact with. The player is rewarded for exploring and introspection. There are so many objects to pick up, rotate, examine, and reminisce on. Even the sound design adds so much weight and immersion to these interactions. Everything is beautiful and a delight to look at and examine.
The Memoir Mechanic gives players so much freedom and opportunity to make their experience their own. There are not single places or instances, all collectibles can be found in various areas and circumstances, allowing for a huge amount of player creativity. You’re not relegated to a single photo of the same angle, but are allowed to film as you please! Different angles, zooms, editing clips, etc. making each player’s experience unique. I also love how the player’s personal clips are incorporated into the playthrough’s cutscenes; It makes it feel much more personalized, impactful, and real.
The main characters have different body types and builds represented, with realistic skin texture and acne for teenagers. It is so refreshing to see characters who are allowed to be imperfect. There are beautiful details on eyes/eyelashes and clothing. I see myself in these characters, relishing that their imperfections are celebrated.
The dialogue feels realistic, immersive, and real, with the flow of natural conversation. Cringey slang and awkward moments only make the characters feel more believable. Some people seem to find the game too slow paced, but I think this pacing is essential in order to really draw you in and connect with the characters and their story. The slow building tension makes the second half of the game that much more impactful.
Dialogue System and Relationships
The way your relationships develop are SO cool and complicated. The player is often rewarded for waiting to respond, allowing characters to speak or for the situation to develop, or can even be rewarded for staying silent. Even more dialogue options are unlocked based on relationship strength or previous interactions- it builds on each other!!! The timed choices really mimic the difficulties of real life conversation and relationships. The gameplay is reading emotions, reading the room, making meaningful connections. All of the relationships are so nuanced, layered, complex, and the game has so many little variations in how interactions play out based on your relationship status.
I also love that you are able to have deep, intimate interactions and flirt with all three girls. Swann’s connections with them feel so natural, and you don’t get locked out of following any romance paths- there is no drama or jealousy between the girls. Truly a gift to my big gay polyamorous heart.
The gameplay choices and strength of your friendships and relationships drastically alter how the characters act and how elements of the story unfold; The amount of variables and variations in the ending scenes are INSANE and I’m fascinated to know which choices and factors determine those outcomes. The whole game is much more advanced and nuanced than original Life Is Strange strict Bay/Bae endings. Major choices are not highlighted as a freeze-frame moment, but are hidden naturally within your journey. Like real life, you ever know which actions will truly enact the biggest consequences.
Here’s an interview quote regarding these story branches:
"We are working with some ways and elements in the storytelling that will allow us to still go back to games even if there are different branches," Koch teased. "It's a balance to find because of course, we cannot make one game that has X number of endings, then the next game you have to start with X different starting points. We have to find ways to come back to common links because we cannot make an infinity of branches. But we know we have ways with the storytelling to make that happen that will still feel very powerful for the players”
I love that they are already thinking about how they could continue the series!!!
Anyways in short this game has ruined me, fundamentally changed me, and refilled my heart and soul. It is beautiful and touching and so personal to me. I love the girls like they were my own best friends. Please play it, I am BEGGING you.
I might put more spoiler-y ramblings in a separate post!
Disclaimers- I don’t play a lot of games. I definitely don’t write about or review video games. My writing might not be the best or have the most original thoughts but i NEED TO GET THEM OUT SOMEWHERE. I only return to Tumblr when the hyperfixation is STRONG.
POSTS I LOVE THAT INSPIRED ME:
https://www.tumblr.com/sapphicteaparty/781888540282896384/the-most-inspired-writing-decision-dont-nod-made
https://www.tumblr.com/curiouslystrongmintsblog/781386305219231744/even-without-all-the-theories-about-the-abyss-and
https://www.tumblr.com/actuallysaiyan/781359415237509120/im-still-thinking-about-my-babies-and-its-almost
https://www.tumblr.com/sydmarch/781223302664454144/imo-romance-with-kat-makes-the-most-sense
https://www.tumblr.com/thealexchen/781171980218122240/i-was-so-surprised-to-learn-that-the-dance-scene
https://www.tumblr.com/thealexchen/781126027052285952/on-sapphic-rep-in-lost-records-bloom-rage
https://www.tumblr.com/bulletbilltime/779141779779928064/the-idea-that-people-will-take-the-cringy-lyrics
https://www.tumblr.com/moonyaugust/781674115034710016/replaying-bloom-and-rage-and-the-way-each-of-the
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