Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

this is the game i desperately needed when i was younger. the representation of queer alt girlhood genuinely meant a lot to me. i can count on my fingers the number of games that truly feel like they are made by and for women and girls, not just centered around male players or checking demographic boxes- and this is one of them. beyond that, the art direction was incredible. i kept taking screenshots because every scene was just that visually stunning. everything from the character design to the camcorder mechanics felt so intentional. and don't even get me started on the soundtrack- it is an absolute 90s punk whimsigoth dream. 🎸🤘🩷 bloom & rage is something special! highly recommend.

Yes! Yes! Yes! A billion times yes! If DONTNOD keeps releasing these unique games - I'll always keep supporting them. Let's be real - Life is Strange has a complete story. It got wrapped up beautifully by chapter 5. That's it. Done. They milked Max and Chloe's udders dry. Why? The people they have working on these games are amazing in their craft. I always want to explore and check every little detail and environmental storytelling. They also manage to write female friendships really well. Especially here. Soundtrack is on point. There really isn't much to complain about. Maybe the tempo was a little too slow at times and you hardly have much to do other than press a button here and there. But if you want a relaxing vibe with a warm cup of tea on a rainy day then this is it. I want more of this. Big thumbs up.

This game is a deeply emotional narrative game that completely sucked me in. The story, characters, different personalities, and presentation all worked together to create something that felt very personal and impactful. I didn't do a lot of research on this one when I picked it up, it got recommended to me by a friend because of the music. It's not normally my go-to kind of game being that it's so dialogue heavy but I am SO GLAD I picked it up because I loved it. [u]What I Loved[/u] [list] [*] The story is beautifully written and had me emotionally invested in the characters and their relationships from the very beginning. Learning more about them felt meaningful and rewarding. I enjoyed the recap at the end of what my friend/relationship status with each of the girls was. [*] The soundtrack is fantastic. It perfectly complements the tone of the game and made so many scenes hit even harder. I'm a emo / pop punk / punk girlie at heart and the girls' playing punk music was such a vibe and fun callback to my teenaged years. Even the non-punk songs were beautiful and I immediately added the soundtrack to my Spotify playlist. [*] The cinematography and art direction are gorgeous. Every scene looks stunning and feels very intentional, almost like watching a film. Even when you're viewing things through a camera lens, everything is so beautifully rendered. I also loved the witchy vibes and sense of mystery throughout it all. [*] The diversity felt natural and perfect. Not only do you have the LGBTQ+ rep with the main character being able to build a teenaged romance with her friends, but each of the girls have different backgrounds or struggles and it didn't feel like the devs were just trying to check some demographic boxes to make that happen. [*] The ending scenes surprised me in the best ways. They made me angry, they made me cry, and they made me hopeful. A game that can pull on my heartstrings like that always amazes me. [*] I was so invested that I played through the game twice to unlock all the achievements. It was worth the extra time to see everything and try different choices. I also appreciated being able to replay just the scenes I missed collectibles in after finishing my playthroughs. I opted not to on the first playthrough, and then since I missed only a couple, finished those up after my second run. And even though I've completed all the achievements, I'll probably replay it again to see the other endings. [/list] [u] Minor Things [/u] [list] [*] On very rare occasions there were some graphical glitches. A couple of times I restarted the game because I thought something had broken (though some players have suggested a few might be intentional). [*] Sometimes, the game felt a bit too slow for me. I took breaks when that happened and it was fine, but on my second playthrough I did wish I had a "skip" button for scenes I had already seen (especially some of the more triggering ones). [*] There's an option to turn off the flashing lights (which gets pointed out at the start of Tape 2), but I couldn't figure out if there was a way to fix or turn off the flickering effect when video-taping the scenes where supernatural things were happening. These scenes were really rough on my eyes / head but I was appreciative that I could turn off the strobe effects. [/list] [u]Content Note[/u] Please check the Mature Content Description before playing, as the game deals with sensitive topics that may be triggering for some players. [u]Final Thoughts[/u] The nostalgia I got playing this game was unreal. I had a group of female friends like this in high school -- we were also kind of the outcasts -- and the game is set around the same time I was a teenager. A lot of the little details really brought me back to some fond (and also maybe not so fond) memories. The characters were so relatable for me and I only wish a game like this had existed when I was that age. If you don't mind slow, dialogue-heavy games, like 90s punk, and are ok with a story that might make you cry then I highly recommend this one! [table] [tr] [th]For more reviews and recommendations check out the [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45071674-Under-Starry-Skies/] Under Starry Skies [/url] curator page![/th][/tr][/table]

Que jogo lindo, com personagens cativantes e uma história memorável. E o que falar da trilha sonora... é tão boa que não sai da minha cabeça, especialmente essa belezura aqui: See you in hell You'll fit in well I'll be your queen and you'll be under my spell.

Not Recommended (So Far) – 10 Hours Played I really wanted to love this game. The marketing gave me the impression that it would lean heavily into a witchy, spooky, punk-rock atmosphere, and that combination sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, it hasn't quite delivered on those expectations. The biggest issue for me is the pacing. I'm currently on Tape 2 with around 10 hours played, and it often feels like I'm pushing myself to keep going rather than being excited to see what happens next. Long stretches of walking, recording clips, and listening to conversations make the game feel more like a walking simulator than an interactive narrative. The camera mechanic, in particular, starts to feel repetitive and more like filler than meaningful gameplay. The characters also haven't clicked with me. Instead of feeling like distinct individuals, many of them come across as familiar archetypes, making it difficult for me to become invested in their stories. Their dialogue often feels unnatural, and I never found myself connecting with the main character, whose personality simply didn't resonate with me. There are moments where the game hints at supernatural or creepy elements, but they're spread so far apart that the tension never really builds. By the time something interesting happens, I've usually spent so much time on slower sections that the payoff loses its impact. The punk music and aesthetic are definitely present and are probably my favorite part of the experience, but I wish the horror and occult themes played a much larger role. I can see that this game will appeal to players who enjoy slow-burn, dialogue-heavy experiences and character-driven storytelling. For me, though, the pacing and gameplay loop make it difficult to stay engaged. I'll still finish it in the hope that the later tapes improve, but so far it hasn't lived up to the expectations I had going in and i cant recommend this game based on the gameplay I've completed so far. I'm very disappointed as I'm a big fan of the developers previous games.

I rarely feel this deeply, almost eternally, about any piece of media... But the way this game left me feeling was overwhelming. I was only one year old during the time period when the girls were teenagers, but where I grew up and where I later moved, the trends and everything else arrived much later, so I could still relate to a lot of what you see in the game and just the overall feeling. I want a friendship like that! I want the '90s back. And... well, I am heterosexual, but sometimes some women in media, including this game and Chloe from LiS, just do it for me or what 😄🤷🏻‍♀️. I want to just stay in that world with the girls, listening to music and hanging out at the cabin. One afternoon I felt like I wanted to just curl up into a "Life is Strange" kinda world and was craving me some of that great music Don't Nod always includes in their games, and because of the current summer heat around here, it was perfect for immersion. I was transported back to the '90s... something I wish was possible in real life too. I feel more and more detached from how the world looks nowadays... but in Velvet Cove it's also summer, and you get to be a kid again, have your own "Stand by Me" friendships, something I never really or fully had, and experience your first love. All the serious themes of the game touched me on a different level... all in all - heartbreaking and beautiful. Btw, I picked up on Swann's little saying and now I randomly find myself shouting "Geez-o!" 😄 Even though at first I thought it was a little awkward, as you get to know Swann more, it makes sense. It's very her, and it's actually cute. The amount of choices and consequences is mind-blowing. I didn't think anything could outperform Life is Strange, but Don't Nod did it again (thanks devs, I have now the rare post game depression.✌🏼) I love the girls, I love the '90s, and I love the "Stand by Me" feeling. I think I fell in love with Kat, and I cannot stop thinking about her... "I'll find you." ❤️ #swannsong #seeyouinhellbitch

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a choices matter story game. It's set in the year 1995 and often switches to the present year 2022. As you play, you're able to get closer to the girls and uncover the past that they forgot. The story is good but it takes a few hours to get really interesting. In the first few hours you're just building the bond with the girls and getting to know them better. The gap in between saves is annoying, you can't manually save the game, and if you restart a checkpoint you can't skip the dialogue, you have to listen to everything all over again. The cam recorder feature is fun to use, and your choices actually matter! Overall the game is great, 9/10

beautiful story. amazing vibes, stunningly nostalgic visuals, and phenomenal choices of music. the female rage scenes also felt so satisfying. didn't regret a single coin spent on this one. i loved life is strange and have always been searching for something similar. i can say i've found one now.

Never before have I felt so out of place with a group of people the game keeps telling me are my best friends. Also the ending is pure nonsense. Just play life is strange.

Within two days, I finished this game. I enjoyed the pacing of tape one because it helped me resonate with the characters and understand each one individually. The game was an incredible experience, and I am excited to try different routes in the game because of how replayable it seems! To see such a raw teenage friend group portrayed in the game makes me incredibly happy, especially as someone who grew up with nerdy interests and who was part of multiple friend groups that were reminiscent of the main one in this game, especially after moving to a new district in high school. I am glad to find a game that I can see myself in so strongly, and I heavily recommend this game to anyone who enjoys deep connections between characters that you can heavily affect with your choices, and I certainly recommend playing this game without a guide to get the full experience.