Fans of the hit ABC show Lost waited with baited breath for Lost: Via Domus to hit store shelves. It promised to bring a new chapter to the ongoing saga of the survivors of Oceanic flight 815, one that might bring new insights into the mysteries of the island, the "others" and the characters they know and love. In several ways, the game manages to capture the magic that makes the show compelling (especially in its episodic presentation, including a "Previously on Lost" intro before each new segment), but in far too many other ways it leaves fans of the show, and adventure game fans in general, feeling slighted.

While TV fans enjoy over 20 45-minute episodes a season, Lost: Via Domus only clocks in at roughly 4-6 hours, depending on how quickly you can solve the game's more egregious puzzles. This short playtime, being all the more confounding given the game's 7-minute long 3 GB install for the PS3 version, is ultimately the game's greatest downfall.

The show hooks its audience with the slow paced, methodical release of information, carefully building the protagonists' stories and unraveling the mysteries piece by piece. Via Domus takes place in the midst of the first two seasons, with some elements from latter seasons thrown into the mix, but blows through the story so fast that those unfamiliar with the show will be left confused, while fans will wish they could have deeper experiences of these events. You play as a previously unmentioned survivor of the plane crash, revisiting classic locations on the island (as well as a few new ones), which should be a thrill for fans. Yet, some things seem to occur slightly out of order or in a different way than revealed by the show, while other events feel far too important to be in any of the show's episodes. The story may be part of the Lost canon, but with the secrets uncovered by this new character, one has to wonder how it is all supposed to fit.

The game's setup is very much by the numbers. You'll walk around the beach, the jungle and other key locations talking to characters, collecting items such as coconuts and water bottles for trade and uncovering the events of your past. There are plenty of invisible walls or forced barriers that will keep you from exploring as much as you like, and you'll occasionally become stuck on objects in the world. Trade, also, is only important in a few key moments, which makes item collection pointless halfway through the game.

There are only a few types of puzzles (one of them using fuses to power up consoles is repeated over five times), and are either overly simple or frustratingly complex. These puzzles usually feel artificial, and only serve as an attempt to lengthen an already too short game. Navigating through the jungle using signs or flags (a pseudo puzzle) is downright awful, especially if the black smoke is after you, making it an unnecessarily arduous journey.

Talking with the show's characters is fun at first, but all of the conversations feel stilted, usually consisting of nothing more than one-liners. The island also feels very deserted. Many times on the beach you will only encounter a few of the show's main characters, and you won't find any of the other 40 plus survivors. Almost none of the cast has lent their voices for the game, and while some of the sound-alike voices do an admirable job (Jack, Sayid and Claire sound fairly close), others are far off (Locke is the most noticeable). The character models are similarly hit-or-miss, with most of the faces looking at best slightly off, and at worst like a deformed version of the actor.

Beyond the characters themselves, Ubisoft Montreal has done an excellent job recreating the island. The crashed plane on the beach, the hatch, the Black Rock and other hot spots on the island all look great. The jungle is lush, and the trees and plants move nicely as you run through them. The framerate remains mostly steady, although there is some screen tearing, and the colors are vibrant. The soundtrack is straight from the show, and they put it to good use to heighten the drama and intensity of important events.

It is unfortunate that so many pieces of the puzzle are missing; because it's evident when you play Via Domus that a lot of effort was put into recreating this world. But with such a short play through (with little more than concept art as unlockable extras), and one of the worst game endings we've experienced in a long time, adventure game fans are bound to feel cheated, given the game's $60 price tag. Fans of the series might want to rent Lost: Via Domus to further flesh out the story, but we wouldn't recommend setting your hopes too high.

Related Links

Lost: Via Domus PS3 Game Guide

Lost: Via Domus Xbox 360 Game Guide

Lost: Via Domus PC Game Guide

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