You have already clicked the download link. If you need to download again, please click here to reset the link.

Lost in Blue: Reviews

Select Author:

Game Score: 9/10

Lost In Blue is, in my opinion, one of the defining games for the Nintendo DS. It provides a wonderful combination of an interesting story, well done gameplay, and one of the best uses of the DS hardware available.

The story - Keith (our hero) gets washed up on a deserted island after a storm sinks his ship. With no food, shelter, or tools, he must learn to survive all by himself. While he doesn't get a volleyball to talk to like Tom Hanks did, he does meet a cute girl named Skye the following day. Skye washes up in a life raft (which they never think of using in any way, such as a comfy bed, or cutting pieces to use in tool making, or perhaps a bathtub, but I digress). Keith finds her and immediately screws up any chances of scoring by breaking her glasses. This of course makes Skye completely dependent on Keith. She can't walk outside to get water, or even climb without his help. Pretty pathetic, really. Anyway, together, they learn to survive. He hunts and gathers, she cooks. Ok, the game is a little sexist. Wait a minute, Skye can't walk outside to get water for herself, but somehow she can see well enough in a barely lit cave to chop food and cook it without burning herself. Perhaps she should have been an amputee and he breaks her prosthetic legs. That would have made more sense. Well, the kids aren't happy living on the island, so they have to find a way to escape. Along the way, they build tools, make rope and baskets, solve puzzles, and eventually find out that they aren't alone. There are many ways of escaping the island, and figuring out the best way is part of the fun.

The gameplay - You control Keith, of course, as he wanders all over the island looking for anything that can help he and Skye survive and hopefully escape. You spend most of the time gathering food, whether its picking up coconuts, digging for shellfish, picking vegetables or fruit, hunting or fishing. Food is very important, because without it, your stamina meter will not refill when you rest.

OK, time to explain the stats. You have four stats shown on the top screen (which you can switch from stats to maps of the island), HP, Stamina, Thirst, and Hunger. You replenish hunger by eating, and thirst by drinking. You replenish Stamina by resting, which uses some of your hunger and thirst. All of these stats drop as you go about your daily business. Exerting yourself by running or doing work drains your stamina faster than merely walking and being lazy, so Skye's stamina meter drops slower than Keith's. When your stamina is gone, your HP starts to drop. When they reach 0, you collapse and die. Not a good thing.

So, other than collecting food, you have to drink water from the river, or if you're lucky enough to find one, a bottle that washes up on shore. You also have to collect firewood and learn how to start a fire. Starting a fire is tricky at first, but you get the hang of it, since you have to do it so often. First you have to build a fire making tool, composed of a stick and a piece of bark, then pressing the L and R shoulder buttons in a good rythym, increase the fire bar halfway. Then you blow into the microphone until the bar fills completely. It simulates making a fire pretty well, or at least as well as a videogame can. As you explore more of the island, you find more tool making supplies, and can build spears, bows, torches, etc. Spears are good for fishing in the ocean or rivers. Bows are great for hunting, but if you want larger game, you have to build traps. Eventually, you can collect the necessary supplies to upgrade your cave, by building better beds, bigger shelves, and a drying rack to make jerky. Yummy!

The Controls - One of my favorite things about the game is the wonderful use of the DS hardware. As I said in the previous paragraph, you have to blow into the microphone to start a fire, just as you would in real life. To dig for shellfish or vegetables, you rub the stylus on the screen to uncover them. To pick up crabs, you tap them and drag them to your basket. To build things for your cave, you have to draw the patterns on the screen rather quickly. To fish, you watch the screen until a fish appears and tap it with the stylus to stab it with your spear. It is truly a fun experience. Like camping without the bugs.

My rating:

Story - 9

There were alot of things that could have been added, but perhaps a sequel will include those.

Gameplay - 10

While repetitive sometimes, its always fun to pick up and play.

Controls - 10

Best use of the DS that I've seen so far.

Replay Value - 8

Once you know the island, its easy to find your way around, and it doesn't change. But if you escape from the island, you can play as Skye. If you win her scenario, there is a third scenario to play.

In general, pick up Lost In Blue, its a great game that will keep you occupied for a long time.