Summer of 1995. High school is finally over. You’re in a garage with your three best friends, the smell of cheap gasoline and old carpet hanging in the air, trying to figure out how to be a person. This is the heart of Lost Records Bloom and Rage, the latest narrative adventure from Don’t Nod Montreal. If you’ve played Life is Strange, you know the vibe, but this feels different. It's crustier. It’s louder. It’s got that specific kind of 90s grime that most games try too hard to polish away.
Honestly, it’s about time.
We’ve seen plenty of "nostalgia" games, but this one isn't just a collection of neon colors and floppy disks. It’s about Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat. These aren't just archetypes; they're kids dealing with a weird supernatural discovery that fundamentally breaks their lives. Then, the game fast-forwards twenty-seven years. They haven't spoken since that summer. Why? That’s the hook. It’s a dual-timeline mystery that asks if you can ever really go home again, or if the "bloom" of youth is always destined to end in "rage."
The Lo-Fi Magic of Lost Records Bloom and Rage
Don’t Nod is doubling down on what they do best: environmental storytelling. You aren't just clicking on objects. You’re filming things. Swann, the protagonist, views the world through the lens of a camcorder. This isn't just a gimmick. It’s a mechanic that changes how you interact with the environment. If you want to remember something, you have to record it. You’re literally framing your own memories, which becomes a massive deal when the "present day" timeline kicks in and those memories start to conflict with reality.
The game uses a "dynamic dialogue system" that feels way more natural than the old-school "wait for the NPC to finish their sentence" style. You can interrupt. You can stay silent. You can look away while someone is talking. It makes the friendship between the four girls feel earned. They talk over each other. They have inside jokes you won't get at first. It’s messy.
I think we’re tired of perfect protagonists. Swann is awkward. She’s observant. She feels like someone who would actually own a camcorder in 1995 because she doesn't know how to talk to people without a piece of plastic between her and the world.
Why the 90s Setting Actually Matters
It’s easy to throw a flannel shirt on a character and call it a day. Lost Records Bloom and Rage goes deeper. The 90s represented a specific transition from analog to digital. It was the last era where you could truly go "missing" or have a secret that wasn't backed up to the cloud. The girls find something in the woods—something that shouldn't exist. In 2026, that would be on TikTok in five minutes. In 1995? It stays in the garage. It festers.
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The soundtrack is a huge part of this. It’s not just licensed tracks for the sake of it. The girls are in a band. They’re creating. There’s a raw, DIY energy to the music that mirrors the gameplay. You feel the stakes because the game spends so much time letting you just be with these characters. You’re not just solving a mystery; you’re living through the best and worst months of these girls' lives.
Comparing the Two Timelines
The structure is the most ambitious thing Don’t Nod has ever tried. You’re jumping between 1995 and 2022. This creates a weird sense of dramatic irony. You might make a promise in the 90s while knowing, as the player, that these women haven't spoken in decades. It’s heartbreaking.
In the 1995 segments, everything is saturated, warm, and handheld. It feels like a memory. The 2022 segments are colder. More static. The contrast is jarring, and it’s meant to be. It reflects the trauma of whatever happened in that "lost" summer.
- 1995: Discovery, punk rock, first loves, and a camcorder.
- 2022: Regret, secrets, and the reality of adulthood.
The mystery isn't just about the supernatural "thing" they found. It’s about the breakdown of a sisterhood. Why did they swear never to speak again? Most games would make it a simple "someone died" trope, but Lost Records Bloom and Rage seems interested in something more complex. It's about the anger—the rage—that comes when you realize the people you loved most were the ones who could hurt you the deepest.
The Impact of Choice in a Dual Narrative
Choices in these games usually follow a "Butterfly Effect" logic. Here, it’s more about characterization. Your choices in the past dictate who Swann becomes in the future. If you’re aggressive in 1995, does that lead to a bitter 2022 Swann? If you’re the peacemaker, do you end up being the one who carries the burden of everyone else's secrets?
The developers have been pretty vocal about the fact that they wanted to move away from binary "Good vs. Evil" choices. Life isn't like that. Friendship isn't like that. Sometimes the "right" choice still leads to a falling out. That’s the reality the game is trying to capture.
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Realism Over Polish
One thing you’ll notice immediately is the art style. It’s stylized, sure, but the textures are gritty. There’s dirt under fingernails. There’s peeling wallpaper. This isn't a sanitized version of the 90s. It’s the version where the VCR eats your tapes and your parents are always in the next room, just out of earshot but always a threat to the vibe.
The game handles heavy themes—identity, abandonment, the supernatural—without being preachy. It lets the player sit in the discomfort. When the girls are arguing in the garage, it feels claustrophobic. You want them to make up, but you also understand why they won't. It’s that nuance that makes Lost Records Bloom and Rage stand out in a crowded market of narrative indies.
Essential Strategies for Your First Playthrough
If you’re planning to dive into the world of Velvet Cove, don't rush. This isn't a game you speedrun. The "lost" part of the title is a hint. You’re supposed to get lost in the details.
Watch the footage. When you're playing as Swann in 1995, take the time to actually look through your camera. Don't just point it at the objective. Look at the background. Look at your friends when they think you aren't watching. The game rewards observant players with extra dialogue and context that you’ll miss if you’re just running to the next waypoint.
Pay attention to the background noise. The sound design in this game is incredible. There are clues hidden in overheard conversations and radio broadcasts. It builds a world that feels much bigger than just the four main characters.
Be honest with the dialogue. It’s tempting to try and make everyone like you. In a Don’t Nod game, that usually backfires. Lean into the "rage" part of the title. If a character is being a jerk, call them out. The most interesting story paths often come from conflict, not harmony.
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Document everything. Since the camcorder is your primary tool, treat it like a diary. The way you frame shots actually influences Swann’s internal monologue. It’s a subtle bit of role-playing that most people overlook.
The Legacy of Narrative Adventure
We’ve come a long way since the early days of point-and-click. Lost Records Bloom and Rage represents the next evolution. It’s less about "solving" the story and more about experiencing the weight of it. The supernatural elements are the catalyst, but the human reaction is the real story.
It’s about that specific moment in your late teens when you realize your parents are just people, your town is too small, and your friends are the only thing keeping you sane. And then, it’s about the crushing reality of being forty and wondering where all that fire went.
There's no "perfect" ending here. There’s only the version of the story you choose to tell yourself.
To get the most out of the experience, keep a close eye on the transitions between timelines. Often, an object you find in 2022 will have a direct correlation to a scene you just played in 1995. This isn't just set dressing; it’s a narrative bridge. Understanding these connections is the key to uncovering what actually happened in the woods of Velvet Cove. Don't be afraid to restart a chapter if you feel like you missed a pivotal emotional beat—the game is designed for multiple perspectives.