I often find myself reminiscing about a moment several years back. In a casual exchange within the comments of an article I penned about video game adaptations of Stephen King’s stories, I idly mentioned my dream project would be a Don’t Nod adaptation of “It”. With the recent buzz surrounding Lost Records: Bloom & Rage — a game developed and self-published by Don’t Nod and set to release in early 2025 — I can’t help but feel they’ve taken a page, or perhaps several, from King’s famous 1986 novel about a creepy extraterrestrial clown and the group of unlikely heroes destined to stand against it.
Now, let’s clear up a potential misconception: I’m not suggesting anyone at Don’t Nod has been scouring the comments sections of gaming sites for ideas. However, I’m quite tickled by the thought that I might have a knack for predicting marketable concepts for narrative-driven adventure games, a genre I deeply admire and understand. Considering it’s been a few years since the “It” remake duology hit theaters between 2017 and 2019, it seems like the perfect moment for games inspired by this tale to emerge onto the scene.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage chronicles the journey of four friends across dual timelines: their close-knit teenage years as outcasts in the 1990s and their early middle-age reunion after nearly three decades apart. Curiously enough, the gap is exactly 27 years, which might be a nod to “It” or perhaps just an oddly particular coincidence.
Echoing familiar themes, these friendships dissolved after their nostalgic Xennial coming-of-age adventure was rudely interrupted by the discovery of something eerie in the woods surrounding their hometown. The trailers and demos have obscured the exact nature of this mysterious find, but it lies at the bottom of a crater and emits an ethereal purple glow. I’ll leave it to you to piece together the implications.
Discussing Lost Records is challenging, as the current information is shrouded in mystery — a strategic move typical of a teaser-heavy marketing campaign. Despite my earlier insight into its setup, I genuinely expect surprises when the game makes its debut in two parts this coming February and March.
While Lost Records might seem to snugly fit a very particular tone of my interests, it’s just one of several titles igniting my anticipation for early next year. The enormous blockbuster titles may be sparse, but the initial months of 2025 promise a wealth of somewhat smaller yet significant releases, poised on the boundary of not quite indie, yet not entirely mainstream.
I’m particularly intrigued by Split Fiction, the latest partnership between Hazelight and EA Originals. This game entangles two authors—one sci-fi, the other fantasy—in an AI-generated world spawned from their own imaginations. Couch co-op enthusiasts, myself included, will appreciate Hazelight’s ongoing ode to local multiplayer, and the unique genre blend promises fresh perspectives.
In February, we also have Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — the eagerly awaited sequel reminding us of the gritty realism of medieval knighthood. Come March, there’s Two Point Museum, offering another installment of whimsical city-building fun. April introduces The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, a turn-based tactics game from the creative minds behind Danganronpa and Zero Escape.
Some years, giant triple-A releases dominate the scene, while others see a surge in indie popularity. But if 2025 ends up being the year where everyone, including niche genre fans like myself, gets a rich selection of mid-sized games, it’ll be hard to find anything to grumble about.
