Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 (aka part 1) has been released, and I had a good time playing it. I was hit with nostalgia but also mystery and intrigue, as well as fear. I, along with many others, am certainly looking forward to what Tape 2, or Part 2, will bring, especially after the dramatic conclusion of Tape 1. I really hope that several burning questions left lingering from Tape 1 will be answered in Tape 2, and I don’t doubt that they will.
We have a month yet to wait until Tape 2 is released (April 15th, to be exact). It was originally set to come out in March, just a month after Tape 1, but it was delayed by Don’t Nod so they could finalize the second tape, as well as give us players more time to play Tape 1 and reflect on what happened and what will happen next.
I’m eager to play, but I’m also glad in a way for this extra time, because I would love to speculate on what will happen in the concluding chapter of Lost Records, especially as there is little to no information online. In fact, I’d like to share some of my thoughts right here, right now.
Please be aware – and this probably goes without saying – but as I discuss Lost Records, I will be talking about major spoilers from Tape 1, in order to make guesses on what could happen in Tape 2. Also, remember that this is just my own speculation, based on gameplay from Tape 1, as well as the trailers I rewatched. I hope you enjoy my theories, and please feel free to share your own thoughts in the comments.
If you want to play Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, Tape 1 is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Tape 2 will become available in a free update; you will not have to pay for it separately.
Kat’s Illness
This first discussion reveals a big spoiler for Tape 1 and one that is really burning for me: what will happen with Kat’s illness in Tape 2?
The Reveal
At the very end of Tape 1, Kat collapsed during a show put on by the four girls (Swann, Autumn, Nora, and Kat) after she started rebelling and yelling. Before she collapsed, her nose started bleeding quite badly, and any Life is Strange player will be familiar with this. It’s easy to assume, this being one of Don’t Nod’s games, that Kat is about to reveal some hidden power, explaining the mysterious activity in the woods.
No. Nothing supernatural happens. Kat just collapses, shocking us all. Then, if that wasn’t bad enough, her concerned and angry sister Dylan reveals the truth: Kat has Leukemia. And with that, Kat is bundled away in a pick-up truck and taken away.
Poor, poor Kat! I felt so gutted. I noticed her coughing earlier in the tape before this bombshell was dropped, and did wonder if something was going on. It gave me Arthur Morgan with Tuberculosis vibes from Red Dead Redemption 2, when he starts coughing midway through his playthrough, and you can sense something is amiss. I got this same feeling with Kat, although I never guessed it was Leukemia.
After learning of Kat’s diagnosis, what awaits her in Tape 2?
How Much Time?
I don’t claim to be an expert on Leukemia. I remember watching that Charlie Brown episode covering the topic many years ago and I learned a bit about it then. I do know that Leukemia can be treated. However, from what Dylan tells the girls, Kat’s prognosis isn’t looking that good. According to Dylan, Kat’s running out of time. Does that mean Kat’s illness is terminal, or she’s been treated and it hasn’t worked? Whatever it is, it’s not looking good for Kat.
Is Kat Dead…
With this in mind, it makes you wonder just how long Kat has. In the present day of Tape 1, Kat was the only character of the four not to appear. Why is this?
- Is Kat absent because she’s long since passed away?
- Does this mean she could die during Tape 2, either on-screen or off-screen?
…Or Alive?
None of the three women seemed to state this outright, so it could be possible that she’s still alive. However, if she is still alive…
- Will the shock twist be that Kat does make an appearance as an adult in Tape 2?
- If Kat is still alive, was it her who sent that mysterious package, the one that is yet to be opened?
If this is true, it makes sense as all four girls know about the abyss and swirling lights, which is what’s drawn on the box.
How much time does Kat have left exactly?
What This Could Mean for Tape 2
But with Kat’s illness now out there, what does this mean for Tape 2, other than Kat possibly dying? It’s noted that Kat is from a strict family, and her older sister Dylan is certainly very bossy with her, but it’s clear that Dylan is only looking out for her, particularly with her devastating illness.
Kat’s Illness and Her Friends
Following Kat’s collapse during the performance, this could lead to several outcomes shown in Tape 2.
- Will Dylan blame Swann, Autumn, and Nora for Kat collapsing?
- Will Dylan order them to keep away from Kat, and instruct Kat to stay away from them?
- Will Kat be forced to stay at home, in fear that she’s too sick to go out, especially if she gets herself into trouble?
Kat’s Rebellious Nature
But Kat is very rebellious, probably the most of the four girls. She doesn’t seem the type to let anything hold her back, including a deadly illness. But what does this mean for Tape 2?
- Will she continue to rebel against her family, including Dylan?
- Will Kat be more fired up than ever, her illness fuelling her rebellion and proving that she’s got plenty of life left to give before her time comes?
- Is her rebelliousness caused by anger about her situation, her family being strict and her illness?
- If Kat knows she doesn’t have much time left, will this lead to her making some dangerous choices?
Kat and the Incident
We haven’t seen everything that’s happened in 1995 yet, so we don’t yet know what was so traumatic that happened that caused the girls to vow to not speak of it… until 27 years later. It does make you wonder:
- Kat may indeed have died, but what if the three girls blamed themselves?
- Did something happen that caused Kat’s early demise, despite it already being cut short due to the Leukemia?
- Do the three woman look guilt-ridden in 2022 because they feel – or maybe even are – responsible for Kat’s death?
Is Kat’s illness linked to the mysterious goings on in Lost Records?
Corey and Dylan
I really want to talk about Kat’s sister Dylan and her boyfriend Corey. These two appear in 1995 in Tape 1 and are the other prominent characters who appear alongside the four main characters. Corey and Dylan don’t have that many appearances, but they’re significant enough to leave their mark.
The Antagonists… or Not?
You could say that Corey and Dylan are the antagonists of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, at least in Tape 1… and at least to start with. These two certainly come off as rather unpleasant, especially Corey. It starts when Dylan angrily accuses Swann of filming her, and then Corey appears and bullies a reluctant Swann into filming him. It’s not a pleasant encounter, especially when Corey and Dylan call Swann nasty names. And then Kat appears and comes to Swann’s aid, which sparks their new friendship.
From watching some of the trailers and playing Tape 1, I felt that Corey and Dylan were the antagonists, out to cause trouble for the four girls. I kept thinking they were going to do something unpleasant towards them. However, they’re not as warped and twisted and psychotic as other characters, like Henry Bowers from Stephen King’s It, or even Ace from Stand by Me (or The Body if you want to reference the original story). They don’t physically harm or abuse the girls. They just show up, shout at them, maybe swear and call names, but they haven’t physically hurt anyone.
What roles will Corey and Dylan play in Tape 2? Are they really the main antagonists, or just a minor threat to the four girls?
The Performance at the Bar
In the last segment of 1995 in Tape 1, when the girls put on their show outside the bar, Corey and Dylan are there, and their interactions are interesting. As the girls play their music, Corey is watching and listening, and he appears to look interested. But why?
- As the girls are singing their own original song, See You in Hell, do the lyrics resonate with Corey?
- Or does he just think they’re good musicians, despite his obvious antagonism towards them?
What’s interesting is that he seemed to be dismissive of the girls whatever they did, and he seemed out to break Kat away from them. But the key point we’re exploring here is: what could this subtle interest in their song be about?
As for Dylan, she storms out of the bar where she works, angry at Kat and the other girls. But there is good reason for this:
- As Dylan works at the bar, she could lose her job.
- When you listen to Kat and Dylan argue, it does become clear that Dylan really does care about her younger sister.
- Dylan already knows that Kat is sick, so she probably just wants to protect Kat and keep her safe.
- Dylan becomes upset when Kat collapses and blurts out to her friends that Kat is seriously ill. It’s like she wanted to warn the girls off and now they’re reaping the consequences of pushing things too far.
Before the big reveal, I thought Dylan was just being a mean, bossy sister, trying to control Kat too much and spoil her fun. Looking back though, Dylan’s heart was in the right place, and she was just looking out for her sick little sister.
The devastating news about Kat is revealed after a rebellious performance from the girls.
Keeping Secrets
With this mega revelation, there is one thing that has been bugging me a little: why weren’t the girls told about Kat’s diagnosis before?
- If Dylan thought that Kat might get seriously sick and push herself too far, why didn’t Dylan tell the girls before?
- Why didn’t Kat herself tell the girls, especially since they were her friends?
- Shouldn’t Kat’s friends have been told that she was ailing and they needed to be careful with her?
This is true enough, but on the other hand:
- Did Kat swear Dylan not to tell, not wanting to spoil what they had together?
- Did Kat see hanging out with her friends as a way of getting away from her troubles?
- At home, were Kat’s family strict with her because of her diagnosis? If so, with her friends, did this mean she could just be herself?
Will They Appear in Tape 2?
So, this was all Tape 1. What about Tape 2? After their prominent appearances during Tape 1, it seems more than likely that Corey and Dylan will make further appearances in Tape 2.
- With Kat’s Leukemia now known to her friends, does this mean Dylan and Corey will be more hostile than ever towards them?
- Could they see the girls as a threat to Kat’s already ailing health?
- Will they forbid Kat from continuing to hang out with her friends?
There have been images of a character in a wolf mask, which we didn’t see in Tape 1, with the girls being chased through the woods by something. This sparks some questions:
- Is this masked figure Corey trying to warn the girls off, scare them out of the woods?
- If so, is he doing this as a mean prank, or is he following Dylan’s orders?
It also makes me wonder if the incident that happened in 1995 involved Corey and Dylan. They wouldn’t appear in the first tape for no good reason. As Tape 1 is building up to Tape 2, this seems likely that they will have a significant role that might lead to more shocking events.
We’ll probably be seeing more of Dylan and Corey in Tape 2, but will they bring more trouble?
The Package
In the present day scenes, the big subject – not to mention the reason why the women reunited years later – is a mysterious box that Autumn’s mother received on her doorstep, 27 years after the incident. It’s not just any box. It’s wrapped in newspapers and has the name of the girls’ band on it, Bloom & Rage. It also has writing on it, saying things like “Remember 1995”. There are also strange swirls on the box, which has to reference the abyss.
What’s Inside?
The three women seemed unnerved at the mere sight of the box. They certainly don’t rush to open it, at least not in Tape 1. With the box’s contents a mystery, this leaves us with several questions. Just what is in the box?
- Since Bloom & Rage is a band, it could be something to do with that.
- It could possibly be one of Kat’s old journals, if the package is about her.
- It may be something to do with dark magic, left over from the strange lights and abyss the girls saw in 1995.
- Without all the answers, it’s very hard to guess. It could be anything.
- Whatever it is, it could really shake the women up once they open it.
Who Sent It?
But there’s another question: who sent the box in the first place? There are a few obvious suspects, such as:
- Corey and Dylan, if they’re still alive in 2022. They could easily blame the women for the past events.
- If she’s still alive, could it be Kat?
If it is Kat, this could make some sense. She knows about the abyss, which explains the swirls on the box. If Kat did send it, why?
- Did she want to remind the women of what happened, if she was involved?
- Did Kat orchestrate the reunion?
- Is Kat out for revenge? Does she blame them for the incident?
- Could Kat still be influenced by the magic surrounding the abyss?
The package is a big source of mystery in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. Hopefully in Tape 2, we’ll find out what’s inside and possibly even who sent it in the first place, which sparked the reunion.
What answers does this mysterious package hold?
27 Years Later
There’s a big gap in time between 1995 and 2022, 27 years in fact. 1995 is the year that not only the girls met and formed their band, but also when the mysterious unknown incident occurred. 2022 is when they finally meet up again. 27 years is a very long time, and the women are now in their middle age years, being teenagers in 1995. They’ve all moved on, got jobs, got married, living in different places.
The question is: why now?
- Why wait 27 years to send that package?
- What prompted the mystery person to send that package?
- Has something recently happened to stir up this old incident?
- If this is related to Kat, did someone who knows her come across one of her possessions linked to the incident? Did they then decide to send it to the women to remind them as well?
What Is the Incident?
In the present day scenes, interesting behavior is noted from the women. From what we’ve seen so far:
- They all seem quite pleased to see each other after so long.
- It’s clear that the meeting is an uncomfortable one,
- The meeting has stirred up old memories they probably wanted to leave buried.
- Some of them even seem reluctant to talk about it at all.
- However, they also seem keen to try and recall what happened.
Being such a long time, they may have a difficult time remembering. They also probably wanted to forget about it and move on, only to be forced to remember. Even though the details are shaky, they know it was something really bad. Piece by piece, as the flashbacks are shown, we learn a little more.
What happened in the past that shook up the group?
What About Kat?
There’s something else I find quite interesting, and that’s the subject of Kat. Not only is she not at the reunion, but also:
- The women don’t seem to be openly talking about Kat. They share their fond memories of her, but they don’t discuss what happened to her.
- They don’t mention Kat’s illness, so we get the big shock reveal at the end of Tape 1.
- They don’t even say whether she’s still alive
- They also don’t state whether or not Kat’s coming to the reunion.
Kat’s absence in 2022 is noticeable and hard to ignore. It really does make you wonder if she will appear in Tape 2 as an adult.
Meeting at the Bar Years Later
There’s one final observation I wanted to share regarding the 2022 segments.
- The women appeared uncomfortable while meeting at the bar. Were they worried about being recognized due to being former residents of Velvet Cove, not to mention the incident of 1995?
- Why has no one recognized them so far? Have the residents simply forgotten, or have they all moved on?
- If they are nervous, why meet at a place like the bar, especially as that’s where their concert took place?
- Why not meet up somewhere else, somewhere quieter? Did they purposely want to go somewhere with people, so they weren’t alone?
- Are they afraid of the abyss or strange goings-on happening again while they’re there?
- Will something happen at the bar in Tape 2?
- Could an older Corey and Dylan make an appearance?
Swann reunites with her old friends Autumn and Nora, but what about Kat?
The Cabin in the Woods
For me, one of the scariest moments in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage was discovering the cabin in the woods. Because they find it at night, after becoming lost in the woods, it does play off a bit like a suspenseful horror movie.
The Discovery
I was so nervous when Swann entered the cabin alone, looking around. I honestly thought someone was going to be there, hiding, ready to attack or make their presence known. As it turned out, the cabin was abandoned, and the girls decided to make it their new den.
After giving it a good clean and putting all their own stuff in it, the cabin did look more homely and inviting. However, that doesn’t completely remove all the creepiness surrounding the place.
Mystery
I was intrigued by the cabin, and it left me with some questions.
- Who owned it originally?
- Why was it abandoned?
- Did this place have something to do with the abyss that appears later?
- Maybe the original owner practiced some kind of witchcraft? This may explain things.
- If the old owner is still around, are they upset that the girls have taken it over? It certainly looks as if it’s been abandoned for a long time, so possibly not.
- Is there some odd magic about the cabin that influences the girls? If so, is Kat the most influenced as she’s feeling especially vulnerable at that point?
I hope that in Tape 2, we’ll learn a bit more about the cabin and who may have resided there before. This place is so significant, and for me steeped in mystery. Like everything else we’ve seen so far in Lost Records, it has to be there for a reason, and not just as a place for the girls to turn into a hideout.
Will we learn more about the cabin in Tape 2?
The Abyss
There’s one more thing that we must discuss about Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, and that’s the mysterious abyss. This appears towards the end of Tape 1. It’s first discovered by Kat, followed by Swann, and then Autumn and Nora. This is a big hole in the ground with a seemingly bottomless pit and odd rippling purple and pink lights that appears from nowhere during the night in a clearing in the woods.
Earlier, when the girls found this place, Kat made the girls do a blood pact, as well as talking about their composed song, See You in Hell. It seems too coincidental that these actions led to the abyss appearing.
Kat and the Abyss
I thought that when Kat found the abyss, she was acting oddly. It left me thinking:
- Why did Kat have a hypnotized look about her, like she was enchanted by the abyss?
- Why wasn’t Kat scared when she found the abyss?
- Why didn’t she run back and tell the girls?
- Since Swann was led to the abyss by the moths, is this how Kat found it too?
Moths aren’t the only wildlife associated with the abyss. Crows appear around it as well. Crows are supposed to be the symbol of death. Reflecting after finishing Tape 1, this got me wondering:
- If Kat’s dying from Leukemia, and the crows symbolize death, does this mean her illness caused the abyss to appear?
- Was it really Kat’s blood ritual that made the abyss appear?
- Could the abyss have appeared because of both Kat’s illness and her blood ritual?
- Or is this all just a coincidence and Kat had nothing to do with it?
There’s something off about the abyss. Does it contain good or bad magic, or both?
A Special Kind of Magic
After studying the abyss, the girls decide to offer a tribute, throwing something into the abyss. Nora, for example, throws in her guitar pick. Then each girl adds their own item. Then they each make a wish as they do so. It appears that the abyss heeds their wishes, as the light is seen rising inside.
Later on, after a heated confrontation with Corey, something very odd happens. He starts clutching his head as if in pain, and the lights from the abyss can be seen. This could be an ominous hint.
- Does this mean the girls really have conjured something magic up, unintentionally or otherwise?
- Is this a foreshadowing that something will happen to Corey in Tape 2?
- What else could happen based on this unusual incident?
- Is this special magic good or bad? Or both?
Have the girls somehow stirred up something mystical in the woods?
Odd Incidents Surrounding the Lead-Up to the Abyss
This isn’t the only time odd things have happened, and this is before the girls come across the abyss.
The Strange Figure
The first is when the girls are playing back the music video they made. Everything’s fine and normal, and then suddenly, the lights and TV flicker, and the strange lights appear. That’s not all though. Eagle-eyed players have spotted a dark figure in the same scene, which doesn’t belong to any of the four girls.
- Who is this strange figure?
- Is the figure Celine, the original owner of the cabin?
- Since this incident takes place before the girls find the cabin, does this mean that Celine played some part in influencing the girls to find it? If so, why?
- Did she want them also to find the abyss and unlock its powers?
- Or is this simply a game glitch?
Kat and Five Finger Fillet
The other incident involving magic takes place when the girls have their sleepover in the cabin, just before the abyss is first discovered. Kat plays a risky game of Five Finger Fillet, using a knife. I was honestly on edge watching her, scared she’d chop off a finger! Thankfully, she didn’t – but something did happen.
As Kat played with the knife, she began to behave strangely. She seemed almost possessed, an odd look in her eye. She moved faster and faster with the knife, probably rivalling the best FFF players from Red Dead Redemption. And then, as she slammed the knife into the table, a strange light appeared from it. She also slightly cut her finger. This was certainly an odd moment. Will we see more strange behavior from Kat in Tape 2? I believe we will. Something tells me this is just the beginning.
The abyss might bring trouble for the girls later on.
What We Do Know About Tape 2 So Far
Part of the reason why I wanted to share all of my thoughts about Tape 2 of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is that so far, not much information has been revealed about it. That’s not to say that nothing exists at all. We can make theories on what will happen next, but we can also deduce based on what was shown, even if they were just quick snippets, from the trailers.
What the Trailers Revealed
Much of the trailers show stuff that we’ve already seen and encountered in Tape 1. However, there were a few scenes that we haven’t yet witnessed, meaning they will take place in Tape 2.
Running in the Woods
In one series of clips, we can see the girls running away from something in the woods at night. This didn’t happen in Tape 1.
- Recalling the mystery person in the wolf mask, is this what the girls are running from?
- Is it something else entirely? Perhaps the magic of the woods are showing their dark side?
One trailer shows the girls running from something at night in the woods – but what?
Fire
Another bunch of clips showed something very dramatic: the cabin and woods being on fire. There’s a clip of Autumn desperately trying to open the cabin door while Nora watches on, the cabin appearing to be on fire.
- How did the fire start?
- Why are the girls trapped?
- Did someone lock them in?
Kat
Another brief scene showed Kat standing in the middle of the woods while the flames rose around her.
- Could she have potentially started the fire?
- Did the magic influence her?
Nora
The last fire-related clip showed Nora appearing to collapse unconscious as the fire raged around her. We know Nora survives because she’s alive and well in the present day of Tape 1, but what happened to her here?
- Did she get overwhelmed by the smoke from the fire?
- Was she injured by someone or something?
I’m very excited about Tape 2 of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage and what’s to come next, what mysteries will be answered, what will happen to all the characters, and what will happen in the past and present. We might get a new trailer for Tape 2, but then we might not. In the meantime, until Tape 2 releases on April 15th, we’ll just have to wait and see and keep guessing!
