I'm secretly a huge fan of ABC's Lost; I'm addicted to it, and I can't help it. Hoping to get any insight I could into the plot, I found myself curious about Ubisoft's recently released ode to the show, the episode-driven adventure game Lost: Via Domus.

From the moment the game starts, the show's fans will instantly be at home. You start on the plane just before it crashes, and within moments, intrigue is afoot. Who are these men running around on the plan prior to the crash? Why did they rough up the flight attendant? Of course, before you can get an answer, the staple musical climax occurs and the screen cuts short as your character passes out: the black screen is then filled with the Lost logo and the eerie sounds of the show's opening credits.

Lost: Via Domus looks really nice; the designers put all their strengths on thousands of small details, creating familiar decorations in 3D. Jack, Sowyer, Kate and the others look like alive that make the game much appealing. Lost™: Via Domus minimum requirements for Windows assume having at least Windows® XP (Service Pack 2) or Vista® operating system. Your processor should be AMD Athlon™ MP 2400+ 2.0 GHz or Intel® Pentium® 4C 2.4 GHz or a more powerful one. The minimum RAM requirement is 1 GB.

It's amazing that within fifteen seconds, you know exactly what you're doing: you're playing Lost. This continues to be apparent as the game goes on. Via Domus definitely succeeds in catching the quirks, the feel, and most importantly the frustrating suspense that goes along with the show. Standing on that beach for the first time, with debris flying and confusion abound, watching Jack try to resuscitate someone while Hurley stares blankly out to see muttering something about a curse and Michael endlessly shouts desperate cries of 'Walt!' felt remarkably authentic—especially after I was hit in the head by someone, and the screen went black, then showed the Lost logo again, ending the first episode abruptly.

The adventure genre is fitting for a game based on Lost, and one that I can actually see non-gaming fans of the show getting into. Game play is an combination of exploring the island, exploring flashback sequences, and playing a variety of simple mini-games, such as fixing a circuit on the wreckage's fuse box or running from the smoke monster. Interacting with characters via a simple conversation engine and trading resources like water bottles and coconuts is necessary for completing quests, moving the story along, and learning more about the island.

The graphics are solid; sets from the show have been recreated admirably. The same can be said of the voice acting, which features some of the actors from the show. In fact, where Via Domus shines is in recreating the look of the show, as well as the cast of characters.

Strictly speaking, this is a boring game. The mini-games are dull, and the exploration is fairly limited thanks to linear areas. The story and the familiar content refreshed by a new perspective is really the key to enjoying the game, which means it has value only for real fans of the show. It's why I'm so frustrated that I just can't put the game down. The answer to the questions is just one more puzzle away. And so, too, is more Kate.

Lost: Via Domus may not be the best game ever created, but as a piece of entertainment designed to compliment a television show, it succeeds. It reminds me of the Godfather game in its execution: you see and become part of the big marquee moments in the story's progression which have been painstakingly recreated, but from a different perspective that invigorates the static experience of television. As a standalone product, Via Domus is not worth the price, but as a supplement to the show it's a wonderful new way to experience the story.

Verdict: Rent, if you're a fan
Price: $59.99
System: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
ESRB Rating: Teen
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Lost: Via Domus was part of the last era of the tie in video game to a movie or TV show. I was obsessed with the Lost TV show and even now I would have to put it in my top ten shows of all time. So, when I heard that there was a Lost video game coming out I knew that this was going to be a day one purchase for me.

Who Am I?

Let me start by saying that you simply have to be a fan of the TV show to enjoy this game. A huge reason for this is that the story the game tells is amazing. Lost: Via Domus takes place between seasons 1 and 2 of the show and you play as a character who is not from the show. Instead, you crash on the island with the rest of the gang, but you have lost your memory. The goal of the game is to find out who you are and what is going on with this strange island.

While you are playing as a character who is not on the show. You interact with all of the main cast. So, Jack, Kate, Locke and more are all here and you get to deal with them all. The character models are great and still hold up. I feel the locations are decent enough too, but the voice acting lets things down as they were not able to get all of the major actors to reprise their roles.

Watch Out For The Smoke!

The gameplay of Lost: Via Domus I feel is quite interesting. Look, I will fully admit that as a massive fan of the show I was able to overlook many of the downfalls that this game has. However, I feel that as a TV tie in-game it is pretty solid. You actually have a lot of things to do. You will need to explore the island, talk to other survivors, find items, manage items and even partake in a few mini game type situations. There is even a run-in with the smoke monster!I could overlook the invisible walls, the limited options when it comes to speaking to people. However, one area that drove me nuts was the caves. Exploring the caves is a massive and I mean massive chore. This section of the game is so annoying that had it not been in the game I would have probably scored it a whole point higher!

Flashback!

One of the coolest aspects of the gameplay is something right from the show. Each character in Lost gets a flashback so we can see what led them to the island. This is the same for the character you play as.

Not only is this a great way for the story to move forward. You are also tasked with taking a certain picture each time this happens. I thought this was a really cool gameplay mechanic and some of the flashback sequences were really challenging.

Is Lost: Via Domus a perfect game? No, it is most certainly is not. However, I feel for a TV show tie in game, Lost The Video Game is pretty damn faithful to the TV show. I know that they could not get all of the actors to reprise their roles, but the story does feel like something that you could have been watching on TV. If you are a fan of the show, I am 100 percent certain you will be able to overlook the games flaws and have a good time with it.

Pros:

• The game has the feel of the show
• I liked interreacting with my favorite characters
• The flashback sections are very clever
• When the smoke monster is chasing you it is very scary!
• Many different gameplay styles

Cons:

• The section in the cave nearly ruins the entire game!
• They could not get all of the actors to lend their voices to the game

Lost Via Domus Walkthrough