I can easily say that Don't Nod Montreal's latest narrative adventure, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, is one of the best games I've ever played. Regardless of your connection to the studio's earlier work, if you're into David Lynch-esque cosmic mystery, 90s nostalgia, and punk music, you need to try this game.
Don't Nod is the incredible studio behind games like Life is Strange and Tell Me Why, all of which focus on coming-of-age stories, supernatural goings-on, and choices with consequences. The studio no longer works on the Life is Strange series – and if you've read my Life is Strange: Double Exposure review, you'll know that it's just not the same anymore – but, much like Tell Me Why, a lot of fans view Lost Records as a spiritual successor to 2015's iconic choice game.
In classic Don't Nod fashion, both Tape One and Tape Two of Lost Records left me in shock after finishing and eager to learn more. That's why I was incredibly excited to get the chance to pick the team's brains about their latest masterpiece. I spoke to Script Writer Jean-Luc Cano, Studio Creative Director Michel Koch, and Studio Executive Producer Luc Baghadoust, and this is what they had to say.
Pocket Tactics: Why did you choose riot girl punk music as the vehicle for Swann and her friends' story?
Jean-Luc Cano: Lost Records is a story about friendship and empowerment – about how, together, a group of girls manages to fight for their freedom. The Riot Grrrl movement perfectly embodies those values. Together, we're stronger. Together, we rewrite the rules. Together, we take up space – and if that makes people uncomfortable, so be it. With Kat leading the way, that's exactly what the girls are going to do.
You play as Swann in both the 90s and 2022, but her perspective is different in each setting – third person in the past and first person in the present. What influenced this stylistic choice?
JC: This was something we decided on very early in the game's development. In the past [sections of the game], we are telling the story of a friendship forming, and we thought it was important to show Swann as part of a group, surrounded by the other girls. But in the present, that group no longer exists. The first-person view really amplifies that sense of isolation.
Everyone is in their own bubble, in their own space. Jumping between those two perspectives helps emphasize the contrast between the two eras, which felt very true to the story we wanted to tell.
Letting players create their own unique movies, both as plot points and optional collectibles, is such a fun idea! How did you go about incorporating this feature into the game?
Michel Koch: Back in the mid‑'90s, picking up a camcorder felt almost magical. MTV delivered a constant stream of music videos, but ordinary people barely saw themselves on screen. Filming videos was an act you had to work hard to achieve, and the goal was much different from what it is today.
We wanted to give agency to our players with this tool. The in‑game camcorder lets them frame their own summer of '95, choosing who to film, how long to linger, and what little details deserve the spotlight.
In my experience, it's rare that you see women in their 40s represented in videogames, especially in principle roles and with accurate signs of aging. What motivated you to tell Swann and her friends' story using both their teenage and middle-aged selves?
JC: When we were brainstorming, we realized that people often talk about two major "crises" in life: the teenage years and the so-called midlife crisis. Both are emotionally charged periods, full of upheaval and deep questioning. We thought it would be incredibly powerful to explore both phases in parallel through our characters, because the questions they're grappling with are universal. We've all faced the kind of inner turmoil they go through, the doubts that keep them up at night.
MK: Women in their 40s are very underrepresented in media as a whole, especially in video games. When they are represented, they are usually reduced to a single role: a mother, a wife, [or] a teacher, rather than being shown as their own person with a complex character arc. We wanted to change that and worked hard with the team, especially Nina Freeman (Lead Narrative Designer), Desiree Cifre (Dialogue writer), and Juliette Devillers (Lead Character Artist) to give them the best possible representation and attention.
In your past games, pop culture like horror B-movies, cryptids, and Twin Peaks have influenced both the aesthetic and the preferences of the characters themselves. What are some of the driving inspirations behind Lost Records' story and setting?
JC: Personally, Stephen King has always been a huge source of inspiration. The way he brings the supernatural into everyday life is pure magic. The core premise is clearly a nod to "It," but there are also many subtle references to his work in how we write and flesh out our characters.
MK: David Lynch's body of work has always been a major inspiration for me. I admire how he weaves intimate, human stories into a broader fabric of supernatural surrealism. He blurs the line between what is real and what is dreamlike, inviting the audience to interpret and reflect on what they have just experienced.
Tape One ends on a cliffhanger and a massive reveal that I personally did not see coming. What was it like seeing fans react in real-time as they played? Did anyone pick up on the hints?
JC: When we first came up with that cliffhanger, we were honestly shocked ourselves. Like, "Wait — are we really doing this?" But we figured that if it hit us that hard, it would probably have the same effect on players. Seeing how fans responded was such a thrill. The fact that people are really connecting with the characters is the biggest reward for us as developers. It means everything.
MK: Watching the community trade theories and piece everything together is thrilling for us. We've seen players picking up on the hints: Kat's coughs, the pauses she requests, the invisible bubble she keeps around herself. But more than just Tape 1, all through the game, we scattered extra hints leading toward the Tape 2 events. The ending stays deliberately open, leaving space for dreams and a bit of magic, yet the clues for every major plot thread are there if you look closely.
As Lost Records is Steam Deck Verified, are there any plans to bring the game to the Nintendo Switch 2?
Luc Baghadoust: The Switch 2 looks like an awesome console, but sadly, there are no current plans to bring the game to it.
As sad as I am that Lost Records isn't coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, it still runs exceptionally well on Steam Deck and the best Steam Deck alternatives on the market. We're still waiting for a Tell Me Why Switch port as well, so we'll just keep our fingers crossed that one day, everyone can experience Don't Nod's narrative journeys on the go.