Lost in Harmony Review

Name: Lost in Harmony
System: Nintendo Switch
Publisher: Playdius
Developer: Digixart Entertainment

(Review code kindly provided by Playdius)

On the night of its release, I received a review code for ‘Lost in Harmony’ on Nintendo Switch.  Having just finished playing through the game’s first story, I felt compelled to share my experience ASAP.

Kaito’s Adventure

The game’s first story is called Kaito’s Adventure.  It’s a deep and emotional story that makes the gamer forget they’re playing a rhythm game.  The entire mode consists of 14 dreams, and in between each dream, Kaito converses with Aya via text message. It’s clear from the start that a strong bond exists between both individuals, and that both Kaito and Aya’s journey will involve hope, sadness, and loss.  Without divulging too many details about the story, I can honestly say that I was hooked as soon as I read the first text message.  The storyline is powerful, and emotive, and it’s obvious that each musical piece was carefully selected in order to increase its impact.

Gameplay   

Lost in Harmony is a music rhythm game.  If you’re familiar with such games then you’ll be well-equated with the game’s mechanics.  Each stage or dream consists of skateboarding through various scenarios that reflect upon Kaito and Aya’s relationship.  Kaito rides his Skateboard with Aya holding onto his back, and the objective is to skate, avoid obstacles, and when required, rhythmically press buttons (a,b,x, y)  in time with the music.  If like me, you’re not accustomed to playing games of this type, the controls may feel overwhelming at first, but with a little patience, they’ll soon start to feel less daunting.

My Lost in Harmony review for #NintendoSwitch is due soon. pic.twitter.com/ZYFyq0sxSQ

— Jonathan Davies (@weloveninty) June 22, 2018

When Kaito skates, he skates outwards rather than inwards, and obstacles come from both front and behind. Arrows appear in front of Kaito to identify when obstacles lay ahead, where as those from behind can be clearly seen moving towards you in the background.  There are also obstacles that come at you from the side which are indicated by side arrows.  Every obstacle appears and must be avoided in time with the music.  Some obstacles can be avoided simply by moving Kaito left and right, whereas others may require him to either jump up, left or right.  As the game progresses, the player will have to avoid a succession of obstructions with far greater precision.

The hardest part of the game without doubt are the sections that requires gamers to rhythmically press the controller’s XYAB buttons in time with the music.  At times things can get fast and frantic which may lead to frustration, particularly when story progression depends on getting a pass grade.  Sadly, the game only has normal and hard difficulty modes, but I personally think it could benefit from an additional easy mode in order to help nonrhythmic players to progress through the story.

Sound, Visuals, and Controls

The game boasts hand drawn graphics that are pleasing to the eye.  It does however suffer from the odd graphical issue such as eagles literally flying through hills, but such things are few and far between.  The soundtrack is a delight, and it was this in conjunction with the game’s engaging storyline that encouraged me to play through Kaito’s Adventure so quickly.

Listen to "Lost in Time", a mesmerizing song composed by @wyclef exclusively for Lost in Harmony! https://t.co/tbCzdmExDA #NintendoSwitch #Nindies #indiegames #indiedev #ost

— Lost in Harmony (@LiHgame) June 23, 2018

Unlike the mobile version of the game, the Switch version benefits from precise thumb stick controls, but mobile players may struggle a little with keypresses, after becoming accustomed to tapping and swiping a touchscreen.

After Kaito

The Switch version also includes a second tale about a robotic rhythm robot called M.I.R.A.I.  As of yet, I’ve spent little time with this additional mode, but according to one source, “the game’s challenge has been increased.”   I shall spend more time with Lost in Harmony and M.I.R.A.I’s story, and perhaps add an additional paragraph to this review at a later date.

In Conclusion

Some may wonder why I decided to type this review prior to playing the additional mode.  Well, Kaito’s Adventure is worth the price of admittance alone.  The story produces a roller coaster of emotions, and it’s rare for any game to move me to tears, but Lost in Harmony did just that.  As another reviewer states, “(Kaiko’s story is) a story that needs to be shared.”