REVIEW: ‘Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2’ Isn’t Perfect, But Its Powerful

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 (Lost Records Tape 2) from Don’t Nod picks up in the aftermath of Bloom and Rage’s ill-fated concert. With life falling apart for Swann, Kat, Nora, and Autumn, they must come together to face the adversity that threatens to tear them apart before the summer ends.

There is a common pursuit of perfection in video games. Whether it’s a flawless victory in a fighting game or the perfect ending in a choice-driven narrative adventure, we are often conditioned to seek perfection in our favorite digital pastime. I’m fairly confident I didn’t attain that in Don’t Nod’s latest creation. And I think that’s for the best.

If there is a “perfect” ending to Lost Records Tape 2, one where everyone ends up together and it’s nothing but smiles, I’m happy I didn’t manage to achieve it. The art crafted by Don’t Nod here is powerful and hard-hitting because, despite its supernatural elements, it feels real. And if there is one thing we can all agree on, life is never perfect. Our stories can have happy endings; I would call this one a happy ending, even though it wasn’t what I would have crafted for Swann and her friends. But honestly, that makes it better.

As the narrative plays out, it focuses on Swann as she struggles to keep her friends together after the revelations about Kat’s condition and the concert’s repercussions leave them all hurt and confused. The dynamics of Swann’s interactions change noticeably not only due to the story’s shifted tone but also because of their nature.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 makes its encounters more personal.

Virtually all of Tape 1’s interactions were in the group. The four girls’ personalities played off each other. For the majority of Lost Records Tape 2, this isn’t the case. Encounters with Nora, Autumn, and Kate are far more private in this tape. With no one else to interject or distract, we get to see who these characters are without the pressure of a group bearing on them. Some moments brought acceptance, support, and love, while others brought only pain.

The vast majority of the time, these moments deliver hit after emotional hit. As it delves into complicated feelings of fear, anger, loss, and death, Don’t Nod’s writing doesn’t shy away from confronting hard truths about how we cope with such emotions. Kat’s perspective on those around her, her rage against the ways people treat her due to her illness, and the way she chooses to express her feelings while there is still time, smacks you with all the force you could ask for.

This powerful exploration of Kat’s life and its impact on her and those around her comes at a cost. Side elements that feel like they deserve more exploration never get it due to the game’s singular focus. Perhaps the most prevalent of these is the uncomfortable relationship between Dylan and Cory.

Cory’s antagonistic nature grows throughout Lost Records Tape 2. Presented as an angry jerk in the opening half of the narrative, the situation quickly escalates. He barely ever speaks to Dylan without yelling at her or putting her down. By the end of the game, we learn the core reason why Dylan chose Cory, but it’s a far too brief moment. Also, while we learn why, we never get closure for Dylan. Her situation changes, but not as a result of any action she takes. It’s unfulfilling. I desperately wanted Dylan to have some moment where she made a hard choice, but it never came.

The present-day storyline doesn’t always align perfectly with the past.

The other major crack in the game’s narrative is how events are introduced into the present-day storyline. Just like in Tape 1, as discoveries are made, the characters in the present react to them, diving into the ramifications of these memories. Most of this exploration unfolds well, but a couple of them feel lackluster, given the events of the past. This is made all the more glaring since the biggest hiccup with this concerns my chosen love interest for Swann.

As the story delved deeper into the hardships of its narrative, my Swann searched for solace from one of her friends. From the get-go, she seemed like the type of personality that would attract Swann, and how Don’t Nod let their romance play out felt perfectly paced. However, how the moments are discussed in the present doesn’t do the memories justice, leaving the plotline feeling underdeveloped.

The unflinching writing, particularly in terms of insults and slurs, is another clear choice that the devs made in this game, which hits far harder than I was prepared for. As a child of the 80s and 90s, a lot of the language felt all too familiar. Having been on both the receiving end and, unfortunately, the giving end in the past, the casual use of many hurtful comments and terms hit hard.

The gameplay that runs through Lost Records Tape 2 is solid in design, but can be frustrating due to its timing. Narrative games like this can struggle to maintain an important plot point by requiring the player to wander around, scan the environment, and look for interactive items or clues to solve a puzzle. These moments of interactivity often do more to harm the narrative than help it. When and where puzzles and other elements that may hold players up need to be set up with care, especially when a game is so deeply built around its narrative.

Outside of the timing issues, Lost Records Tape 2 demonstrates a strong level of cleverness in its design of the interactive elements of the game. Its willingness to utilize entire locations when creating interactive moments makes the world feel complete. This is best illustrated when coming up with comments in discussions requires Swann to scan the room for inspiration on what to say.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 has phenomenal visuals.

The one area of Lost Records Tape 2 that deserves nothing but praise is the visuals. It’s hard to pick a starting point when discussing the game’s remarkable success in presenting its world. The character models are gorgeous. Not only are they that, but the commitment to having each of its characters look like real people is fantastic. The authenticity doesn’t stop at the design either, but also extends to their movements.

Inelegant dancing, clumsy first kisses, and awkward running animations all help to immerse the narrative in a sense of reality. These necessary imperfections do so much to elevate everything about the characters in such a way that it makes you wish more games allowed their casts to be less idealized.

Presenting all these elements is a fantastic sense of cinematography and lighting. Don’t Nod’s lighting team always creates the exact mood a scene requires. During moments when the camera isn’t fixed over Swann’s shoulder, the angles and shots it takes showcase exactly what it should. Pure Cinema.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2: Rage delivers a ton of power in its exploration of fear, death, and friendship. It doesn’t always bring its elements together smoothly, but when it does, it delivers a summer that you will never forget.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 is available now on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5.

Tape 1 Review