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Lost in Blue 3 by Konami, reviewed by Shaun Parese, planetutica.org B
Lost in Blue 3 begins with you selecting one of two playable characters, Sam or Claire. Both were passengers on a luxury passenger ship who now find themselves washed up on a desert island and suffering from partial amnesia. A few brief scenes that set up the last memorable events from on board the ship, revealing that your character has no clear indication of exactly why they are on the island. You then take control of your character and set about exploring your new surroundings.
Shortly into the game, the two main characters are reunited, both having washed ashore only a short distance away. It is revealed that Sam's memory loss is considerably significant, as he only has limited recollection of his history and initially doesn't even remember his own name.
The majority of the game play revolves around having your selected character explore the island and collect whatever they can find to help them survive the ordeal. Soon, you'll be cooking up coconut seaweed salad and crafting basic hand tools from objects in your environment.
Movement of your characters onscreen can be performed by using the more traditional combination of directional pad and face buttons or by tapping and dragging the stylus along the touch screen. The game takes full advantage of the Nintendo DS' touch screen and microphone in clever ways for several activities that play out like mini-games. See something sticking out of the ground and want to take a closer look? Tap the area with your stylus and then rub the screen to push aside the sand. Trying to start a fire? Blow into the DS microphone to help fan the flames. How about starting the tropical island edition of Iron Chef? Use the stylus to help chop ingredients or turn them on the grill.
Survival is the key theme to Lost in Blue 3 as each of the characters has their own individual meters for aspects such as fatigue, hunger and thirst, which are always slowly dropping. Being able to find and prepare a constant supply of food and drink is key to continuing your progress. Slowly you'll uncover new parts of the island to explore (in addition to new characters also trapped on the island) that will allow for new items and opportunities. A light mix of flashback sequences trickle in new threads to the plot and give you clues about the island and the events that led the characters there.
Graphically the game is on par with many other contemporary titles available on the Nintendo DS. The island is rendered well and fairly attractive and ambient sounds of the waves and wildlife around you sound fairly well through the small speakers. The music in the game is fairly minimal, which considering its basic nature and repetition is a good thing.
Speaking of repetition, much of the game play may wear on you, even after a few hours. The exploration of the island itself can be downright fun, but is broken up by the several mini games you must complete which may cause some overall frustration and at times feels like a distraction from propelling the storyline forward. In addition, keeping up your characters' health, thirst and fatigue may quick start to feel like a chore. In many cases the other character you locate in the game’s introduction (Claire, if you choose to play as Sam or Sam if you choose to begin as Claire) is largely dependent on you to (literally) lead them to or hand them what they need to survive. The lack of autonomy can be a little frustrating, especially if food or water may be within a few feet, you will still need to be there to babysit.
The similarities between Lost in Blue 3 and the television show LOST (as well as the new Lost videogame: Via Domus, whose main character awakes with severe amnesia) are many including the word LOST in the title, one of the main characters from LOST and Lost in Blue 3 are named Claire, flashbacks help propel the narrative and of course both sets of characters are stranded on an island and must survive. However, that being said, this game was created with a somewhat younger audience in mind, so older players shouldn’t expect a narrative as deep with as complex characters and mythology as an episode of LOST. The characters in Lost in Blue 3 will say and do what is needed to progress the game's plot, but sometimes the dialog can border on the (or at times be outright) ridiculous.
All things considered, Lost in Blue 3 is a fairly positive experience and a fun diversion. A few minor aspects of the game may turn you off at times from the overall adventure, but if these can be overlooked there is definitely enough substance to the game to make it fun and entertaining.
Shaun’s Final Score: 3/5
Product Description from Konami.Com
Lost in Blue 3 marks the return of the original “survival adventure” game for the Nintendo DS™. Guide one of four playable characters, each with their own hidden past and unique strengths, through exotic locales on a mysterious island while surviving the elements to stay alive. Work alone or cooperatively with other characters to gather food, explore the island, and hunt dangerous wildlife. Use a character’s abilities to dictate which path you’ll take to uncover the mysteries of the island and ultimately engineer your escape!
Features
- Guide one of four playable characters, each with their own unique strengths and talents that will impact how you explore the island.
- Each character’s past gradually unfolds throughout the adventure in several “flashback” episodes; revealed lost memories may provide clues to help them escape the island.
- Adjusted game balance lets players spend an equal amount of time between surviving the elements and having fun exploring the island.
- Take a departure from the harshness of island living and enjoy over 20 mini-games such as river rafting, engineering, and communicating with dolphins.
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