Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 624 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story Game Cover
I really enjoyed my time with Another Lost Phone, which turns your Switch into a giant smartphone to provide a unique puzzle experience.
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In "Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story," players explore the social life of a young woman, Laura, through her found phone. By examining apps, messages, and photos, players piece together Laura's relationships, career, and the mystery surrounding her disappearance. The game offers a relatable narrative that promotes empathy and addresses social issues.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 624 reviews
story201 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling and well-written story that addresses important social issues, particularly domestic abuse.
  • The puzzles are engaging and require players to think critically, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The interface and music create an immersive atmosphere that complements the narrative.
  • The game is relatively short, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more.
  • Some players found the puzzles to be overly simplistic or tedious, detracting from the narrative flow.
  • The story can be predictable for those familiar with the themes, reducing the impact of the twists.
  • story609 mentions

    The story in "Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story" is a compelling exploration of heavy themes such as domestic abuse and personal identity, presented through the unique format of uncovering a lost phone's contents. While some players found the narrative predictable compared to its predecessor, many appreciated its emotional depth and relatability, making it a poignant experience that resonates with real-life issues. Overall, the storytelling is well-crafted, though some felt it could benefit from deeper character development and a more immersive progression.

    • “Another Lost Phone does a masterful job of telling Laura's story, from a mysterious beginning to a cathartic conclusion, and allows the player to immerse themselves in the world.”
    • “The themes of sexual abuse are handled so well in this game, and the way the story unfolds in your hands is amazing.”
    • “The story touches a potentially heavy topic with a featherlight touch.”
    • “The core story is pretty serious material, which just fails to fit well onto the tiny screen of a phone in the way that it did in 'a normal lost phone'.”
    • “The characters didn't have much depth and the story/content just felt.. lacking.”
  • music70 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful and fitting soundtrack, which enhances the overall atmosphere and complements the narrative effectively. Many players found the tracks relaxing and enjoyable, contributing to a soothing backdrop while engaging with the story and puzzles. However, some noted that the music felt less memorable compared to the previous installment, with a few expressing that certain tracks were overly upbeat for the game's serious themes.

    • “The soundtrack is totally excellent, and kept me going through the puzzles.”
    • “The puzzles are clever and fun, the music is relaxing and helps set the tone, and it sets up the mysteries of the story so well.”
    • “Everything looks and controls appropriately like a phone, and the music that comes with the game puts us in the perfect mood: melancholic, but serene.”
    • “The music is horribly tiresome and hellishly droning.”
    • “The art is beautiful, although I felt like a normal lost phone did a better job of making me stop to actually appreciate both the music and the art included in the game.”
    • “There are little things that are a bit off: some of the SMS dialogue doesn't really flow as natural conversation; the secrets to passwords weren't that hard to discern, but remembering which app to find them in again was a little tedious; the music (which I do love, btw) felt almost too upbeat for the situation that was unfolding.”
  • gameplay64 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by simple, point-and-click mechanics that allow players to explore a lost phone, piecing together a narrative through messages and information. While some reviewers noted a lack of innovation compared to previous titles, others appreciated the compelling nature of the gameplay and its emotional storytelling. Overall, the experience is engaging but may feel repetitive for those familiar with the series.

    • “I really enjoyed the interesting gameplay of scrolling through someone else's phone to piece together an idea of what happened.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, but surprisingly compelling.”
    • “Just like the previous game, this one uses the 'lost phone' narrative/gameplay setup to achieve strongly immersive storytelling.”
    • “The design isn't too fancy, the navigation and mechanics aren't too complex, but my last two brain cells couldn't solve some puzzles, so I ended up cheating (googling the answers).”
    • “Extremely boring story and gameplay.”
    • “While this is mechanically an upgrade from the first normal lost phone game, the story still lacks polish and the depth and connection the devs have to work so much harder to earn, given the medium of texts, emails, notes, and photos as our only glimpse into these characters' lives.”
  • emotional52 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players finding the stories to be deeply moving and relatable, often touching on difficult themes such as emotional and physical abuse. While some felt the gameplay was lacking, the narrative's ability to evoke strong feelings, including discomfort and sadness, was consistently highlighted as a significant strength. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking an emotionally challenging experience that raises awareness about real-life issues.

    • “I applaud the team behind this game for touching on issues that are hard to talk about and using a game to intentionally/unintentionally raise awareness about and battle against.”
    • “I will say that this story had some heart-wrenching moments for me, where I felt terrible dread for what might've happened to the protagonist - but, in the same breath, I also strongly recommend it as a short narrative experience that deals with heavy, real-life topics.”
    • “The ending of this game made me cry.”
  • graphics21 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the improved visuals and stylish artwork, while others feel that the art style does not match the quality of the previous installment. Overall, the graphics are described as polished and pleasant, but there is a sentiment that they lack significant innovation compared to earlier versions.

    • “Both the graphics and gameplay have been polished.”
    • “This sequel has better visuals and, dare I say, a better and more intriguing story.”
    • “The game offers some nice graphics which are pleasant all the same.”
    • “The art in the photos is stylishly done, making a refreshing change for its technique used, but in all honesty, there is hardly any change in gameplay or visuals compared to a normal lost phone.”
    • “The art style isn't as good as the last installment (can this even be considered that, really?)”
    • “Mediocre graphics; the theme conflicts with execution.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as it requires extensive searching through text messages for clues and passwords, which can feel laborious. While the puzzles are generally decent, the effort needed to remember where to find information detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge. Despite improvements in the story, the increased workload in puzzle-solving has led to a less enjoyable gameplay experience for many.

    • “Overall the puzzles were decent, but it was a bit tedious to comb through all the text for information.”
    • “Just as well done as the first title, although I found the hunt for clues more tedious.”
    • “Story-wise this was better than the first game in the series 'A Normal Lost Phone', but puzzle-wise this sequel made you 'work' much more for it which I didn't like, which made this game feel much more tedious.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game has minimal replayability, as players often find themselves skipping through the story on subsequent playthroughs due to its brevity and lack of new content. Many recommend purchasing it on sale, as the short length and limited replay value do not justify a full-price buy.

    • “I played it again to get the missing achievements a couple of months later, and I would say there wasn't much replay value because I remembered most of the story, so I skipped pretty much all the text.”
    • “I would recommend getting this game on sale as it is very short with no replayability.”
    • “Minimal replay value.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a soothing and unobtrusive background music (BGM) that complements the storytelling and reading experience. Players appreciate how the music fits seamlessly into the overall ambiance, creating a well-crafted and immersive environment that echoes the charm of its predecessor.

    • “I enjoyed the music; it fits the game's atmosphere and provides a good background sound while reading the text messages.”
    • “There is mellow background music that doesn't distract you at any time during the game yet manages to provide a soothing atmosphere throughout the game, which is available as a DLC soundtrack much like a normal lost phone did.”
    • “The music, just like in the first game, accompanies the atmosphere of the game really well.”
    • “Well-crafted story and atmosphere!”
  • humor4 mentions

    Players appreciate the humor in the game, noting that it offers a range of comedic moments that can be discovered through deeper character engagement. Many found themselves laughing at both intentionally funny and unexpectedly poignant moments, highlighting the relatable dialogue and character interactions. Overall, the humor adds a rich layer to the experience, enhancing emotional connections with the story.

    • “The thing I love about these games is that you can really pick your own level of engagement. Sure, you can just skim the important plotline stuff, maybe Google a walkthrough for the tougher puzzles, but if you really get invested and connect with the characters, then you can explore intriguing asides, genuinely funny moments, and genuinely saddening ones.”
    • “I laughed out loud at several very 'not funny' moments in the conversations back and forth because so many of Laura's words were my own 7 years ago.”
    • “The humor fell flat for me; it felt forced and often missed the mark.”
    • “I found the jokes to be more cringeworthy than amusing, which detracted from the overall experience.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users consistently report that the game is largely bug-free, indicating a high level of stability. Overall, players appreciate the smooth performance without significant technical issues.

  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is hindered by the limited information provided, leading to a lack of depth and growth in the characters.

    • “Another consequence of the somewhat limited information available is that character development suffers.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
2-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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