January 4, 2008 - One of television's most popular (and cryptic) shows is about to become a videogame. Lost returns for a fourth season at the end of January and
Lost: The Videogame hits shelves a month later on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Ubisoft, tasked with turning the well-known property into interactive entertainment, has been as secretive about the game as the show's creators are about the hit drama. But on the newly released Lost Season 3 DVD box set, there is a four-minute preview of the upcoming game. While the preview offers no video or screenshots (just concept art), it does reveal some new details.
You play as a male character, name unknown. You're a survivor of Oceanic Flight 815, but in classic videogame form, you lost your memories in the crash. As you trek across the mysterious Island, you'll experience flashbacks to who you were. At the same time, you'll interact with the characters from the first three seasons of Lost. You are an observer to some of the show's events, but you have your own past to discover.
Your journey takes you to many of the Island's famed locales. You'll comb the beaches, visit the hatches, see the computer that's used to save the world every 108 minutes, explore the Black Rock and more. The concept art shown also reveals that you will visit an underground cavern. A storyboard shows an unknown character being attacked by the ominous Black Smoke creature. Do we smell a boss battle?
Gameplay remains a bit unclear, but from the previously-released trailer and some of the art elements shown in the preview it looks like Lost will be an adventure game with some puzzle elements. That would seem to be the perfect fit for Lost.
If you're concerned about the game's authenticity, you need not worry. Lost's creators have been an integral part of the process. "It's up to [the Lost team] to make sure anything that has the name Lost on it is cool and does live up to the cannon of the show," said co-creator and Executive Producer Damon Lindelof. The show's top dogs were used in creative brainstorming sessions and as consultants throughout the development process.
In fact, Lindelof conceived the ending of the game. "It's one of those hooks where people are going to say, 'Ohhhhh... That's awesome,'" said Ubisoft script writer Kevin Shortt. If the game's ending or its main character will have an affect on the TV show is unknown. But according to Shorrt, the game will at least shed some light on past events and some popular characters. "Fans of the show should be watching very carefully in the flashbacks," Shorrt said, "because you're guaranteed you're going to run into some very familiar characters."
Lindelof promises the Lost videogame "gives gamers a genuine reward for playing." Might that mean some secrets of the Island will be revealed? We'll find out in February
