lost records: bloom & rage has my nostalgia-starved heart in a chokehold 🌸🔥
plus, the coziest game releases of may 2025 + a bonus gift inside 🧸
paris-based studio don’t nod is becoming one of my favorite indie developers. their attention to character development and immersive game design has caught me up a few times, namely jusant, the life is strange series, and tell me why. however, i do believe the team went above and beyond expectations when they created lost records: bloom & rage.
i wrote about this time-jumping, 90s-themed adventure back in february when tape 1 was released [feb. 18], but now that i finished tape 1 and entered tape 2, i feel this will be a title that sticks with me long after the credits roll.
without going into too much detail or spoilers [i shall save those for my full review], lost records is a story that feels relatable and equally fantastical. as a teen, adventures with friends in the summer months did feel like magic. going anywhere, and doing anything, feels possible when you’re with people who feel like forever to you.
lost records: bloom & rage is a hand-written love letter to girlhood
i loved summers with my girl cousins because the things we got up to when no one was wondering where we were was peak girlhood. i bounced between three high schools [fun fact], and each group of friends i merged into, i left with unforgettable stories that to this day make me wonder, did that really happen?
so watching one of those summers unravel for swann, autumn, nora, and kat, has been such a heart-tingling, nostalgia-inducing joy. however, it’s the authenticity of the era that has me glued to my controller.
when i got to play with and feed swann’s tamagotchi, i squealed like a schoolgirl. every time nora said “let’s bounce,” i was so tickled. more personally, kat being a poet and a lover of emily dickinson—just a girl after my own heart.1 speaking of girls and hearts, the queer curiosity was more than familiar. i definitely fell for a few nora’s and autumn’s when identity was blurry and hormones were raging [pun intended].
we’ll get into more details in my full review, but for now, just know, lost records: bloom & rage is a hand-written love letter to girlhood that will make you reminisce on your own forgotten [or just long-ago buried] wonder years.
lost records: bloom & rage tape 1 and tape 2 are available for download on steam, xbox series x|s, and playstation 5.
full *steam* ahead on may releases
when i think of a cozy vibe, i see myself sitting at a small table in the corner of a dimly lit bar, on a random wednesday evening—perfectly positioned for people watching. in front of me, is a flickering candle next to a well-curated cocktail2 and my open notebook where i’ve been scribbling my musings for the evening. if that’s your vibe too, then first, hi, we should be friends, and two, best served cold from rogueside, needs to be in your cart or on your wishlist. a sultry cross between coffeetalk and strange horticulture with a speakeasy twist. | steam
i’ve grown a soft spot for productivity-driven gaming. i’m currently satisfied with my productivity companion, spirit city: lofi sessions, however, blue turtle latest release, ithya: magic studies, does have that lofi-meets-medieval fantasy aesthetic that i gravitate towards when searching for background music on youtube. so maybe i can be swayed. in ithya, decorate your cozy space for maximum relaxation, maintain your to-do list, utilize the habit tracker, and complete your tasks with the pomodoro timer while enjoying a calming lofi soundscape. gamified productivity is truly the way to go, but making it aesthetically pleasing to my eyes and ears is needed. | steam
speaking of cozy productivity games, simulators that trick me into working or doing chores [looking at you, trash goblin] will surely keep my attention for longer than i’d like to admit. teddy’s haven by teddy bear games is a dungeons & dragons-inspired narrative simulator for real and role-playing witches who long to become the village healer—the old soul with deep knowledge of roots, rituals, and remedies, beloved by townsfolk for her gifts in both the mystical and medicinal arts. also, the fact that the game and the studio are dedicated to the solo developer’s pomeranian named teddy bear, who died in 2024, just made me crumble. play it for teddy bear, i beg. | steam
when games take me on a spiritual journey through a mysterious landscape, i’m locked in. the trailer for spirit of the north by infuse studio gave me the same draw as jusant, where the story unravels while exploring breathtaking landscapes and mystical artefacts. gamers play as a red fox being led by and intertwined with a spirit guide. as the game progresses, the guide’s story is revealed, along with the truth about the forgotten icelandic terrain. games that are based on [nordic] folklore will also be a draw [reka comes to mind]. i get to nerd out about history while also being engulfed in the world of it? swooning. spirit of the north was released in 2020, and its sequel was released earlier this month. so if you like what you see, consider getting the bundle to immediately play the equally mesmerizing continuation. | steam
rooted in arabian mythology, bahamut and the waqwaq tree from starvania studio immediately reminded me of gris, as a 2d platformer adventure that takes gamers through vast waters with hidden meanings. swim seamlessly through ma'een, an underwater realm that’s been corrupted by dark entities. gamers use their light to restore the ocean from the corruption, revealing the secrets of the forgotten kingdom. just looking at the trailer made me feel calmer, which may be best since i’ll need to restore the light of an underwater world! no pressure. | steam
✨bonus✨ an updated cozy game tracker!
i love when people ask me to recommend cozy games to them, and now i can with a comprehensive list of every cozy game that caught my attention.
my cozy game tracker has everything you would need to know if a game is for you: the themes, prices, descriptions, and reviews for those that i’ve completed.
take a glance and feel free to message me directly about any title that you’re curious about, especially if it’s marked “completed” or “currently playing,” so we can yap!
that’s all for now.
take care, friend.