Lost in Play is an aptly titled point-and-click game that's wrapped nicely with gorgeous animations and a lovely story. The puzzles have just the right amount of difficulty without any dialogue, and the game is well-paced at just under 4 hours. It perfectly captures the beauty and wonder of imagination, and reminds us all that when you've got a childlike heart, anything is possible.
There are some fairly fetch quests involved, but also a range of interesting mini-games and environmental puzzles – everything meshes up incredibly well. Add in the beautiful hand drawn visuals and animation and you have a title that is an almost essential experience for all ages.
Check-out my full review here: ****/reviews/lost-in-play
CHILDHOOD WONDER
I am not really a fan of point and click games, I’ve got nothing specific to complain about the genre tho. For some reason, these games just don’t sync with me, Disco Elysium is a very good example: Good story, great gameplay, interesting protagonist as well as multiple dialog choices, and yet, it’s accumulating virtual dust in my Steam library. So that makes me wonder, why I’ve loved Lost in Play so much? What kept my smile throughout my entire playthrough? Spoiler alert: The answer is probably something cheesy like: “It reminded me of my childhood days.”
You play as siblings Toto and Gal, both embarking on an epic journey with lots of puzzles, visual spectacles and silly jokes. Throughout my short, but rich, 4 hour playthrough I've explored: a goblin camp, a haunted cave, a big desert, the open ocean and, of course, a living room. This game is the perfect example of quality over quantity, you will never get bored or feel like the game is not respecting your time.
SIMPLE PLEASURES
The game is quite simple and it is filled with a variety of distinct puzzles for you to solve. Most of them require you to collect specific items based on the necessity at hand. But don’t assume that this is another one of those “Fetch” quests, the puzzle variety is quite extensive and there are a lot of mini games at play to keep you entertained. Every puzzle is unique in its own way and I was quite impressed by some of them. Luckily, the puzzles are not the only factor that will keep you entertained.
Certain games will never look outdated even after decades of its release. That’s the result **** art direction, the visual presentation of a cartoon-style 2D game is timeless and won't go out of fashion in the years to come. And even if it did, I would still consider it a worthwhile experience.
Overall the game is quite polished and bug free, the performance is excellent and it works great on the Steam Deck, but there is definitely some space for improvement. The mouse and keyboard controls sometimes feel rather clunky and unresponsive, I highly recommend playing this game using a controller. Some specific puzzles are also frustratingly non intuitive, which made me lose a few minutes looking for something that was never intended to be found.
VERDICT
I loved this game so much that I even got my wife to embark on this adventure with me. Its the perfect game to have a great time with your family and be reminded that even adults can get lost in play.
The game is wonderful! I haven't even played it yet, I just looked at a complete gameplay, however, it made me want to have it in my hand. Play! It's a crazy and fun adventure.
While there were issues with puzzle design and difficulty, they were short lived as the game moves at a rather breezy pace, totalling around 5 hours, separated with each map taking roughly 30 minutes. The game would play well with all ages (though having a parent around would be most helpful for those trickier puzzles) but its presentation is what will keep families playing. It grabs and keeps your attention the entire time, making this game a joy to finish. It may lack a depth in its mechanics but makes up for its seamless animation and catchy musical score. It’s a fantastic freshman offering from indie dev Happy Juice Games and promises a bright future of things to come.
A short, sweet romp through a world of dreams, Lost in Play is a joyful celebration of imagination and play. Its gorgeously familiar cartoonish visuals and focus on endearingly absurd scenarios win over the frostiest of hearts. While some of its trickier puzzles may leave younger gamers stumped and even frustrate their parents, it’s impossible not to grin at the wacky antics Lost in Play loves to throw at you. Recommended as a little cosy treat for the young at heart.
Excellent game. The animations are AWESOME. You really think you're watching a cartoon. Story is cute and funny.
Game, overall, is really great. You'll definitely have fun playing it. And anyone can play it (my 6ys old daughter loved it also).
Hope they'll make another game like this one. Good job Happy Juice
"Lost in Play is one of my gaming highlights of 2022. It’s a beautiful, charming, and cleverly designed point and click puzzle adventure game with puzzles that rarely verge on the side of frustrating. This is going to be an experience I’ll remember for years to come, and I really hope it gets recognised as one of the best indie releases of the year. It deserves it.
The only issue with Lost in Play is that the developers are going to have a hard time topping it with their next release!"
****/2022/08/10/lost-in-play/
Summary Go on a feel-good adventure with a brother and sister as they explore dreamscapes and befriend magical creatures. Lost in their imagination, Toto and Gal must stick together and solve puzzles to journey back home. This whimsical puzzle adventure game will make you feel like you're playing a cartoon!