Lost: Via Domus Hands-On
We find our way to Ubisoft's San Francisco office and score some quality time with a near-finished version of the Lost game.
If you're a fan of the Lost TV show, you're no doubt aware that the long wait for season four is almost over. If you're also a fan of games, which is implied by the fact that you're reading this, you should likewise be aware that a game inspired by the popular show is scheduled for release next month. We've seen very little of Lost: Via Domus since it was announced more than 18 months ago, which is why we jumped at the chance to check out a near-finished Xbox 360 version of the game during a recent visit to Ubisoft's San Francisco office.
Set during the first two seasons of Lost, Via Domus is an adventure game in which you'll assume the role of an all-new character whose storyline intertwines with those of other castaways instantly recognizable from the show. Your name is Elliott, you were a passenger on the Oceanic 815 flight out of Sydney that crashed on an uncharted island somewhere in the Pacific, and--like oh so many game protagonists before you--you're suffering from amnesia. None of the other survivors on the island know who you are except for one, and given that he makes it clear early on that he dislikes (read: wants to kill) you, there's really only one person who can help you to remember, and that's you.
You'll piece together your fragmented memories via playable flashback sequences that involve more shooting than perhaps any other aspect of the game--with a camera, that is. It seems that your character was a photojournalist in his previous life, and after being afforded a look at torn pieces of a photograph, your goal in each flashback sequence is to take the photo depicted in them. For example, the first flashback takes place while flight 815 is boarding and tasks you with shooting a photo of the handcuffed fugitive Kate being handed a bottle of water by the marshal who's escorting her onto the plane. Having successfully completed that flashback--in which you'll also have an opportunity to look around the plane and at your precrash possessions--you'll remember seeing Kate's predicament in the present day and will have the option to broach the subject with her in a subsequent conversation.
It should come as no surprise to anyone even vaguely familiar with Lost that Via Domus isn't a shooter; there's not nearly enough ammunition on the island for that. Rather, Lost: Via Domus is a story-driven adventure game in which action scenes will serve to punctuate quests that primarily involve exploration and conversation. The only truly action-oriented sequence that we saw during our demo, in fact, was when we were chased through the jungle by the Black Smoke (it's exactly what it sounds like: a big, black cloud of smoke). The chase played out much like those you might have previously experienced in platform games: We used the analog stick to run and to avoid areas of mud and water that slowed us down, while two of the controller's face buttons were used to jump and to duck obstacles, respectively.
The start of your adventure more or less coincides with the start of season one. You find your way to the beach with some help from Vincent (that's the dog), and when you arrive you see that Jack (that's the doctor) is busy trying to help other would-be survivors. True to character, he wastes no time enlisting your help. You're asked to deal with a potentially dangerous fuel leak from the plane engine that's still roaring on the beach. This puzzle, like many others in the game, involves arranging differently shaped fuses on an electrical board to divert power where it's needed. Fuses, we're told, were scattered all over the island when Oceanic flight 815 crashed, and considering that these puzzles can be solved only if you have the correct fuses in your possession (it's highly unlikely that you ever won't), you'll do well to pick up any that you see.
Review Scores
| Platform | GameSpot | Metacritic / User Score |
|---|---|---|
Game Info
- Release Date: Feb 26, 2008
- ESRB: TTitles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older.
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Lost: Via Domus
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- Publisher(s): Ubisoft
- Developer(s): Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre: Action
- Release: Feb 26, 2008 (US)
- ESRB: T
