Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 | PS5 Review

I’m a ‘90s baby, but this era is rarely represented in gaming. We usually see prior eras depicted, which is all well and good, but what about the nostalgia for those of us who grew up in the best decade (purely biased opinion here)? DON’T NOD decided to cover us with Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. I’m already a massive fan of the developer’s work, and this latest entry made me fall even more in love with them. Not just because of the ‘90s rep. Tape 1 of this two-part experience blew my mind, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the experience in April 2025.

Looking Back in Time

You play as Swann (yes, with two N’s), a young woman growing up in the ‘90s. It’s currently 1995, and she’s preparing to move to Vancouver. After taking a break from packing, she goes to drop off a VHS at the local video store. There, she meets three girls who will become her three best friends. Autumn, Nora, and Kat are all so different from each other, but they bond with Swann and all fit together in a natural way with their contrasting personalities. They soon form a band that they name Bloom & Rage, and Swann is assigned to both “play” drums (really just pressing presets on a keyboard) and tape their rehearsals. Swann is an aspiring videographer, and this makes up a large part of the gameplay of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. 

Punk Rock

Filming is as simple as pressing R1 and then using L2 and R2 to zoom in or out, if you’re so inclined. You can film multiple takes and edit the clips, which is a neat touch. You can truly make the video memoir of your dreams in this game, and it’s a clever touch. The rest of the gameplay is familiar to DON’T NOD’s usual standards. You’ll walk around the environment and examine certain items, make dialogue choices, and watch how your decisions cause the story to branch off. This game feels more open than their previous games, though. There are optional side activities to complete, environments are slightly more open, and you’ll occasionally have to solve a puzzle or interact with your surroundings in unexpected ways. There’s also a supernatural touch that is broached in Tape 1, which I’m anxiously waiting to learn more about in Tape 2.

Present Day Challenges

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage doesn’t just take place in the ‘90s, though. It’s also set twenty seven years later in 2022, where you and your friends meet back up for the first time since Swann moved. You reminisce about your past escapades, but the friend group is also frightened by a mysterious package they received addressed to their old band. Who is behind this? Why is it addressed to Bloom & Rage? It’s a delicious mystery, and I adored seeing the women grown up now and experiencing their interactions with each other after so much time has passed.

The present day is set in one certain location so far, but it plays an important part in their story. You’ll have to dive into the game if you want to learn more.

You Look Awesome!

Now to mention Lost Records: Bloom & Rage’s graphics and sound design. The visuals are stunning and pop with bright colors in the past and more muted tones in the present day. I found myself gawking at the beautiful environments of 1995, especially. The sound design is excellent, with a soundtrack that pairs perfectly with what’s occurring in the game. The voice acting is also top-notch, with emotions and personalities expertly conveyed by each actor.

My only gripes I had with this game came from the graphical and sound departments, though. There was occasional texture pop-in, particularly in the present day segments. Also, occasionally the mouth movements of the characters wouldn’t match up with the dialogue being spoken. These are very minor and don’t detract from the game at all, but they were something that I caught.

The Final Verdict

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is another winner from DON’T NOD. Tape 1 was fantastic, and I’m eagerly awaiting Tape 2. The dual timelines, unique gameplay featuring videography, supernatural touches, and more open experience had me hooked. I adored each of the four girls, and I was fascinated by how much my decisions affected my relationships with each. This is a must-play, even if you haven’t been an avid player of the developers previous games.

To hear me talk more about Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, be sure to listen to the February 20, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:16:43 time stamp.

This review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam.