A few years back, I casually mentioned in the comments section of a piece I wrote about video game adaptations of Stephen King’s work that I’d love to see Don’t Nod tackle an adaptation of “It.” Now, with Don’t Nod’s latest project, “Lost Records: Bloom & Rage,” set to release in early 2025, it’s as if my dream is taking shape. This game seems to be drawing quite a bit of inspiration from King’s 1986 epic about a cosmic spider-clown and a band of unlikely heroes, and I couldn’t be more intrigued.
I should clarify, though, that I doubt anyone at Don’t Nod has been sifting through gaming site comments for ideas. It’s just thrilling to think I might be onto something when it comes to spotting promising concepts for story-driven adventure games. These are titles I’m deeply passionate about. Plus, since the 2017-2019 movie adaptations of “It” hit theaters, it feels like the right time for games inspired by that rendition to start emerging.
“Lost Records: Bloom & Rage” invites us to journey with a group of four friends across two pivotal timelines: their formative years as teenage outsiders in the 1990s and their present-day reunion as they face middle age after nearly thirty years apart. The precise time gap—27 years, to be exact—is a nod to “It” or simply one heck of a coincidence.
As in King’s tale, these friends went their separate ways after stumbling upon something bizarre in the woods near their town—a discovery that crashed their relatable coming-of-age saga. The detail of this mysterious find is hazy in the trailers, but we see it nestled at the bottom of a crater, casting an eerie purple glow. Feel free to draw some conclusions there.
Currently, there’s not much more to share about “Lost Records,” thanks to the deliberately cryptic marketing strategy surrounding it. It’s all about tantalizing hints and holding back key details. Even though I had an inkling of the premise, I’m preparing myself for surprises come its two-part release in February and March.
Though “Lost Records” is particularly tailored to my interests, it’s not the only game making early 2025 an exciting prospect. While major blockbuster releases seem scarce, the upcoming months are packed with mid-level titles that are too prominent to be merely considered indie.
I’m particularly looking forward to “Split Fiction,” a collaboration between Hazelight and EA Originals. It features two authors—one crafting science fiction, the other fantasy—trapped in an AI-produced world inspired by their creations. This is a nod both to genre-blending and to the joys of couch co-op, which Hazelight routinely champions.
Also worth mentioning are “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2” in February, promising more medieval realism, “Two Point Museum” in March, for some quirky city planning, and “The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy” in April, a strategic marvel from the minds behind Danganronpa and Zero Escape.
Some years, it’s all about the big blockbuster games, while others belong to the indies. If 2025 turns into a year where we enjoy a treasure trove of delightful double-A games in every nerdy niche, it looks like there won’t be any room for complaints.
