Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Interview – Discussing the Setting, Inspirations, Multiple Timelines

DON'T NOD may be done with the Life is Strange series, but they are most definitely not done with the narrative genre they helped shape with their games, as the Montreal studio is hard at work on Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, a game that promises to turn up to eleven everything seen in the developer's previous games with multiple main characters, two different timelines, and a mystery story that feels gripping right from the start.

During Gamescom 2024, I had the chance to talk with Creative Director Michel Koch, Executive Producer Luc Baghadoust, and Producer Cathy Vincelli, discussing the game's 90s setting, its main influences, the multiple timelines, and what the future may hold for the universe. Enjoy.

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The interview was edited for clarity and brevity.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage features two different timelines and a mysterious event that separates the four friends. All of these, I feel, are very reminiscent of Stephen King's It, but was there anything else that influenced the setting?

Michel Koch: There are a lot of things that haven't been a direct, heavy influence on the game. As you mentioned, we got some inspiration from It with the different timelines, but we do not have a murderous clown in the game. Other Stephen King's books have influenced the game, as did some TV Shows, like Twin Peaks, with the way they use these supernatural elements as something that is around the show rather than in every episode. We really love the use of mystic and supernatural elements to strengthen the story and bring more chaos and higher stakes to what's happening to the characters. Other TV Shows that had an influence are Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects. The latter is another show that blends different timelines well. Other games like Oxenfree and Nights in the Wood were also an influence with their group dynamics.

Cathy Vincelli: In terms of the two timelines, Twin Peaks is my main