Feb 24, 5:20 pm
How many decent video game adaptations of popular television shows can you name?
... It’s difficult, isn’t it?
We could probably count them on one hand. Between us. It’s hardly a crime against humanity, but it’s a sad gaming truth nonetheless - TV-to-game adaptations are, in general, poo. Which is why it’s so delightfully surprising that Lost: The Video Game is actually pretty decent. Really. If you’re not familiar with the game, I suggest you go and check out my interview with the game’s producer, Gadi Pollack. Done that? Great!
In terms of gameplay, Lost: The Video Game is a mix of action adventure and puzzling. One moment you’ll be chatting away with your fellow survivors (hunting out clues perhaps, or trading coconuts for torches); the next, leaping over rocks and generally running for your life as the “black smoke” chases you through the forest. Puzzles can be relatively straight forward and reoccuring - such as working out the right combination of fuses to ensure the correct power levels get across a circuit board. Other times they’ll be fiendish one-offs, requiring you to go through several steps before the enigma is revealed.
But for me, what really shines through is the undeniable touch of the television show’s writers and producers. This isn’t a blank action game with a few Lost logos and references glued onto it. It’s extremely faithful to the distinctive mood and feel of the show. While simple things like the accurately rendered characters and the voice acting recall the show well, the real faithfullness runs deeper. The story, the pacing, the dialogue, and the freaky twists and turns all scream “LOST.” Apparently, as well as the usual production meetings between the two sides you’d expect on a licensed game such as this, the team actually hired Dawn Kelly - a script-writer who was involved in the first two TV series - to work on the game and ensure that the characters spoke and acted in a manner consistent with the show.
Still, while all this accuracy and referencing is positive for Lost fans, it may also lead to a bit of head-scratching for those who’ve never watched the series before. Chubby chap Hurley is often hanging around ready to fill you in on some of the background, but - like his series character - he’s not always entirely “to the point”.
Music also plays a central, vital role in recreating the Lost atmosphere. The involvement of Michael Giacchino (the original composer for the show) can clearly be heard, and I can’t emphasize enough what a difference this makes. The familiar musical themes along with the show’s unique sounds also makes the game a surprisingly scary experience, and it’s worth noting this game carries a 16+ PEGI rating in the UK. Okay, it’s not Silent Hill, but like the survival horror, it’s a lot about what you can’t see than what you can.
Of course, it must be remembered that this game is targeted at casual at Lost fans, and not just super hardcore gamers. Meaning, the game clocks in around 10 - 15 hours. Perfect for taking it easy a few evenings a week, but maybe not so great if you want a longer committment of the like more commonly seen in shooters or RPGs. If you want to get more bang for your buck, there are a whole bunch of extra puzzles and easter eggs for you to uncover should you so wish - including a seemingly unused level of the game, set in a well-known series locale.
So, in summary, if you’re a Lost fan then you should absolutely love this game. The developers deserve big kudos for their success in recreating the distinct, unusual tone of the series. If you’re not, then you may well miss out on a lot of the references planted so tenderly, but its strong plot, dialogue, pacing and atmosphere ensures it’s still heads and tails above a lot of the usual TV/film tie-in rubbish you’ll have seen.
See you at the Black Rock.
