Continuing the Journey: Picking Up After Bloom
It’s safe to say that we enjoyed finding out what happened in the summer of 1995 in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 so were eager to continue the story in Tape 2. Picking up immediately after the previous game’s dramatic conclusion, Tape 2: Rage wastes no time diving back into the story.
A warning up front, if you haven’t played Tape 1 then this review will inevitably contain major spoilers so play it first (and we highly recommend you do) before reading on…
The Aftermath: Reeling from the Ill-Fated Gig
In Tape 2, you’re once again in the shoes of Swann, a 16-year-old nature-loving, documentary-filming girl, who finds herself at the tail end of a life-changing summer. The previous tape (Bloom) told the story of how Swann first met new friends Autumn, Nora and Kat and how they spent their summer getting to know each other, started up a punk band and generally had a fun time hanging out together in a hidden forest lodge.
Oh, and let’s not forget the glowing purple hole in the ground – The Abyss – and the devastating reveal that Kat has leukemia.
It’s not surprising then that from the very start, Lost Records: Tape 2 takes a more sombre turn. It opens the day after the group’s ill-fated gig. Kat is recovering but forbidden from seeing her friends. Nora is visiting her mom in LA. Autumn is reeling from recent events. And Swann? She’s trying to make amends and get the group back together.
The first task drops you into the parking lot of The Blue Spruce – the location of Bloom and Rage’s first (and more than likely last) gig – and you’re left to clean up the mess. Literally. You wander around collecting rubbish and cleaning up graffiti, and this kind of simplistic task design persists throughout the game. There’s a brief nod to a stealth mission, but even that’s very basic.
Unfolding Fury
It’s a shame, really. Tape 1 had some creative puzzle-solving moments that added variety but in Tape 2, the gameplay often feels like filler – as if the tasks were added simply to break up the long, frequent cinematic scenes. The result is a much shorter experience that passes in a blur compared to Part 1.
Swann’s use of her camcorder was also a big feature of Tape 1. There were many times when you had to film footage to move the game along, and the videos created were used in the story. This also acted as a collectibles system where you could film items belonging to different categories such as types of bird or graffiti. This continues into Tape 2, with the ability to add to your collections, if you so wish. We didn’t love it the first time around, but it at least added some interactive depth. However, it doesn’t play as big a part of the game as it did in Tape 1, reasons not to be revealed here.
Exploring Themes of Rebellion
Of course, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage has always been about the story more than the gameplay – and in that respect, Tape 2 doesn’t disappoint. Alongside the 1995 narrative, the 2022 timeline also continues, with the now-adult women reuniting for the opening of a mysterious parcel. The decisions you made in Tape 1 carry over, shaping the relationships between characters across both timelines but there is still time to alter these if you wish.
During conversations, you’ll often choose Swann’s response, and these decisions can strengthen or strain your bonds. Some choices reveal a full or broken heart, giving immediate feedback on how your words affect the connection with your friend. And if you don’t like the result? You can rewind and try again – something we admittedly did more than once to explore different outcomes. One thing the game gets spot on is how meaningfully your choices shape the story – they don’t just affect your relationships, but also steer the narrative itself, including how it all ends.
Occasionally, a plant icon appears after certain choices, symbolising Swann’s personal growth. But honestly, we struggled to notice any significant change in her character. Still, we did pick up a few gameplay tips from Tape 1 that enhanced Tape 2. Chief among them: don’t rush your responses – waiting can sometimes unlock new dialogue options, and there’s always the choice to say nothing at all.
The Climax and Lingering Questions
If Bloom was about friendship blooming in adolescence, Rage is about the fire that follows. The injustice of Kat’s illness and the growing tension with adults – especially Dylan (Kat’s sister) and Corey (her toxic boyfriend) – push the girls to make increasingly reckless choices. Whether these acts are driven by justice or revenge is open to interpretation. That said, one particular late-game event felt uncharacteristic for Swann, even considering her supposed development. It left us feeling a bit uneasy about the story’s direction.
The supernatural element also escalates. But whether the glowing abyss is real or a shared delusion remains ambiguous. Maybe it’s just a final foray into childhood imagination – a last escape before the harsh truths of adulthood come crashing in.
More straightforward is the resolution of several lingering questions from Part 1 – like the contents of the parcel, who sent it, and why the friends drifted apart for 27 years. Unfortunately, those reveals fall a bit flat. Still, DON’T NOD couldn’t resist one last twist right at the end, and this one will go unsolved, unless they surprise us with a Tape 3…
An Emotional Journey
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 continues the emotional and nostalgic journey started in Tape 1 with a strong narrative that builds on the bonds formed between the group of girls. The themes of friendship, rebellion and the fading magic as adolescence transitions to adulthood remain compelling, even if the gameplay feels a little flat.
Your Links
DON’T NOD’s Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape One “Bloom” and Tape 2 “Rage” Both Available – https://www.thexboxhub.com/dont-nods-lost-records-bloom-rage-part-one-bloom-launches-today/
Buy Lost Records on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/lost-records-bloom-rage/9n3f1lw9hc6c
