Lost Records: Rage & Bloom – Tape 1: Game Review

From the creators of the original Life is Strange and its direct sequel, Don’t Nod delivers a truly memorable supernatural mystery in Lost Records: Rage & Bloom – Tape 1. It’s a game full of emotional nuance, warmth, and the kind of character-driven storytelling that made their earlier titles so impactful.

Playing across two different timelines, the gameplay and tone take on distinct personalities. In 1995, the colours are warmer, everything’s steeped in a haze of ’90s nostalgia—from mixtapes and VHS camcorders to the thrill of a teenage summer spent chasing identity. The 2022 sequences, by contrast, have a darker, almost gothic atmosphere. There’s a tension in every interaction, a weight to every memory. Your choices in both past and present ripple across the narrative in ways that feel meaningful.

I described this to a friend as The Goonies meets Twin Peaks. It’s got that intimate small-town atmosphere—Velvet Cove, Michigan, is full of secrets—and a strong focus on friendship, grief, and personal history. It’s also got that slightly strange, eerie undercurrent where the supernatural bleeds into the everyday, but never overwhelms the very human core of the story.

You play as Swann—an aspiring filmmaker in the past and budding author in the future—during a life-changing summer in Velvet Cove. She forms a deep friendship with Nora, Autumn, and Kat through their riot grrrl band, sharing dreams, fears, and moments that feel formative. But something mysterious happens, something that shatters their trust and leads them to make a pact of silence. As adults, only three of the women return to Velvet Cove, and the secrets they swore to bury begin to creep back into the light.

As with every Don’t Nod game, your decisions carry weight. Every action, choice, and bit of dialogue shapes how the story unfolds—who Swann becomes in 2022, how her friendships evolve or falter, and even whether romantic connections form or fade. What impressed me most was how grounded and believable the choices felt; they never screamed “This will change everything!”—but the emotional payoff hits hard when things do change.

What I loved about the dual timelines was how different they felt in how you engage with the world. In the ’90s, you play in third person, giving you room to explore and even record events using a camcorder—a clever mechanic that adds a bittersweet layer of reflection. It’s like keeping a visual diary, giving you fragments to piece together as the story deepens.

Meanwhile, the 2022 segments are played in first person, which makes the whole experience feel more intimate, and sometimes unnervingly close. You’re forced to notice who’s in the room, where your attention is drawn, or what you might have missed. That immersive perspective made me second-guess myself often—Should I have said something? Was that the wrong choice? Did I really listen closely enough? It adds a psychological edge that works really well.

The voice acting deserves a special mention—it’s absolutely top-tier. Olivia Lepore gives Swann a beautifully layered performance, making both her teenage vulnerability and adult resolve feel authentic and deeply connected. Andrea Carter, Amelia Sargisson, and Natalie Liconti shine as Autumn, Nora, and Kat. Each of them brings emotional nuance and natural chemistry, making their friendship feel lived-in. Every scene between them feels raw and honest, whether they’re laughing about the past or trying to survive the awkward tension of the present.

I played Tape 1 on PlayStation 5, and it was a smooth, polished experience. The game’s visuals are gorgeous—rich lighting, atmospheric environments, and beautifully expressive character models—and the audio design is especially strong. The mix of ambient sounds, low-key score, and subtle voice direction keeps you anchored in every scene.

I’ve only played the first episode, and I’ve yet to start the second, but I’m fully drawn in. The writing, the performances, and the pacing all build toward something that feels both personal and mysterious. You can tell this is a story that’s been crafted with care. I already feel invested in these characters’ past and present, and I’m desperate to know what exactly happened that summer—and what it’s still doing to them now.

Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5/5)