Lost: Via Domus
A video game adaptation of the television series Lost.
Lost: Via Domus, also marketed as Lost: The Video Game in Europe, is a video game based on the ABC television series Lost. It was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 in February 2008, after the third season of the series. The game features a new protagonist, Elliott Maslow, a survivor of the plane crash, and includes characters and locations from the show, with some original cast members providing voices and composer Michael Giacchino creating the score.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher
- Ubisoft
- Producer
- Gadi Pollack
- Designer
- Adrien Banet-Rivet
- Composer
- Michael Giacchino
- Programmer
- Alex Parlour
- Artist
- Wilson Mui
- Writer
- Kevin Shortt
- Damon Lindelof
- Carlton Cuse
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The game is divided into seven episodes, each plotted by the show's executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. The timeline coincides with the first 70 days of the television series. Elliott Maslow awakens on the Island after the crash of Flight 815 and explores the jungle, finding a dead passenger and a mysterious woman who disappears and reappears. He meets Kate, has a flashback to the plane where he sees the marshal and Kate in handcuffs, and promises to keep her secret. Following Walt's dog Vincent to the crash site, Jack tells Elliott to shut off the fuselage to prevent an explosion. Elliott admits to Jack that he cannot remember anything, and Jack diagnoses amnesia, suggesting he find his belongings. Kate directs him to a backpack near the camp, but Elliott is attacked by a man called Beady Eyes, who demands a camera. The next day, Elliott sees Jack, Kate, and Charlie fleeing the Monster. Kate explains that Jack guards the jungle entrance after the encounter. Elliott recalls that a flight attendant stowed his camera in the cockpit, believing it might restore his memory. He sees the woman again and has a flashback to a vacation in Thailand where they were in a relationship and stole a boat. Elliott tricks Jack by claiming Claire fainted, then heads to the cockpit. Locke stops him in banyan trees, but Elliott avoids the Monster by hiding in those trees. He retrieves his laptop and camera, but is knocked out by Ben, Juliet, and Tom.
Gameplay
The player controls Elliott Maslow, a photojournalist with amnesia. Gameplay involves fetch quests and puzzle solving similar to Resident Evil. Flashbacks, a key storytelling device from the show, are used and are often as revealing to the character as to the player. Players explore locations from the series such as the beach camp, dark territory, The Pearl Station, The Hydra Station, the Flame station, the Black Rock, and the Swan Station. Interaction with major characters like Sawyer, Jack, Sun, Kate, Ben, Juliet, and Locke is included. Elliott must avoid the Black Smoke monster, trade with other survivors, and take photos with a camera.
Development
Ubisoft secured the rights to a Lost video game from Touchstone Television on May 22, 2006, targeting a late February 2008 release. After a long silence, Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse confirmed on an April 16, 2007 podcast that the game was in production and they had viewed playable footage. The project finally surfaced publicly at Comic-Con 2007.
Reception
Lost: Via Domus received mixed reviews from critics. The Xbox 360 version holds a score of 55 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 50 reviews. Critics felt the game was most enjoyable for die-hard Lost fans, with 1Up.com calling it fan service through and through. The game was criticized for its short length, with IGN citing completion in 4 to 6 hours and GameSpot claiming it was too short to justify full price. Stand-in voice actors were also criticized, with IGN describing Locke as an old-timey prospector and Sawyer as Huckleberry Hound. However, Eurogamer praised the game for creating a new character that fits the series timeline without feeling like an aberration, and the graphics and presentation received praise. IGN summarized that Via Domus is a game for fans that only fans can appreciate, yet will disappoint almost every Lost fan.
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