Lost in Play (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): August 10, 2022
- Release Date (EU): August 10, 2022
- Publisher: Joystick Ventures
- Developer: Happy Juice Games
- Genres: Point-and-click, puzzle
- Also For: Nintendo Switch
Game Features:
Oh no! Brother and sister duo Toto and Gal have been so caught up in their (creative) fantasy play that they’ve strolled way past their home and need to find a way back. To do so, they will, of course, conjure colourful scenarios that range from tickling the uvula of a giant sea creature in order to escape from its stomach to toppling an evil goblin by means of a touching story. Are the siblings’ adventure based in reality or are they simply lost in play? What does it matter if you’re having fun?!
As far as bearing cartoon-like aesthetics is concerned, Lost in Play knocks it out of the park. Every scene is colourfully depicted with fluid and lively animations, especially when you interact with NPCs. As Toto and Gal merge the physical world with their imaginary one, you’ll encounter a diverse array of original characters such as an old mechanic couple, card-playing goblins and even a magical toad. They each have their quirky set of animation that make them not only adorable but also memorable as they have their own missions tied to them. The attention paid in crafting the visuals is on display and it’s simply a treat. Going by that alone, Lost in Play already feels like playing a cartoon and a younger me would spend his whole weekend on this game for sure. Case in point, older me also didn't let go till he completed the game over the weekend.
Lost in Play’s controls is mostly a point-and-click affair as you occasionally take turns playing as either sibling solving puzzles and mini-games. Interactive elements of each scene are indicated by a bubble as you approach them. This can either lead to an action (such as picking up an item) or require you to combine an item that you’ve found to solve a puzzle. Puzzles are quite original and feel fresh. For example, early on you’ll figure out that, as Gal, you need to annoy Toto who is gaming on his handheld on the couch. This will lead Toto to move and allow you to find the clock's missing pendulum that will in turn give you a key if you arrange the arms at a particular time. This winds up having you wake up the pet dog with a bell which will lead to the need to solve a puzzle within the dog's dream.
Indeed, at times, once you’ve solved a puzzle, you’ll be thrown a mini game to complete. This aspect of games within games feels refreshing and right at home in Lost in Play’s creative setting. Developer Happy Juice Games also managed to keep every puzzle different from each other, often delightfully over the top and a pleasure to engage with.
As it’s often the case with point-and-click puzzlers, you might come across roadblocks as you attempt to solve a puzzle or mini-game. Luckily, Lost in Play’s developers took this into account and integrated a handy rewind and hint buttons for each puzzle. Rewinding can help you start again if you’ve figured out a new way to tackle a task and hints provide just enough details to nudge you in the right direction without ruining the fun in solving the puzzle.
Nevertheless, while some puzzles have a natural flow or an evident way to tackle, it's not always the case with each puzzle. That's where the hint comes in handy but ideally there should be a natural flow in each case. Hints are often found in the environment or by chatting with NPCs but it can be easy to forget that your movements aren't restricted to a single plane but you can also move up/down scenes. This is mostly due to the 2D nature of the visuals which led me to think that this was a side scrolling game. In addition, it's sometimes necessary to try the action button on an item more than once, which might not be too obvious.
I also thought that having an option to walk faster, run or even fast travel (through a map for example) between scenes felt missing. This is because several puzzles require you to backtrack and having a way to move faster to the desired location and back would be welcome.
What also felt lacking is a couch co-op mode. As you often swap between controlling Gal and Toto, sometimes even requiring you to cooperate, this could have been turned into a co-op feature.
This comment might be a part of me wanting to extend the fun with my Player 2 as Lost in Play is already a lot of fun as a single player game. It might be short (clocking at around 4-5 hours) and has some occasional loading between scenes that slightly break the flow of fun; but that’s because I couldn’t get enough of the game. This is because Lost in Play is an original, feel good game that’s well designed and plays well. Its nostalgic cartoon aesthetic and the playful, imaginative protagonist will rekindle memories from yesteryear when you were watching cartoons or indulging in fantasy play yourself. Bearing the indie price tag of $19.99/€17.99/£15.49, it’s well worth getting lost in this play.
Lost in Play - Launch Date Trailer
Verdict
- Adorable, cartoon-like visuals
- Original, over-the-top and delightful puzzles
- Refreshing aspect of having a succession of puzzles and mini games
- Not always obvious where interactive elements are in a scene
- No option to travel back and forth faster between scenes
- No couch co-op mode
