Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Guide#
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a narrative adventure from Don’t Nod Montreal, the Montreal studio of Dontnod Entertainment — the developer behind the Life is Strange series. Tape 1: Bloom launched on February 18, 2025, and Tape 2: Rage followed on April 15, 2025. The story cuts between the summer of 1995 and a reunion in 2023, filmed through Swann’s camcorder, and every choice you make shapes the group’s relationships and where the endings land.
Game Overview#
| Feature |
Description |
| Dual-timeline narrative |
The summer of 1995 and a 2023 reunion interwoven |
| Camcorder mechanic |
Film video with Swann’s camcorder and build a memoir |
| Choice & consequence |
Every decision affects relationships and the direction of the endings |
| Original soundtrack |
Music by Milk & Bone and Ruth Radelet |
| Full Chinese subtitles |
Simplified Chinese interface and subtitles supported |
| Two-tape release |
Tape 1: Bloom; Tape 2: Rage |
Game Length and Content#
| Play style |
Duration |
| Main story (one tape) |
5-7 hours |
| Both tapes, complete run |
12-15 hours |
| Thorough exploration |
16-20 hours |
| Completionist |
22-30 hours |
The Two Tapes Compared#
| Item |
Tape 1: Bloom |
Tape 2: Rage |
| Release date |
February 18, 2025 |
April 15, 2025 |
| Theme |
Summer friendship and discovery |
Anger, loss, and rebellion |
| 1995 focus |
Meeting friends, forming a band, finding the abyss |
Confronting Corey, saving Kat, the final showdown |
| 2023 focus |
Reunion and memories |
Opening the box, facing the truth |
| Metacritic (PC) |
84/100 |
78/100 |
| Metacritic (PS5) |
75/100 |
69/100 |
Development Team#
| Role |
Person |
| Creative Director |
Michel Koch |
| Producers |
Luc Baghadoust, Catherine Vincelli, Valentin Rossero |
| Designer |
Baptiste Moisan |
| Writers |
Desiree Cifre, Nina Freeman, Jean-Luc Cano |
| Artists |
Sam Bradley, Lucile Meunier |
| Composers |
Milk & Bone, Ruth Radelet |
| Engine |
Unreal Engine 5 |
| Developer |
Don’t Nod Montreal |
| Publisher |
Don’t Nod |
System Requirements#
| Config |
Minimum |
Recommended |
| OS |
Windows 10 64-bit |
Windows 11 64-bit |
| CPU |
Intel i5-8400 |
Intel i5-11400 |
| RAM |
12 GB |
16 GB |
| GPU |
GTX 1050 Ti 4GB |
RTX 3080 10GB |
| Storage |
48 GB (SSD) |
48 GB (SSD) |
| DirectX |
Version 12 |
Version 12 |
| Ray tracing |
Not supported |
Supported |
The PS5 build targets dynamic 4K at 60 fps and takes full advantage of the DualSense controller, supporting both adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. The PC build is the most customizable: unlocked frame-rate settings, ultrawide monitor support, and DLSS 3 plus FSR 2 upscaling. Loading times are fast on every platform.
Content Navigation#
The Chinese hub splits its sub-guides into the ten areas below, from camcorder basics to the full endings breakdown.
| Page |
Content |
For whom |
| Beginner basics |
Game fundamentals, camcorder operation, system mechanics |
All players — read this first |
| Story chapters |
Complete chapter-by-chapter walkthrough, tape by tape |
Story fans and anyone stuck |
| Characters |
Full backgrounds and personalities of the four leads |
Character lovers |
| Choices & consequences |
Every major choice and its branches detailed |
Players who want to steer the story |
| Collectibles |
Photos, memories, and keepsakes — full collection |
Completionists |
| World exploration |
Velvet Cove landmark guide, 1995 vs 2023 |
Exploration-minded players |
| Hidden secrets |
Dontnod easter eggs and hidden dialogue |
Easter-egg hunters |
| Endings |
Trigger conditions for every ending |
All-endings hunters |
| Lore |
Timeline, Bloom, Rage, and the mystery of the abyss |
Lore diggers |
| Achievements |
Achievement entries, platform checks, and system criteria |
Achievement hunters |
Reviews and Scores#
| Outlet |
Score |
| GamesRadar+ (Tape 1) |
4.5/5 |
| GamesRadar+ (Tape 2) |
4.5/5 |
| TechRadar (Tape 1) |
4.5/5 |
| TechRadar (Tape 2) |
4/5 |
| Eurogamer (Tape 1) |
4/5 |
| Eurogamer (Tape 2) |
3/5 |
| Hardcore Gamer (Tape 1) |
4/5 |
| Hardcore Gamer (Tape 2) |
4.5/5 |
| The Guardian (Tape 1) |
4/5 |
| The Guardian (Tape 2) |
4/5 |
| Metacritic PC (Tape 1) |
84/100 |
| Metacritic PC (Tape 2) |
78/100 |
| OpenCritic |
72% recommended |
FAQ#
| Question |
Answer |
| Does the game support Chinese? |
Yes — Simplified Chinese interface and subtitles are supported |
| Are the two tapes sold separately? |
Yes — Tape 1 and Tape 2 can be bought separately, and there is also a bundle edition |
| How long is the game? |
About 12-15 hours across both tapes — around 22-30 hours for full completion |
| How many endings are there? |
Multiple endings — they depend on your choices in the game and the characters’ relationships |
| Is there only one playable character? |
Yes — you play as Swann throughout, in close interaction with the other three |
| Can I buy only Tape 2? |
You can — but it is strongly recommended to play Tape 1 before Tape 2 |
| Is it on PS Plus? |
Tape 1 was in the PS Plus Extra/Premium catalog from day one |
| Are the PC requirements demanding? |
An RTX 3080 is recommended — but mid and low-end setups can adjust the graphics settings to run it |
| Are there horror elements? |
Some suspense and psychological tension — but this is not a horror game; the focus stays on narrative and emotion |
| Can dialogue be skipped? |
Yes — a button press fast-forwards dialogue you have already read |
Version Info#
| Item |
Details |
| Developer |
Don’t Nod Montreal |
| Publisher |
Don’t Nod |
| Engine |
Unreal Engine 5 |
| Release date |
February 18, 2025 |
| Platforms |
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam) |
| Languages |
Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Latin American Spanish |
| Players |
Single-player |
| Genre |
Narrative adventure |
| Rating |
ESRB: M (Mature 17+) |
Awards and Nominations#
| Award |
Category |
Result |
| Golden Joystick Awards 2025 |
Best Storytelling |
Nominated |
| The Game Awards 2025 |
Games for Impact |
Nominated |
| New York Game Awards 2026 |
Best Writing (Herman Melville Award) |
Pending |
| New York Game Awards 2026 |
Best Performance (Great White Way Award — Amelia Sargisson as Nora) |
Pending |
| GLAAD Media Awards 2026 |
Outstanding Video Game |
Won |
DLC and Updates#
| Content |
Status |
Notes |
| Photo Mode |
Included |
Pause the game at any time and take photos |
| New Game+ |
Unconfirmed |
A long-standing community request |
| Story expansion |
Unannounced |
Dontnod has said more Lost Records works are possible |
| Soundtrack |
Released |
Available for purchase on the Steam store |
| Physical edition |
August 7, 2025 |
PS5 exclusive — art cards and a reversible cover |
Easter Eggs and Hidden Content#
| Type |
Example |
Location |
| Life is Strange references |
Blue butterfly, Chloe-style graffiti, an Arcadia Bay postcard |
Forest clearing, gift shop, Blue Spruce |
| 90s culture |
Nirvana T-shirt, VHS tapes, Tamagotchi, dial-up internet |
Everywhere |
| Dontnod self-references |
A Vampyr newspaper, a Tell Me Why poster, Banishers ads |
Blue Spruce, the video store, magazines |
| Developer jokes |
QA team graffiti, developer signatures, artists’ self-deprecation |
Under the bar, cabin walls, Kat’s notebook |
| Hidden movie references |
Independence Day, The Matrix, Braveheart |
Video store shelves |
Soundtrack#
| Track |
Artist |
Scene used |
Mood |
| See You In Hell |
Nora Kelly |
Promo track |
Punk rock — full of energy |
| 1995 Summer Theme |
Milk & Bone |
Everyday 1995 scenes |
Warm — nostalgic |
| 2023 Reunion Theme |
Milk & Bone |
2023 Blue Spruce scenes |
Melancholy — reflective |
| Forest Ambient |
Ruth Radelet |
Forest exploration scenes |
Mysterious — natural |
| The Abyss Theme |
Milk & Bone |
Scenes where the abyss appears |
Supernatural — uneasy |
| Kat Song (unnamed) |
Natalie Liconti (sung in character) |
The concert scene |
Angry — powerful |
| Meteor Shower |
Ruth Radelet |
The meteor shower scene |
Romantic — serene |
| Finale |
Milk & Bone |
Ending scenes |
Emotional — bittersweet |
How It Compares to Other Narrative Games#
| Game |
Developer |
Choice system |
Timeline |
Supernatural |
| Lost Records: Bloom & Rage |
Dontnod |
Dialogue choices + relationship system |
Dual timelines |
The abyss |
| Life is Strange |
Dontnod |
Dialogue choices + time rewind |
Single timeline |
The storm |
| Life is Strange 2 |
Dontnod |
Dialogue + brotherhood system |
Single timeline |
None |
| Heavy Rain |
Quantic Dream |
QTE + branching narrative |
Single timeline |
None |
| Detroit: Become Human |
Quantic Dream |
Extensive branching choices |
Multiple characters |
None (sci-fi) |
| Until Dawn |
Supermassive |
QTE + butterfly effect |
Single timeline |
Horror |
| The Quarry |
Supermassive |
QTE + relationship system |
Single timeline |
Horror |
| As Dusk Falls |
Interior Night |
Moral choices |
Multiple timelines |
None |
Themes#
| Theme |
How the game shows it |
Deep reading |
| Friendship and memory |
The four friends in 1995 and the search for memories in 2023 |
How memory shapes identity — and whether friendship can survive time |
| Youth and loss |
The beauty of adolescence and the pain of growing up |
Growing up is the endless work of losing things and finding yourself |
| Rebellion and anger |
Standing up to injustice and oppression |
Anger can be a constructive force — a force that pushes change |
| Life and death |
Kat’s leukemia and reflections on living |
Finite days make each day more precious |
| The supernatural and emotion |
The abyss responds to feelings and wishes |
Can deep emotion change reality |
| Avoidance and confrontation |
Choosing to face things or run, 27 years later |
Avoiding a problem solves nothing — facing it is where healing starts |
- Disco Elysium — a dialogue-driven narrative RPG where choices, not combat, carry the story
- Expedition 33 — a story-driven RPG with character relationships at its emotional core
- Alan Wake 2 — a supernatural thriller told through two interwoven protagonist threads
- Control — a supernatural mystery about an ordinary place hiding an impossible force, in the same eerie register as the abyss
- South of Midnight — a folklore adventure where memory and grief shape the narrative
Best Indie Games 2026 · Best RPGs · Best Indies of All Time
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics, chapter-by-chapter story walkthroughs, character profiles, choices and consequences, collectibles, Velvet Cove exploration across 1995 and 2023, hidden secrets, endings, lore, and achievements — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Lost Records: Bloom & Rage section. If you read Chinese, that section also carries walkthrough, controls, tips, systems, gallery, and update sub-pages, plus a systems deep-dive covering the interaction, dialogue, camcorder, and decision mechanics.