By Brad Cook

“We were brought here for a purpose, for a reason, all of us.” Perhaps that quote from the enigmatic Locke carries a kernel of truth; perhaps not. Lost the game may not answer the many perplexing questions raised by Lost the TV series — which you can also experience on your iPod — but it will immerse you in the experiences of those who survived Oceanic Airlines’ ill-fated flight 815. As Jack Shephard, a doctor who now leads the castaways, you must explore the island, performing important tasks and evading all sorts of dangers, from wild boars to deadly pits.

As you explore the beach, the jungle, the hatch, the Black Rock ship, and other locales, you’ll interact with other key characters, including Kate, Locke, Hurley, and Sawyer. Along the way, you’ll relive many of the most intense moments from the TV show’s first season, including the scramble to move injured people away from the crash scene, several fateful encounters with the Others, and an attack by the cloudlike monster that menaces the survivors.

The ever-resourceful Jack has a few tricks up his sleeve, though, including access to a gun and a knife and the ability to plant dynamite, along with the chance to reload his health with medical kits. Even when weaponless, he can move boulders and boxes into strategic positions, turning seemingly hopeless situations into new opportunities for survival. And when he, Sawyer, and Kate are captured by the Others, he must sneak through their camp to free his friends, avoiding the guards’ field of vision and knocking out the ones he approaches from behind.

Reminiscent of the Show

Some of the TV show’s mythology — such as the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 and the mysterious voice that whispers Jack’s name as he trudges through the jungle — finds its way into the game’s 27 levels, which are spread across five chapters. A relevant quote from the show appears on the screen while each new level loads. You can save your progress and return to the adventure anytime you want, and when you complete the game, you’ll have access to any chapter you want to replay.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of the show or just a casual viewer, you’ll also appreciate the game’s immersive audio and visuals. For example, while running along the beach — strewn with survivors and their campfires, lean-tos, and other elements of survival — you can hear Jack’s feet crunch in the sand as the surf pounds the shore. Around you, snippets of conversation give a glimpse into the desperation that pervades the situation.

So what are you waiting for? Remember: The island is calling you.

Getting Lost in Lost

The TV series premiered in September 2004 and quickly became a success, thanks to its compelling character dynamics and intriguing mysteries. The premise was simple — Oceanic Airlines flight 815 crashes somewhere in the South Pacific, scattering survivors and wreckage across a tropical island — but its execution was complex. By the end of the two-part pilot, viewers had not only received cursory introductions to the main characters but had also learned that an unseen monster was stalking the survivors, polar bears live on the island, and a French woman stranded nearby had been broadcasting a distress call for 16 years.

During the first season, the survivors discovered that woman and found, to their surprise, that a group of people known as The Others also lived on the island. The Others began to menace the castaways, even going so far as to plant one of their own among the population. The infiltrator eventually kidnapped a pregnant survivor, who was wanted by The Others for reasons unknown. The significance of the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 was also introduced, although their true meaning remained shrouded in mystery.

Lost the game touches on many of the highlights from season one, including the discovery of a mysterious hatch in the ground and an expedition to a ship called Black Rock, which somehow wound up in the middle of the island. The ship contained a stash of dynamite that was used to open the hatch, which was explored at the beginning of season two. The game also covers that territory, along with a glimpse of The Others’ camp and their eerie declaration that the survivors only live because The Others allow them to.

The game may conclude with the words “To be continued…” but with three seasons’ worth of TV episodes completed, more adventures on the mystery island are likely headed to your iPod soon.

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