Lost in Random
A dark fairy-tale adventure where dice rolls determine combat and fate.
Lost in Random is an action-adventure game from 2021. It was created by the Swedish studio Zoink and released under Electronic Arts' EA Originals label. The game launched on 10 September 2021 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. This was Zoink's last project before the studio merged into Thunderful Development. Critics generally gave it positive reviews. A spin-off, *Lost in Random: The Eternal Die*, came out in June 2025.
The gameplay is third-person action-adventure. Fights take place on board-game-like arenas. Players roll a die named Dicey to advance, and the character Even is only safe when she reaches the final space on the board. In combat, Even uses a slingshot that doesn't harm enemies but makes them drop energy cubes. These cubes fuel Dicey. Once Dicey is fully charged, the player can roll it, freezing time. During this pause, the player picks a card—the only way to actually damage foes. There are five card types: Weapon, Damage, Defense, Hazard, and Cheat. Each offers different advantages, like turning Dicey into an explosive cube or letting the player set traps. Coins earned during the game unlock new cards. As the story progresses, Even recovers Dicey's lost pips, allowing her to roll higher numbers in combat.
The game includes light role-playing elements. While exploring the Kingdom of Random, Even and Dicey meet various non-playable characters. A dialogue wheel lets players choose how to respond during conversations.
The story begins in the Kingdom of Random, where a cursed black die decides everyone's fate at age 12. Anyone who rolls a six becomes a "Royal Sixer" and is taken by the Queen—including Even's twin sister, Odd. A year later, Even sneaks away from home, following a ghost across the six realms to rescue Odd. She meets Dicey, a sentient die missing most of its pips, who grants Even magical powers through Cards.
Even travels through each realm. In Two-Town, everyone has split personalities based on the Queen's roll. Threeburg is ruled by warring triplets, each blaming the others for their father's murder. Fourberg lies completely destroyed by the Queen. Fivetropolis, once where magical Cards were made, has become a factory churning out robots for the Queen. At Royal Six, Even finds the castle is a cardboard fake, and the entire queendom is overrun with black crystals.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Lost in Random
- Developer
- Zoink
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
- Director
- Olov Redmalm / Klaus Lyngeled
- Artist
- Victor Becker
- Writer
- Ryan North
- Composer
- Blake Robinson
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Windows · Xbox One · Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- 10 September 2021
- Genre
- Action-adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Lost in Random is set in the Kingdom of Random, where a cursed black die decides the fate of all individuals when they turn 12. Those who roll a six become a ward of the Queen as a 'Royal Sixer,' including Even's twin sister, Odd. A year later, Even secretly leaves home and journeys across the six realms of Random to rescue her sister, following a ghost. She meets Dicey, a sentient die that has lost nearly all its pips and allows Even to use magical powers in the form of Cards. The realms include Two-Town, where everyone has split personalities; Threeburg, ruled by triplets in constant war; Fourberg, completely destroyed by the Queen; Fivetropolis, a factory producing robots; and Royal Six, a hoax castle overrun with black crystals. Inside the Black Die, Even finds children being harvested for their nightmares to feed three dark gods. Odd has been corrupted by the Queen but is freed after defeat. The ghost is revealed to be Princess Natalya, the Queen's sister, who died by random chance. The Queen kept her in suspended animation by harvesting children, and abolished all dice to eliminate randomness. The Queen stays behind to fight the dark lords as Even, Odd, Dicey, and the other children escape on umbrellas.
Reader's Guide
Lost in Random is notable for its unique combat system that blends real-time action with deck-building. Combat takes place in arenas resembling game boards, where players use Even's slingshot to make enemies drop energy cubes that fuel Dicey. Rolling Dicey temporarily stops time, allowing players to select from five card types—Weapon, Damage, Defense, Hazard, and Cheat—to deal damage or gain advantages. Cards are earned by collecting coins, and recovering Dicey's lost pips enables higher rolls. The game also features light role-playing elements, including a dialogue wheel for conversations with non-playable characters. Critics praised the distinct theming of each realm and the Burtonian atmosphere, though some noted that combat encounters and quests could feel lengthy. The game was an official selection for the inaugural Tribeca Games Award. Its development was inspired by dark fairy tales, stop-motion animation, and works such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Over the Garden Wall. The soundtrack was composed by Blake Robinson, and the story was penned by Ryan North.
Did You Know?
- Lost in Random was the final game developed by Zoink before their consolidation into Thunderful Development.
- The game's combat system requires players to roll Dicey to temporarily stop time and select cards to damage enemies.
- The ghost Even follows throughout the game is revealed to be Princess Natalya, the Queen's sister.
- A spin-off titled Lost in Random: The Eternal Die was released in June 2025.
More in Adventure Games of the 2020s, Part 2 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced