Lost Records Tape 2: Rage

I’ve never been in this position before of reviewing a second part of a game that I’ve already reviewed, and I had conflicting feelings coming into my playthrough of Lost Records Tape 2: Rage. One half of me hoped for more of the same, and the other half hoped for something new to not only elevate this second part of Lost Records but also to help me with something substantial to feature in this review!

The end of Bloom (tape 1) was a certified cliffhanger and one I didn’t see coming from a mile away. What I liked about the way this was handled was that it wasn’t reliant on the supernatural aspects of the narrative, instead concentrating on real-life issues and the effect they had on the individual and the people around them. With many other questions still hanging in the air, I was very keen to see the conclusion and hopefully learn the answers to all of the questions I had lingering in my head. 

Did I get the answers I was seeking? Well, some but many were left up to my own interpretation for me to make up my own answers from what I had experienced and information I had gained. With my playthrough working to a satisfying but predictable conclusion, there are many other more unpredictable endings waiting to be discovered, and maybe the answers I seek might well be hidden in them. 

But what about those conflicting feelings I had? Well, structurally and mechanically, Rage (tape 2) is very much more of the same offerings as Bloom. What is different though is the tone and atmosphere. With the group fractured and emotionally drained from the events of Bloom’s finale, you get the sense this is going to be a much darker section of the story from the start. So much so that gone are the bright sunset-style colours and joyfulness from Bloom, and in its place we are greeted with a much moodier colour palette that’s present throughout Rage, and with most events happening at night, it constantly emitted emotions of sadness and anger, which perfectly captured tape 2’s subtitle of rage. 

This darker tone also carries over to the present day and the adult versions of the group. Struggling with their emotions about what happened in the past, it can get too much for them, with some interesting outcomes. Yet again I had a sense of the darker tones emanating from these moments, but I also felt my answers led into this as well. Unintentionally pushing them away left Swann on her own to open the mysterious box that had been lingering since the start of Bloom, and I felt a pang of sadness that they were not there to share the moment. I was surprised by the reaction to some of my answers though, especially as I was trying to go in a supportive and loving direction; the outcomes were not what I expected and left me wondering what I should have said to have produced a better outcome.

It is totally understandable that the game would go in this darker direction though and explore this side of human emotions. It felt like the right call and a successful way to finalise some of the story threads. But, for me, Lost Records had lost some of its sparkle that was present throughout Bloom. I was excited coming into this second part as I enjoyed the first so much, but as I was making my way through Rage, I realised that I wasn’t feeling the same way as before. I still am not sure it was all down to this darker path either. 

I do wonder if it had to do with the game being separated into two parts that ultimately fractured me in the way that it did. Would I have felt differently if I’d played the entire game in one? I think so. Having this break between parts meant that I struggled to reconnect with the characters and the world of Velvet Cove when I came to starting Rage. I also wasn’t sure why the decision to tackle the distribution of Lost Records in this fashion was made. I couldn’t see any advantage apart from drumming up anticipation for the conclusion of the story, or what it probably was, which was to give the developers more time to finish the game. If it was the latter, then I would have preferred for DON’T NOD to have waited until the whole game was finished before releasing. Whatever the reasons, it is not important now that both parts are available under one purchase, so it’s the perfect time to jump into the game, and maybe these conflicting thoughts that surrounded me will not materialise for you, and you might have a much more positive outcome. I hope that’s the case. 

It does seem like I’ve been a bit down on Rage, but I would like to iterate that it is still a high-quality game that still manages to share some magical moments. The visuals and voice acting are still just as good as Bloom, and the music is once again a highlight of the game. Seeing the outcomes of some of the story beats, including one particular character, was satisfying, and it did hit in many other areas. Just be prepared to not have the strong nostalgic feelings and reminiscing of long summers hanging with your friends, doing nothing, that Bloom managed to produce so successfully. 

Read our review of Lost Records Tape 1: Bloom