Lost: Via Domus

""We're going to have to play this again".....actually, no"

Lost fanatics angered by the unscheduled break in the current ongoing season due to the writers strike have a little something to fill that void with. I'm talking about the game, Lost: Via Domus that recently hit retail from Ubisoft. While it ultimately ends up being another mediocre licensed game, Via Domus has plenty of Lost fan service to quench every ounce of the Lost universe that their loyal fanatics crave.

Via Domus isn't exactly a prequel or set in between seasons, but in another way it is. It takes place up through the events of the first season and a half of the show. Players control Elliot, who is one of the off-screen Oceanic survivors. Elliot never had a role in the actual television series, so players get to immerse themselves as one of the background survivors in the show. It would have been cool if Ubisoft integrated a face editor function or make use of the 360 Vision Camera to import our own face into the game, but that is not the case, and understandably so if the Lost producers ever decide to incorporate Elliot into future episodes. Elliot is a photographer, and the plane crash made him a victim of amnesia. As players progress through the campaign, they rediscover Elliot's past via the trademark Lost flashbacks.

It was unfortunate learning that none of the characters from the show are playable, but some are here to interact with. Most of the major stars from the show appear hear like Saiyid, Locke, Jack, Kate and Hurley to name a few, along with some characters who are no longer on the show or went AWOL for awhile like Michael and Charlie. It would've been appreciated if more past characters made appearances like Boon, Walt, and Shannon. After keeping an eager eye to encounter them again, it was disappointing not to run into them one more time. Not all the stars from the show had time for voice acting their character, so some sound-a-likes were used instead. Most do their original characters justice, but whoever voiced Locke comes to mind as one who is horrendously off from his counterpart.

Via Domus plays like an adventure game in the same vein as recent genre entries such as Indigo Prophecy and Dreamfall. A lot of focus is emphasized on exploring familiar locales of the show. Elliot will spend a good deal of time on the camp set up on the beach, and traversing through the jungle. Don't go in thinking that every single little acre of land from the island is ready to take in, as Via Domus is an extremely linear game. There are a few extra paths that verge off in the jungle, but most of them lead to nothing extraordinary. A lot of time will be spent venturing out for miscellaneous items to pick up off the land like coconuts, water, Dharma Beer, etc. to use to trade with other survivors for items needed in quests like torches, lanterns and guns.

An engrossing story and challenging puzzles are the bread and butter of an adventure game. Via Domus gets the story part down by opening up a whole new character plotline of the Lost universe. Other than a couple of miniscule exceptions when discovering some previously unseen locales, not a whole lot of new details are discovered from the back story that avid fans already know of. However, it is worth noting that the bizarre ending plays a lot into what happened in recent episodes of the fourth season. After experiencing the ending, it triggered a few theories and only helped to further anticipate what happens when the season picks up again. Unfortunately, the puzzles leave a lot to be desired. The bulk of the puzzles in Via Domus consist of frustrating, trial-and-error fuse puzzles where the player must randomly guess which fuse to put in, and which way to rotate it in order to get electrical panels in working condition again.

Since Elliot is a photographer, he'll be spending some time taking pictures throughout the game. Shooting pictures in flashbacks help enable memories of Elliot's past, and during the main game plays a significant role for unlocking achievements. To mix up the exploring that consumes most of the game, the developers added some interesting sequences with the ever-dreaded “black smoke creature.” There are a couple of intense stealth sequences where Elliot must traverse through the jungle and hide out in Banyan trees to evade death from the heinous smoke. Additionally, there is a chase sequence where Elliot must jump and slide under obstacles with the smoke right on his tail. These sequences were welcomed diversions from the otherwise bland, linear gameplay progression. It's too bad these moments don't occur that often.

Graphically, the developers did a tremendous job of capturing the look and feel of the series. It seemed like they put in that extra effort to try and incorporate everything from the show. “The Hatch” in particular looks like a picture perfect translation from how it was represented in Lost. The characters also look like near-carbon copies of their counterparts, whether it be the stretched-out curly hair of Hurley, to Jack's tattoo, the characters are well represented visually. Aurally, the awesome score from the television show is here and kicks in at all the appropriate moments during play. Aside from Locke, the aforementioned voice acting is well delivered, though the cut-scenes could have benefited with some more dialogue.

Via Domus can be completed in under six hours, and that just doesn't justify its current $60 retail price. Fingers are crossed that Elliot makes some kind of an appearance, even a bit part at the very least on future episodes as some kind of payoff for the people who took the time to play this. If you aren't a fan of the show, and trying to find a new adventure game to play, then this most likely won't do anything for you. Via Domus is strictly for fans of the show only, and even if you are a big time Lost fanatic, make sure to only rent this one. Via Domus does have some fun to be had and, there is a little bit more to gain out of the whole Lost universe when playing it, but as a whole it is way too shallow and short to be anything meaningful.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 05/09/08

Game Release: Lost: Via Domus (US, 02/26/08)