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Lost in Random
Lost in Random
Lost in Random
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Lost in Random
DeveloperZoink
PublisherElectronic Arts
DirectorsOlov Redmalm
Klaus Lyngeled
ArtistVictor Becker
WriterRyan North
ComposerBlake Robinson
EngineUnity
Platforms
Release10 September 2021
GenreAction-adventure
ModeSingle-player

Lost in Random is a 2021 action-adventure game developed by Zoink and published by Electronic Arts. Part of the EA Originals program, the game was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 10 September 2021. It was the final game developed by Zoink prior to their consolidation into Thunderful Development. It received generally positive reviews from critics. A spin-off game titled Lost in Random: The Eternal Die was released in June 2025.

Gameplay

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Lost in Random is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective. Combat happens in arenas that look like a game board. Players must roll Dicey in order to progress and Even will only be safe when she reaches the final piece on the board. In combat, the player can use Even's slingshot. While it does not damage enemies, opponents hit by her slingshot drop energy cubes which fuel Dicey. Once Dicey is fully fueled, players can roll it and time will be temporarily stopped. During this period, players can select the card they want to use, which is the only way to deal damage to enemies. There are five different types of cards (Weapon, Damage, Defense, Hazard, and Cheat), offering different gameplay advantages and combat abilities. For instance, one of the cards turns Dicey into an explosive cube, while another allows players to place traps. Cards can be earned through collecting coins. As players progress, new cards will be earned and they will recover Dicey's lost pips, which would enable Even to roll higher numbers during combat.[1]

The game also features light role-playing game elements. When Dicey and Even are exploring the Kingdom of Random, they will meet various non-playable characters. The game features a dialogue wheel which allows players to select dialogue options while conversing with NPCs.[2]

Plot

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In the Kingdom of Random, the fate of all individuals is decided by a cursed black die when they reach the age of 12, with any who roll a six becoming a ward of the Queen as a "Royal Sixer" including Even's twin sister, Odd. A year later, Even secretly leaves home and journeys across the six realms of Random to rescue her sister, following a ghost. She meets Dicey, a sentient die who has lost nearly all of its pips and allows Even to use magical powers in the form of Cards.

Even slowly traverses Random, following the ghost. In Two-Town, everyone has split personalities based on the Queen's roll. Threeburg is ruled by triplets in constant war, each thinking the other was responsible for their father's murder. Even finds Fourberg completely destroyed by the Queen. Fivetropolis, where the magical Cards are made, has been turned into a factory to produce robots for the Queen. Upon reaching Royal Six, Even finds the castle is a complete hoax, a cardboard facsimile, with the whole Queendom overrun with black crystals, before finally entering the Black Die. Inside, Even finds all of the children abducted by the Queen are being harvested for their nightmares, to feed three dark gods. Even finally locates Odd, but discovers that Odd has been corrupted by the Queen and now willingly serves her. After defeating her, Odd's mask is broken, freeing her from the Queen's control. Odd uses Dicey to create a portal for the sisters and the abducted children to escape through. Fleeing the crumbling castle, the sisters find the suspended body of Princess Natalya, the Queens sister, who died during the game's prologue by random chance, and had been the ghost seen by Even, leading her through Random. Enraged, the Queen agreed to harvest children for the dark gods to keep her sister in suspended animation, and abolished all dice to "eliminated randomness." She also engineered the catastrophes of the only realms to keep them constantly distracted from the Queen's efforts kidnapping the children. The princess begs the Queen to let her finally die, as even in the time stop, she's in constant suffering.

The Queen stays behind to fight the dark lords as Even, Odd, Dicey, and the other children escape. Dicey produces umbrellas for them to float away on. Odd is concerned about where they will end up, but Even does not care as they all float off into the distance. [3]

Development and Release

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Lost in Random was developed by Swedish developer Zoink. According to Olov Redmalm, the game's creative director, Lost in Random was a homage to "dark fairy tales" and stop-motion animation. During the game's production, the team inspected the works of animation studio Laika, movies directed by Tim Burton, Grimms' Fairy Tales, and the Oddworld series for inspirations.[3] Each realm features its own visual design, with art style inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas, Over the Garden Wall, and the works of Australian artist Shaun Tan. The game was penned by Ryan North, who had previously worked on The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and the Adventure Time TV series.[2][4] The game's soundtrack was composed by British composer Blake Robinson, who had previously worked on Portal Knights and The Stanley Parable.[5]

Publisher Electronic Arts, which had partnered with Zoink previously with Fe (2017), announced Lost in Random at EA Play 2019. The game was an "EA Originals", a segment of EA's publishing aimed to help indie developers with financing and publishing of their titles to reach a wider audience without EA being as involved in the game's development, thus allowing the studio to take more of a share of sales revenues.[6] The game competed for the inaugural Tribeca Games Award and was included as an official selection.[7] The game was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 10 September 2021.[8]

Reception

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Lost in Random received "generally favorable" reviews from critics for most platforms, except for the Xbox Series X/S version which received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[9][10][11][12][13]

Destructoid praised each of the six realms, feeling that they were distinct from each other in non-visual ways, "Zoink does a good job of theming each world after its numerical, dice-based namesake. There’s an amusing logic to how each realm operates. Seeing those quirks play out as Even, a total newcomer, is pretty entertaining".[14] Rock Paper Shotgun liked the atmosphere of Random's world, noting its Burtonian influences, "Everyone teeters on long spindly limbs, and they're either gremlins with upside down faces, or withered trees wearing top hats. They're all amusing too, with a few sending you on more original and fun side quests to break up the linear ride. I traded complicated words with an auntie catfish, for instance".[23] Game Informer enjoyed how the combat system mixed real-time action with deck-building, feeling it was a completely unique take on both genres, "The system is genuinely creative, smoothly executed, and every layer works in tandem to create a unique experience".[16] While criticizing the length of combat encounters, IGN felt the characters helped plot become more memorable, "Incredibly memorable characters like Mannie Dex, Seemore, Herman, Ooma, The Nanny, and so many others make moving to the next world kind of like watching the next movie in a 20-hour series of timeless holiday classics".[17]

Kotaku liked the game's side-quests, stating they often were hilarious, "I had a great time just poking my head into every nook and cranny of the various realms, looking for characters to talk to and side-quests to complete... The range of dialogue options and the ways in which they impact the game are yet another reason I had such a good time exploring and talking to everyone I met".[24] Nintendo World Report disliked how long quests and combat encounters took to complete, "The biggest hurdle in Lost in Random is the pacing of the game. It frequently drags out quests and missions to a point where it can feel simply tedious to walk all the way across the town again to find a specific item".[19]

References

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Lost in Random

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from Grokipedia
Lost in Random is a action-adventure developed by the Swedish studio and published by as part of its EA Originals program. Released on September 10, , for Microsoft Windows, , , and —with support for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S—the game is set in the kingdom of Random, a dark gothic fairytale realm divided into six shadowy districts where every citizen's fate is dictated by the roll of a cursed black dice under the rule of a wicked Queen. Players assume the role of Even, a determined young girl from the impoverished outskirts, who embarks on a perilous quest to rescue her sister Odd after she is taken to the Queen's utopian city of Sixtopia following a fateful dice roll on her twelfth birthday; along the way, Even allies with Dicey, a wise-cracking sentient dice companion that becomes central to the game's mechanics. The game's narrative, penned by Eisner Award-winning comic book writer , explores themes of , destiny, and familial bonds through a twisted, Tim Burton-esque aesthetic featuring intricate stop-motion-inspired art, quirky characters, and a haunting soundtrack composed by Blake Robinson. blends third-person exploration across surreal, dice-themed environments with environmental puzzles and light platforming, but its core innovation lies in a hybrid combat system that fuses real-time shooting with turn-based card battles. Even wields a magical to stun enemies and collect "timber" cards, which are then played in strategic, dice-dependent confrontations where Dicey's rolls determine attack power, card draws, and outcomes—creating unpredictable, high-stakes encounters that emphasize adaptation over brute force. Players can expand their card deck throughout the journey, customizing loadouts for diverse tactical approaches in boss fights and arena skirmishes. Development began in 2018 at , known for titles like Fe and Stick It to the Man!, with the team drawing inspiration from classic fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and games like The Legend of Zelda and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons to craft a world that subverts expectations of chance and control. supported the project through its indie-focused EA Originals initiative, allowing Zoink creative freedom while handling global publishing and marketing. The game launched to generally favorable reviews, earning a Metascore of 78 on across platforms, with critics praising its atmospheric world-building, inventive dice mechanics, and emotional storytelling, though some noted occasional clunky controls and repetitive combat pacing. Upon release, it solidified its reputation as a charming yet dark indie gem. In June 2025, the franchise expanded with Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, a roguelite developed by Thunderful Publishing's internal studio Stormteller Games, which shifts to top-down action while retaining the dice-rolling core and introducing Queen Aleksandra as the in a procedurally generated adventure. This follow-up, released for , Series X/S, , and PC, builds on the original's lore and has been acclaimed for reinventing the formula with deeper replayability.

Gameplay

Combat Mechanics

Combat in Lost in Random is a third-person action-adventure system set in enclosed, board-game-inspired arenas that activate during story challenges or enemy encounters. Players control Even, who engages enemies in real-time using a slingshot to target glowing crystals attached to foes or environmental objects, collecting energy to fuel subsequent actions. These arenas blend strategic planning with immediate reactivity, as battles pause during key phases to allow positioning and trap setup before resuming fluid motion. Central to the is Dicey, Even's sentient die companion, which players roll after gathering sufficient crystal energy to initiate a tactical phase. The roll yields a from 1 to 6, determining the maximum cost of playable cards drawn from Even's customizable deck; for instance, a roll of 6 permits access to all card costs, enabling powerful combinations, while a low roll like 1 restricts options to basic abilities. Cards, categorized as , , defense, , or cheat types, manifest effects such as weapons (e.g., hammers or spears), ranged attacks (e.g., bows), traps (e.g., bombs or summons), or buffs (e.g., or ); players draw up to five cards per roll based on collected crystals, selecting and activating them in the paused Dicemension before time resumes. This card system supports deck-building, where players curate a 15-card deck from collected or purchased options, with duplicates increasing draw probability and "Golden Pins" allowing favored cards to carry over between rolls. The risk-reward loop emphasizes strategic timing and adaptability, as higher rolls unlock stronger but rely on chance, potentially leaving players vulnerable if a poor roll occurs amid aggressive AI patterns. Defensive play involves dodging attacks, using terrain for cover, and deploying protective cards like shields or time-warping effects to counter threats, while offensive tactics reward chaining card synergies—such as combining a card with a hazard for area control. behaviors adapt to outcomes, with some foes gaining advantages on successful defenses, heightening the tension in real-time execution. Progression enhances combat depth through light RPG elements, including skill trees for Even that improve mobility, slingshot accuracy, or Dicey's roll potential via upgrades. New cards unlock via story milestones, side activities, or purchases from vendors like Mannie Dex, expanding deck variety with 72 unique options available across multiple packs; players refine strategies by experimenting with builds tailored to arena layouts or enemy types, such as ranged-focused decks for distant threats. This evolution ensures combats grow more versatile without overwhelming complexity, maintaining focus on the dice-driven unpredictability.

Exploration and Progression

Lost in Random features a semi-linear world structure divided into six distinct —Onecroft, Two-Town, Threedom, Fourburg, Fivetropolis, and Sixtopia—each themed around a number on a die and offering opportunities for open-ended beyond the main path. Players control Even as she traverses these gothic, board-game-inspired environments, uncovering hidden collectibles such as card packs that expand her deck, health upgrades that increase her maximum vitality, and lore items revealing backstory about the kingdom's inhabitants and history. This encourages and thorough searching, with each providing unique verticality and secrets that reward curiosity without strict time limits. Puzzle mechanics emphasize environmental challenges that integrate Dicey's dice-rolling abilities for non-combat problem-solving, such as positioning him on pressure plates to activate switches or using his rolls to trigger timed platforms that allow Even to cross gaps or reach elevated areas. Card abilities occasionally assist in traversal, enabling creative solutions like deploying gust effects to bridge wide chasms or propel Even across obstacles. These puzzles promote coordination between Even and Dicey, often requiring precise timing and experimentation to progress through locked areas or optional secrets. Character progression occurs through collectibles and story milestones, which provide health upgrades to enhance her vitality, boost Dicey's maximum roll potential from an initial two pips to six over the course of the game, while the deck remains fixed at 15 cards for strategic customization. Branching choices during interactions with NPCs can influence minor outcomes, such as alternative quest resolutions or additional rewards, adding replayability to conversations without altering the core narrative. Side activities expand exploration incentives, including optional mini-games in town hubs like Threedom's chess-inspired challenges, where players maneuver pieces on grids to earn coins and rare cards. NPC-driven side quests, initiated through in populated areas, involve fetch tasks or simple investigations that uncover more collectibles and deepen world immersion without propelling the main storyline. On a technical level, movement controls utilize the left for navigation, with sprinting via a dedicated and camera adjustment on the right stick, while and card management are accessed through a pause menu for equipping decks. Dicey is summoned and controlled separately with shoulder s for actions like rolling or positioning. Accessibility options include adjustable aim sensitivity, remappable controls, and high-contrast modes to aid visibility in the stylized , though dice rolls remain inherently random without simplification toggles.

Setting and Characters

The Kingdom of Random

The Kingdom of Random is a gothic fairy-tale ruled by a tyrannical Queen, where every citizen's fate is determined by the roll of a cursed black die on their twelfth birthday, assigning them to one of six shadowy realms corresponding to the die's faces. This rigid system enforces a based on , with lower numbers consigning individuals to and hardship, while higher rolls offer illusory privileges under the Queen's control. The kingdom's society revolves around and chance as cultural cornerstones, fostering and inequality, where dice dictate not only but also daily decisions and conflicts. The six realms each embody unique architectures and inhabitants shaped by their numerical theme and the pervasive influence of randomness. Onecroft is a decrepit junkyard filled with and mechanical contraptions, home to laborers known as Oners who collect refuse for the Queen. Two-Town features a dualistic, magical environment that shifts daily based on the Queen's die roll, its whimsical yet unstable structures reflecting inhabitants' changeable fates. Threedom, in perpetual disarray, hosts a three-way among noble triplets using colossal Queen-gifted machines, its feudal-inspired villages scarred by following the king's murder. Fourburg, built atop the ruins of the former Four-Town, is a lawless den run by the Highroller, where bets determine power amid ramshackle casinos and shadowy alleys. Fivetropolis, once a mystical hub of legendary card makers, now lies in bureaucratic decay after the No Dice War, its towering chimneys and faded bureaucracy symbolizing lost glory. Sixtopia serves as the Queen's opulent paradise, a seemingly perfect haven from which no one returns, contrasting the kingdom's grim underbelly with its gilded illusions. Visually, the Kingdom draws from stop-motion animation aesthetics, evoking the dark whimsy of Tim Burton's films and Studios' productions, with handcrafted clay-like environments including junkyard sprawls, shadowy forests, and intricate mechanical devices that blend the and enchanting. This style enhances thematic depth through environmental storytelling, such as graffiti-scrawled walls, tattered posters proclaiming edicts, and ruined structures that reveal the kingdom's fractured history of and oppression without explicit narration. Thematically, Random critiques the capriciousness of fate through its dice-centric culture, where class divides perpetuate cycles of despair and false hope, mirroring real-world issues of inequality and addiction via subtle world details like derelict betting halls and despairing . Complementing this, the sound design incorporates ambient elements like rattling and creaking machinery to evoke and chance, integrating seamlessly with the visuals to immerse players in the kingdom's eerie atmosphere.

Key Characters

Even is the protagonist of Lost in Random, a resourceful young girl from the outskirts of Onecroft who embarks on a perilous journey through the Kingdom of Random. Depicted as scrappy and determined, she wields a and collects magical cards to navigate challenges, with options that allow players to shape her responses in conversations, reflecting her resilient personality. Voiced by Katey Parr, Even's design features a simple dress with two buttons symbolizing her origins in the "One" realm, accented by purple shades and a brown hair tie, emphasizing her humble beginnings. Accompanying Even is Dicey, her loyal companion and a magical, sentient die that provides both through its sarcastic wit and essential utility by determining outcomes through rolls. As a floating, expressive cube adorned with facial features that convey emotions like surprise or mischief, Dicey forms a deepening bond with Even, offering guidance amid the chaos of dice-governed society. The character is voiced by Olov Redmalm, who also reprises the role in board game announcements within the game. The primary is the Queen of Random, an enigmatic and towering ruler who enforces the kingdom's tyrannical dice-based with a blend of imposing menace and underlying in her portrayal. Her elegant yet dark design contrasts sharply with the simpler aesthetics of lower realms, featuring shadowy robes and a commanding presence that underscores her control over fate. Voiced by Karen Kahler, the Queen influences the lives of all citizens through her cursed die, shaping the oppressive world Even must confront. Among the supporting cast, Even's older sister Odd symbolizes lost innocence, her design incorporating three buttons on her outfit to evoke her name and status, voiced by Birte Widmann. Allies such as the Resistance members in Fourburg offer aid against the , while realm-specific NPCs like the Seemore in Two-Town provide quirky interactions and side quests, voiced by an ensemble including additional talents like Pauline Constantine as Nanny Fortuna. The game's Ty Konzak voices the Narrator, framing the tale with a ominous tone. Character designs across the board draw from handcrafted, stop-motion-inspired models reminiscent of Studios' , featuring exaggerated features crafted from materials like clay, wood, and textiles to evoke a tangible, miniature world. This aesthetic emphasizes emotional expressiveness in cutscenes, with storyboards guiding fluid animations that highlight personalities and interactions within the gothic-fairy-tale universe.

Plot

Narrative Overview

Lost in Random follows the story of Even, a young girl from the outskirts of the kingdom, who embarks on a perilous quest to rescue her sister Odd after the latter is taken away following a fateful roll of the Queen's magical die on her twelfth birthday. This central premise drives Even's journey across the divided realms of Random, a gothic land where citizens' fates are dictated by dice rolls, gradually revealing the kingdom's oppressive underbelly controlled by a tyrannical Queen. The narrative unfolds in third-person perspective through chapter-based progression, blending , mystery, and light horror elements as Even navigates shadowy realms and engages in quests that uncover an ancient tale. Cinematic cutscenes and a fairy-tale enhance the , presented in a dark, whimsical tone reminiscent of tales, with moral choices in dialogues allowing players to influence outcomes slightly—such as opting for merciful or aggressive paths that affect quest resolutions and lead to nuanced endings. The structure maintains steady pacing over approximately 10-12 hours for the main story, focusing on exploration and confrontations in ever-changing board game-like arenas. At its core, the game explores themes of bonds, the illusion of chance versus personal control, and a critique of gambling's destructive hold on , alongside authoritarian rule that enforces predetermined destinies. These elements culminate in bittersweet resolutions emphasizing , escape, and the of , without major branching paths that drastically alter the overall arc.

Major Events and Realms

The story of Lost in Random unfolds across the six realms of the Kingdom of Random, each tied to a die face and influenced by the tyrannical Queen, with Even's journey serving as the central thread of major events. The adventure begins in Onecroft, the decrepit realm of number one and the lowliest district where junk is dumped, home to Even and her family on the impoverished outskirts. Here, Even witnesses her older Odd's twelfth , where Odd rolls a six on the fateful die and is immediately taken by royal guards to Sixtopia, the elusive realm of apparent perfection. Desperate to rescue her, Even leaves home, guided by prophetic dreams, and acquires Dicey, a quirky sentient die companion found in the harbor shadows, who becomes her ally in combat and decision-making. Even's path next leads to Two-Town, the magical realm of number two with its dual-natured, upside-down architecture where residents' personalities flip daily due to the Queen's . Key events include navigating the split Mayor's tower, solving personality-based puzzles, and defeating Royam, a deceptive boss embodying the realm's theme of duality and . Progressing to Threedom, the chaotic realm of number three embroiled in a three-way among triplet rulers, Even escapes pursuing Queen's guards through chaotic streets and colossi-ravaged landscapes, amid the conflict fueled by the Queen's manipulations. She aids locals, including a , and confronts challenges tied to the triplets' rivalry. In Fourburg, the lawless realm of number four built on dens and ruins from the War, Even becomes entangled in a resistance uprising against the corrupt Highroller, a of the Queen who rigs games to maintain control. Key events involve rallying rebels, infiltrating rigged casinos, and culminating in a boss fight against the Bag Brothers and the Fourman, massive mechanical enforcers embodying the realm's theme of unfair chance, which Even defeats using Dicey's rolls to power card-based attacks. In Fivetropolis, the decaying industrial realm of number five once famed for its card makers and , now repurposed into bureaucratic factories under the Queen's control, Even navigates traps, solves puzzles tied to enchanted cards, and evades surveillance to confront the Queen's Shadow, a manifestation of fears whose boss battle highlights themes of entrapment and psychological manipulation. Spoiler Warning: The following details reveal major plot twists and progression. Upon entering Sixtopia, the opulent realm of number six marketed as a dream paradise for high rollers, Even uncovers its deceptive nature as a nightmarish where the Queen conducts experiments on captured children, harvesting their fears to fuel a that sustains her eternal rule. This revelation ties into major twists, including the Queen's nightmare-harvesting process that traps souls in perpetual torment, Odd's transformation into a brainwashed enforcer under the Queen's influence, and the truth behind the One House—a foreboding citadel at Sixtopia's heart where the final confrontation unfolds. Boss fights escalate with Nanny Fortuna, a grotesque caregiver guarding the children's wards, followed by a heartbreaking with the altered Odd, emphasizing the game's themes of chance's cruel turns on familial bonds. The climax builds in the One House's , where Even learns the Queen's draws from children's deepest fears to combat an ancient curse afflicting Random, though her methods have corrupted the kingdom. Forging a deeper alliance with Dicey, Even dismantles the 's core by freeing trapped souls and shattering the Black Die, the source of the Queen's power, leading to the kingdom's structural collapse as realms interconnecting via dice portals begin to unravel. In the resolution, Even and Odd escape through a final portal to an uncertain outside world, with the Queen sacrificing herself to shield them from pursuing shadows, though alternate dialogue choices during confrontations can yield variations in Odd's redemption arc, such as more defiant or reconciliatory tones without altering the escape's outcome. Throughout these events, side quests integrate seamlessly by allowing Even to assist NPCs—such as aiding a rebel inventor in Fourburg or decoding a factory worker's plea in Fivetropolis—unveiling deeper lore on Random's history and the dice curse without impacting core plot progression, instead enriching thematic understanding of chance's role in personal fates.

Development

Concept and Inspirations

Lost in Random was conceived by Swedish studio Zoink Games as a gothic action-adventure that intertwines themes of , chance, and familial bonds, centering on two sisters navigating a world governed by dice rolls and board game-like rules. The core concept emerged from an initial sketch of a girl accompanied by a sentient die, evolving into a narrative-driven experience blending real-time with strategic, turn-based combat elements inspired by board games. This fusion aimed to create a dark, whimsical realm where dictates fate, subverting traditional structures by infusing them with gothic horror and moral complexity. The game's visual style drew heavily from stop-motion animation and gothic aesthetics, with inspirations including Tim Burton's films such as for its eerie whimsy, Laika Studios' productions like for tactile, handcrafted textures, and Lewis Carroll's for surreal worldbuilding and embedded game mechanics. Gameplay mechanics nodded to dice-driven systems in tabletop RPGs like , emphasizing unpredictability and replayability through random outcomes in combat and progression. Pre-production involved extensive mood boards and sketches to capture this stop-motion-inspired look, using claymation references to achieve a cozy yet mysterious atmosphere that permeates the six realms of Random. Writer served as the lead scripter, crafting all of the game's to deliver witty, character-driven exchanges that enhance the subversion. Early prototypes centered on integrating randomness into combat for , testing how variable rolls could heighten tension and encourage adaptive strategies. A key conceptual challenge was balancing fluid real-time action—such as dodging and crystal collection—with tactical pauses for rolls and card deployment, ensuring the felt intuitive rather than frustrating. These iterations, supported by publisher ' approval of the EA Originals vision, solidified the game's unique identity as a replayable tale of chance and resilience.

Production Process

Development began in 2018. Zoink Games, a Swedish studio known for its artistically driven titles, led the production of Lost in Random as part of ' EA Originals program, enabling a larger scope than their previous projects like Fe. The team utilized Unity as the game engine to handle visuals, physics, and cross-platform compatibility across PC, PlayStation, , and . Development spanned several years, with the project evolving from initial to full production after Zoink's merger into the , which provided additional resources for ambitious environmental and character designs. The art and animation pipeline emphasized a custom stop-motion-inspired aesthetic, drawing from influences like and Studios to create a handcrafted, gothic fairy-tale world. In-house artists produced thematic , storyboards, and environmental compositions, focusing on sculptural details and material textures to evoke a dark yet whimsical tone; this included detailed character models and dynamic animations for key elements like the companion dice, Dicey. Voice recording sessions featured notable performers, such as Katey Parr as Even, captured to match the narrative's eerie, narrative-driven style. Technical implementation centered on the dice-rolling mechanics, where algorithms generated fair, pseudo-random outcomes to power card-based combat, pausing time for strategic choices while emphasizing player agency through features like golden pins that preserved cards across rolls. Optimization efforts addressed cross-platform performance, particularly scaling visuals from high-end systems like PS5 to the without compromising the artistic integrity. The orchestral score, composed by Blake Robinson of the Synthetic Orchestra, incorporated whimsical motifs using digital samples of brass, strings, woodwinds, and exotic instruments like the , as the prevented live recordings. Key challenges included integrating the card system with dice randomness to avoid frustration, resolved through extensive playtesting that refined combat loops and pause frequency for better flow. The pandemic caused delays in audio production and milestones, such as shifting from alpha builds around 2019 to beta testing focused on puzzle-combat balance in 2020, ultimately leading to further development milestones and the release of an announcement trailer in June 2020 at Live. These efforts ensured a cohesive experience blending real-time action with turn-based strategy.

Release

Platforms and Dates

Lost in Random was initially released on September 10, 2021, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows via Steam and the EA app, and Google Stadia. The game was published by as part of its EA Originals program, which supported independent developers and handled worldwide distribution. Next-generation console versions for and feature enhancements including support and reduced load times compared to last-generation counterparts. No major packs were released, though free updates addressed bugs and performance issues across all platforms. The Google Stadia version became unavailable following the service's shutdown on January 18, 2023. Save data synchronization is supported across platforms linked to an EA account via the EA app.

Marketing and Post-Launch

Lost in Random was first announced at EA Play 2019, where Electronic Arts revealed the game as part of its EA Originals program, highlighting its dark fairy-tale aesthetic and dice-driven gameplay. A cinematic teaser trailer followed in June 2020 during EA Play Live, further showcasing the Kingdom of Random's whimsical yet gothic world ruled by chance. Marketing efforts centered on trailers that emphasized the game's unique blend of narrative exploration and tactical dice-rolling combat. The official story trailer, released in June 2021, introduced protagonist Even and her companion Dicey, underscoring themes of fate and rebellion against the Queen. A gameplay trailer debuted at Live on July 22, 2021, demonstrating the "Dice Battle" system, which combines real-time action with turn-based card mechanics activated by dice rolls. The launch trailer in September 2021 reinforced these elements, positioning the title as a twisted adventure in a Tim Burton-inspired realm. Physical editions were available for consoles through retailers like , though no limited runs with exclusive art books were produced for the original release. Post-launch support included updates addressing technical issues, such as performance optimizations and bug fixes rolled out via and console patches in late 2021. The official , composed by The Blake Robinson Synthetic , was released digitally on September 10, 2021, and became available on platforms like and , featuring tracks that capture the game's eerie, orchestral atmosphere. Tie-in merchandise included apparel such as T-shirts and sweatshirts sold via an official online store, though no Dicey figurines were officially produced. No major expansions were developed for the original , but the franchise expanded with Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, a roguelite developed by Stormteller Games and published by Thunderful Publishing, announced in August 2024 and released on June 17, 2025, for , Xbox Series X/S, , and PC. involved a Reddit AMA on October 30, 2021, where Olov Redmalm responded to player questions about development and feedback on elements like pacing and combat depth. Developers also interacted via , addressing community input on adjustments in subsequent updates.

Reception

Critical Response

Lost in Random received generally favorable reviews upon its 2021 release, with aggregate scores ranging from 75 to 79 across platforms, based on dozens of critic reviews per version. The PC version holds a score of 78 from 7 critics, while the version scores 78 from 31 reviews, the Series X/S version 75 from 10 reviews, and the version 79 from 20 reviews. Critics widely praised the game's unique art style and narrative charm, often likening its gothic fairytale aesthetic to a blend of Tim Burton's visuals and dark whimsy. awarded it an 8/10, highlighting the "whimsical yet dark" tone that creates an engaging atmosphere through intricate world-building and quirky characters. , scoring it 7/10, commended the innovative combat system that fuses dice-rolling chance with card-based strategy, noting how it allows for meaningful deck customization and tactical depth. Reviewers also lauded the voice acting and writing, with strong performances bringing the story's themes of fate and rebellion to life, as seen in Nintendo Life's 8/10 verdict that emphasized the compelling sibling narrative and memorable lore. Common criticisms focused on pacing issues in the mid-game realms, clunky platforming sections, and repetitive puzzles that occasionally disrupt the flow. noted uneven pacing and frustrating platforming challenges that feel out of place amid the adventure elements. pointed to bland, shadowy level designs in later areas that reduce exploration appeal and lead to repetition, alongside unclear early tutorials for . , in a 7/10 review, highlighted uneven difficulty spikes and puzzle redundancy that hinder momentum in the central realms. The version was particularly lauded for its portability, enabling seamless play sessions, though some critiques mentioned occasional drops during intense combat. Nintendo Life praised its visual fidelity without significant compromises, making it ideal for on-the-go exploration of the realms. Overall, the game was celebrated for its originality in the indie action-adventure space.

Commercial Performance and Legacy

Lost in Random achieved modest commercial success following its release, with approximately 148,000 units sold on alone, generating around $2.4 million in revenue as of late 2025. The game's digital performance remained steady following its launch on in September 2021, which broadened its accessibility and sustained interest among players on handheld platforms. This ongoing sales contributed to the consolidation of developer into Thunderful Development, marking the title as Zoink's final independent project before the studio's integration in 2021. The game earned recognition in several industry awards, winning Best at 2021 for its innovative blend of action-adventure and elements. It also received nominations at the 2022 , including for Excellence in , highlighting its storytelling inspired by dark fairy tales. In terms of cultural impact, Lost in Random has influenced broader discussions on (RNG) mechanics in , where its dice-based prompted debates on balancing chance with player agency to enhance replayability without frustrating outcomes. The title's integration of card collection and tactical elements inspired fan-created content, such as custom card designs shared in gaming communities to expand its deck-building . Academically, it has been analyzed in for its adaptation of fairy-tale tropes through a Gothic lens, exploring themes of transgression, , and societal disruption in a dice-ruled world. The game's legacy extends to its role in paving the way for expansions within the Random universe, notably the 2025 spin-off Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, a developed by Stormteller Games (formerly Thunderful ) and published by Thunderful. This title shifts focus to Queen Aleksandra as the protagonist, delving into her backstory against an ancient evil while retaining core dice and card mechanics in fast-paced, top-down combat. No direct sequels to the original have been announced, though its status as an EA Originals title underscores potential for further indie collaborations under . By 2025, retrospective discussions praised the original's enduring charm, with community efforts recreating its board game-inspired puzzles in fan projects to evoke the gothic fairy-tale atmosphere.

References

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