Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story Switch Review by SwitchWatch
Developer: Accidental Queens / Seaven Studio
Publisher: Plug In Digital
Warning: This game contains no shocking visual elements, but it may be disturbing for some people.
Release Date: Out
Price as of Article: $5.99 USD, £5.39 GBP
Rating: M
File size: 104.86 MB
When we got a code for this game, I probably shocked the guys with my high interest in it. I really wanted to review this game since I saw the previous title ‘A Normal Lost Phone’ in the Nintendo eShop a while ago and had added it to my wish list. I found this not so ordinary style of a game really appeals to me. But, I kinda threw off the impression of a little stalker missy.
Text based games are my cup of tea, so when I snatched the code, I immediately started playing it. And while I was playing, my mind wandered off. What would I do if I actually found a phone? Go to the police so the unlucky person could get their phone back? I guess so. But would I take a look before returning it?
I came to a strict conclusion: no. I would hate it if someone took a sneak peak into my phone. These little devices have become very personal and private to us. We jot down everything from upcoming events to birthdays and have several social media apps and even tickets on them. In my case, you would find out about my love for Asian music, quickly realise that I have a problem stopping after one selfie and that I write poems on the go. My four instant messenger services would overwhelm you with messages (like it does it with me), and you actually would wonder why a girl that is so obsessed with social media has no Facebook account.
See? You got to know me very quickly just now. Which is okay because I told you. But, how would you feel if this information about you was accessed by a stranger unbeknownst to you? I found out a lot about Laura. But that is alright because Laura’s story is not real. Let’s see what else got me thinking about this game in my review for Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story!
It is very hard to write about this game, to be honest. I have to make my point, but I absolutely do not want to spoil anyone about the story of this game. So I will start to describe this topic lightly and go easy on the screen captures in general on this game. But first I want to address something first: When you start the game, DO NOT tap on the second screen for more information. It will spoil you lightly, with a possibility for you to predict some things more clearly at some point in the story.
You get a brief introduction to the game on a white screen: You have just found a phone. Find out the truth. And then, the game starts by throwing you onto a phone screen like what we all know too well from our daily life. No cutscene, nothing more. Why have one if you do not necessarily need one? In my opinion, this is not a sign of laziness.
Not at all. I have the impression that Accidental Queens did this on purpose to leave the player genderless so you could identify yourself with the lucky (?) human being that found that phone better. That is totally fine by me. In this style of game I actually prefer it that way. What you are about to find out is actually very personal and not what it seems like in the first place…
Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story has a cleverly disguised soundtrack. It is actually the music that the owner of the phone listens to. If a song bothers you, just select another one or close the music player app entirely.
Your girl Jen would not be the Jen you know if she would not complain about the music. I loved the soundtrack. I liked the mix between instrumental pieces and some with actual vocals to it. However, the eight included tracks simply were not enough for my taste not to get bored in my four-hour playthrough.
<script async src=”//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js”></script><!– –><ins class=”adsbygoogle”<!– –> style=”display:block; text-align:center;”<!– –> data-ad-layout=”in-article”<!– –> data-ad-format=”fluid”<!– –> data-ad-client=”ca-pub-5661714653949151″<!– –> data-ad-slot=”5669732186″></ins><!– –><script><!– –> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<!– –></script>With only a phone screen to stare at, there is nothing much to tell about in this section. Laura’s phone uses a very simple interface and some pleasant themes I actually would download for my own smartphone as well. The individual icons remind me of something maybe done with pastel chalk. The taken photos give a digital art style. I found it very pleasant and suitable for the ‘environment’ of Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story. But I got nothing more to say. The game has nothing besides a phone screen to offer. This is not bad at all. It what this game is after all.
Never had any issues with that game while playing, and the in-game battery did not run out either. Great! Although, by the way, the battery cannot die. I constantly checked especially considering that Laura, the protagonist, once complained about it in a chat.
You sta-… investigate this mobile phone in a cool way, actually. You can hold your switch like a phone, and it utilizes touch screen while you do. I only played it in this orientation. Never knew my Switch fits that perfectly into the palm of my hand.
Tools of a detective (or stalker…?)
As you follow your main and only goal, finding out what happened to Laura, you read through her SMS, notes and emails first. You have no idea what connection Laura has with her contacts first. Those are very limited, since you do not seem to have any internet connection. Maybe you can do something about that…?
Laura uses apps that make more or less of a heavy impact to proceed the story. While playing, you have to cleverly connect the dots, reading all messages carefully and when you come to a point in the latter game, it might strike you as a lightning bolt what you had read or seen before.
The puzzles you have to solve are not too hard but not too overly easy in general as well. The key point here is to remember particular things and use them later to your advantage to proceed in the story. It was an aspect of the that I absolutely adored. You have occasionally to think outside the box to get information that is not obvious. Which is okay because getting all the answers served on a platter is no fun at all.
I have a little complaint on Laura’s phone, though. It is synchronized with her work phone, but the device was her private one. I would love to have seen it a little bit more personalized. It was, for sure, designed to not overwhelm the player with thousands of pictures in the gallery, but a personalized home screen would have been nice. This is just complaining on a high level, though, and not every girl has to be like me…
Even though I did not play the first title, it did not make any impact on my time with this game since it is a different phone and the story is related to her experience. So do not worry if you have not played it the first one, either.
*This review was written by Jennifer for switchwatch.co.uk.
Let us check that price tag now: $5.99 USD or £5.39 GBP. The game was a good experience so I can definitely say that this title is worth your hard earned cash. I loved it from start to finish. It was really my kind of game. Beware though that this game perhaps can not be easily to digest. It can trigger something in people that have experienced such kind of situation. Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story also made me realise and more aware of how personal phones can become.
It was such a real and heavy problem, and the game did an excellent job in making Laura feel like a realistic person who anyone could relate to. The way that the conversations with her contacts went definitely did a great job of establishing her character. If you like to read a lot and don’t require a story told by impressive cutscenes and character interactions beside text, this is a game for you. The game has a decent length of 4 hours, depending on how fast you can figure out those puzzles.
* A review copy of Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story was provided to Switchwatch by Seaven Studio.
Pros
Fantastic story writing
Unique concept
Never too overwhelming, constantly interesting story line
Cons
You won’t like it if you are not into a lot of reading
More music would have been nice
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