From time to time, you find a game that has a long-lasting and powerful effect on you, and for a very long time, I didn't find a game that had this much of an impact on me as the first Life is Strange. I played it when I was the same age as Max, the main character, and related a lot to her. For years, the Life is Strange saga, especially the Dontnod ones, felt like this to me. Those extremely rare, exceptional games that make you relate to their protagonist, follow their story avidly, and change you as a person. They make you angry, they make you scared, they make you cry. This franchise, those games, meant so much to me. When Dontnod parted way with Square Enix and lost the rights to Life is Strange, I felt like this meant the end of those very rare games, and the release of Double Exposure, which was very disappointing to me, seemed to confirm that.

I started playing Lost Records hoping Dontnod hadn't lost their touch, and that this would feel like a true successor to Life is Strange, that it would have the same kind of impact on me. For once, I was playing characters that weren't my age. Too young in the past, too old in the present, and yet, that didn't stop me from relating and understanding their struggles.

This game is short, but it's intense. The story takes you and runs away with your feelings, the characters are incredibly well-crafted. It's beautiful, nostalgic, moody. If you've ever been a teenager, you'll identify with their awkward angst and feelings, as much as you'll relate with their tired sadness as adults. You go from the colorful VHS past to the cold, grey alcohol-fueled present, trying to navigate the mystery of what happened that night of 1995, up until you cannot wait for the next episode of this saga.

I can honestly say I liked this more than Life is Strange, which is quite strange to say for me. Part of it, I don't doubt it, is due to Dontnod learning and evolving as developers, and the medium in itself evolving, but I had an incredible time playing this game. I only wish it was a bit longer so I could feel more of the tender, warm nostalgia they make you feel the entire time.

Oh yeah, and of course the game is gay, obviously. If that's a problem to you, why are you here in the first place? And if it isn't, as it shouldn't be, sit down with a cup of hot chocolate and let yourself slide in, imagining watching that adventure on a CRT back when life was simpler and warmer.

From time to time, you find a game that has a long-lasting and powerful effect on you, and for a very long time, I didn't find a game that had this much of an impact on me as the first Life is Strange. I played it when I was the same age as Max, the main character, and related a lot to her. For years, the Life is Strange saga, especially the Dontnod ones, felt like this to me. Those extremely rare, exceptional games that make you relate to their protagonist, follow their story avidly, and change you as a person. They make you angry, they make you scared, they make you cry. This franchise, those games, meant so much to me. When Dontnod parted way with Square Enix and lost the rights to Life is Strange, I felt like this meant the end of those very rare games, and the release of Double Exposure, which was very disappointing to me, seemed to confirm that. I started playing Lost Records hoping Dontnod hadn't lost their touch, and that this would feel like a true successor to Life is Strange, that it would have the same kind of impact on me. For once, I was playing characters that weren't my age. Too young in the past, too old in the present, and yet, that didn't stop me from relating and understanding their struggles. This game is short, but it's intense. The story takes you and runs away with your feelings, the characters are incredibly well-crafted. It's beautiful, nostalgic, moody. If you've ever been a teenager, you'll identify with their awkward angst and feelings, as much as you'll relate with their tired sadness as adults. You go from the colorful VHS past to the cold, grey alcohol-fueled present, trying to navigate the mystery of what happened that night of 1995, up until you cannot wait for the next episode of this saga. I can honestly say I liked this more than Life is Strange, which is quite strange to say for me. Part of it, I don't doubt it, is due to Dontnod learning and evolving as developers, and the medium in itself evolving, but I had an incredible time playing this game. I only wish it was a bit longer so I could feel more of the tender, warm nostalgia they make you feel the entire time. Oh yeah, and of course the game is gay, obviously. If that's a problem to you, why are you here in the first place? And if it isn't, as it shouldn't be, sit down with a cup of hot chocolate and let yourself slide in, imagining watching that adventure on a CRT back when life was simpler and warmer.