This Week on LOST

Published March 4, 2008

The massively popular and mysterious ABC television series LOST has found its way to Xbox 360® courtesy of Ubisoft's LOST™: Via Domus. While LOST fans across the nation can rejoice and be glad, so too can any gamer that prizes the adventure genre, as well as taut, suspenseful storytelling from start to finish.

Don't stumble or the smoke will get ya.

Introducing Elliot Maslow

Smartly, developer Ubisoft has chosen to showcase LOST's famed island, the Oceanic Flight 815 survivors, and the dreaded Others through the eyes of a new character built from the ground up for the game. You play as Elliot Maslow, a Flight 815 survivor suffering from a thumping case of amnesia.

The use of flashbacks falls directly in line
with the show's format, and supplies a
refreshing gameplay mechanic.

Within the first few minutes of the game, you'll awaken scared and alone in the jungle, enjoy a brief run in with fugitive Kate, stumble through the jungle and onto the scene of the crash to lend a helping hand, and even suffer a beating from a mysterious and violent stranger who sees fit to knock you out cold with a boot to the face. Who is the stranger? Why is he after you? To tell would be to waste what is the greatest asset of LOST: Via Domus, its story.

This is Elliot's story from beginning to end, his quest to rediscover his identity, uncover the plot against him, and come to terms with not only his destiny but the island's great mysteries as well.

Working with Locke is never quite what it seems.

That said, Ubisoft deftly weaves the series' characters, landmarks, and core dramatic movements into Elliot's saga. Befriend the likes of Hurley and Charlie, enlist the aid of Locke, Kate, and Sawyer, stir the suspicions of Jack and Sayid, and even be accosted by Ben and the Others. Travel and explore the Hatch, discover the cockpit, and make the pilgrimage to the Black Rock, among much else. In this way, Via Domus serves as both fan service to those who love and follow the show, as well as an outstanding introduction to newcomers.

Presentation

Ubisoft presents Via Domus in episodic format, mirroring the show at every move, including remarkable likenesses of the LOST characters with an unerring attention to detail. Each distinct "level" represents an individual episode, complete with "previously on LOST" montages to help bring you up to speed on Elliot's most recent adventures as you progress through the game. Likewise, the game's music is not only pulled or inspired from the show, but used in much the same haunting, tension-building fashion.

The use of flashbacks falls directly in line with the show's format, and supplies a refreshing gameplay mechanic. Certain moments in the game will trigger a memory for Elliot, allowing you to momentarily pierce the fog of his amnesia, and relive a part of his past to make greater sense of the drama and danger.

Good luck in there.

Adventure Gameplay

LOST: Via Domus belongs firmly in the adventure genre as the gameplay is rooted in solving puzzles, whether through exploration, action, mini-games or even dialogue. Some of the fun stuff you'll do includes:

• Memory photos: In order to unlock and relive one of Elliot's lost memories you must time, frame, and focus a photograph that captures a crucial detail within the memory. Do it correctly, and you'll "trigger" the rest of the scene.
• Cave exploration: Rewards come to those who explore thoroughly, but this means braving the island's dangerous pitch-black caves. Armed with only a lighter, torch or lantern, these sections require a delicate balance of patience and pace as you must take your time to avoid traps while keeping up enough speed to clear the caves before your light source drains.
• Fuse box minis: Scattered throughout the game are a number of head-scratching fuse box mini-games, which require you to place carefully considered fuses (each one reduces the overall voltage) to match the required voltage for sometimes multiple targets. Like any good puzzle mini-game, the fuse box challenges reward thought rather than blind trial and error.
• Action Elliot: Of course, while drama and mystery dominate the game at large, action sequences are not uncommon, either. You'll find occasion to sprint through the jungle, leaping over logs, and sliding under fallen trees to avoid the dreaded Black Smoke. Likewise, you'll participate in occasional bouts of gunplay to stave off, among other things, assassination attempts in the jungle.
• Dialogue triggers: Like the show itself, much mystery is brought to light through character exploration, and in the case of Via Domus, this comes through interacting with LOST standbys like Locke, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Sayid. Dig deep into the dialogue and you'll unlock new opportunities to discover your past.

LOST: Via Domus is filled with fan service from front to back, making it a truly remarkable treat. More importantly though, it stands on its own as an adventure game worth exploring for any gamer, as well as a fine introduction and faithful representation of the show.

Article by Ryan Treit