A short, fully voiced, story-first adventure across two worlds. Rearrange words into platforms in Izzy’s diary, then wield word magic to shape your path in the fantasy she writes. Gentle puzzles, watercolour wonder, and a bittersweet story of family, loss, and healing.
Izzy is a young girl who loves to write. Her diary is her world: she records her dreams, fears and invented stories. But when life's reality, including her grandmother's illness imposes itself, words become more than stories. They become a way to cross through pain. Developed by Sketchbook Games and published by Modus Games, Lost Words: Beyond the Page is one of those narrative experiences that stays with you long after the credits roll.
The gameplay is as original as the story: you literally move on the words written in Izzy's diary, jumping from syllable to syllable, using sentences as platforms. In the parallel fantasy world of Estoria, you guide her heroic alter ego. Both layers of reality answer, feed and reveal each other.
We loved: The writing. Lost Words is written by Rhianna Pratchett (daughter of Terry Pratchett, scriptwriter of Tomb Raider and Mirror's Edge), and every line shows it. Izzy's story is handled with rare sensitivity, never falling into melodrama, addressing grief with disarming honesty.
We liked: The mechanic of words as platforms. Simple, poetic and entirely coherent with the universe. Walking on diary words is an embodied metaphor for the game itself: the story is the ground you walk on.
Our highlight: The voice performance. Izzy's voice breathes life into everything and emotionally anchors the player in her story. An authentic voice for an authentic story.
Our tip to help you: Take time to read every diary entry. The words you jump on are not there by accident: they tell the story differently, in a fragmented and poetic way. Lost Words is experienced as much as it is played.
Who is this game for?
Lost Words: Beyond the Page is aimed at players aged 7 and over, particularly fans of touching narratives, accessible story-driven games and anyone who has experienced the loss of someone close. A perfect experience for families seeking a meaningful game, or adult players who want a contemplative and moving pause.
