Lost in Play review — Whimsical homage to puzzle adventures of old

Point-and-click puzzle adventures tried to make a comeback but seemingly didn’t. Back in the 90s, the genre was prevalent, but now it’s rare to see a good example of it. That’s why I didn’t expect much from Lost in Play, which seemed quirky and neat enough, but I got suspicious after the trailer that showed very little of the actual gameplay. Well, I am glad I did because the surprise of learning that this game is brilliant was even more pleasant. 

Lost in Play is a game about imagination. Basically, it’s the same idea as Rugrats, but in a modern Gravity Falls-ish style. Style is everything for this game, which looks and sounds amazing. It is an absolute treat to see our two heroes, Toto and Gal, run around and solve puzzles. Even though it’s a smaller game, only lack of voice acting (sorry, I don’t buy that it’s an inclusivity feature) gives away its modest beginnings.

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While the game doesn’t sound as good as it looks (gibberish is fine, but real voice acting would have been fantastic), it does have a charismatic soundtrack that adds to the atmosphere. Still, it’s a game and not a cartoon (even though it’s easy to forget about it sometimes), so what about the gameplay? All good!

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Actually, I have very little to be negative about. I was promised an excellent old-style point-and-click puzzle adventure, and that’s what I got. There are LOTS of puzzles and mini-games, all clever and rarely too easy or too hard. And while the game is aimed at kids, it’s never overly easy and often tastes your wit. Unlike those incredible but infuriatingly challenging action adventures of old, here we have a helpful tip system, but it never outright tells you the solution. In the end, you have to do it yourself. As a person who’s extremely bad at puzzles, I had to rack my brains a lot, but I never needed to Google the solution (and since I was playing before the release day, I wouldn’t have found anything anyway). It’s extremely rare to see a well-balanced game in this genre.

Verdict

Lost in Play is a wholesome, whimsical game about sibling love and rivalry. It looks and plays beautifully, and it’s impossible to find faults with it. Don’t let it become a hidden gem!