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What Was Lost
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A two-player online co-op puzzle game. One of you plays Ben in the family house as it was, the other plays Lily in the same house years later. You can only see your own timeline, so you solve it by talking. Chapters 1 to 6 in Early Access, with more coming in free updates.

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Features
Languages:
Interface Full Audio Subtitles
English ✔ ✔ ✔
Simplified Chinese ✔ ✔ ✔

Coming Soon To Early Access

The developers of this game intend to release as a work in progress, developing with the feedback of players.

Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“What Was Lost is a puzzle game for two people, and the only real test for it is pairs playing it. Two players move at different speeds, read the story differently and get stuck in places my small test group never did. I want to fix those spots with players rather than guess at them.

During Early Access I'll re-tune or redesign puzzles that pairs find unclear, add hints where people stall, smooth out co-op pacing so neither player is left waiting, and make online play hold up on real connections. I also want to add more languages.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“About six to nine months. The main thing it waits on is the rest of the story. I'd rather release those chapters when they're tested to the same standard as Chapters 1 to 6 than rush them out for a date.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“The full version finishes the story with the remaining chapters, along with the memory fragments and achievements that go with them. Beyond that it depends on what players tell me, but I expect to:

- Re-tune or redesign puzzles that pairs find unclear or slow
- Add hints and onboarding where people get stuck
- Improve online co-op stability
- Add more languages

Nothing you can play now will be removed, and the full version is a free update for everyone who buys in Early Access.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Chapters 1 to 6 are playable from start to finish in two-player online co-op, which takes a pair about four hours. The game has push-to-talk voice chat, English voice-over and subtitles, partial controller support, and options for colorblind palettes, reduced motion, reduced flashing and text size.

The game stops after Chapter 6 until the next update, so the story isn't finished yet, and the memory fragments and achievements tied to the later chapters can't be collected yet. English only for now.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“We plan to keep the price the same when leaving Early Access. Players who purchase during Early Access will not pay more than players who purchase after the full release.
”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“I read the Steam forums and the community hub, and that's the best place for feedback. The things I most want to hear about:

- Puzzles where you got stuck or felt rushed
- Accessibility needs the game doesn't cover yet
- Languages you'd like to see
- Online connection problems, and roughly where you're playing from

I'll post updates on what I've changed and what's next, and playtesters who help shape the game will be credited.”
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About This Game

What Was Lost is a first-person puzzle game for two players, online through Steam. One of you plays Ben, in the family house as it was. The other plays Lily, in the same house years later.

You can't see each other's rooms. A clock that still has its hands on Ben's side is bare on Lily's. A drawer that's locked for one of you is open for the other. Most puzzles come down to one person describing something and the other finding it, so you'll talk a lot.

In Early Access

  • Chapters 1 to 6: the front hall, the kitchen and garden, the library, the bedroom, the attic and basement, and the conservatory. A pair usually takes about four hours.

  • More chapters are coming in free updates.

  • Online co-op for two with push-to-talk voice chat built in. There is no split-screen and no matchmaking, so bring a friend.

  • There is no combat and no timer, and you can't fail a puzzle.

Accessibility

  • Subtitles and adjustable text size

  • Colorblind palette

  • Reduced motion for camera effects, screen shake and head bob

  • Partial controller support

  • Autosave at the start of each chapter

From the developer

I've always wanted to make games, even when I was younger. The problem was, it always seemed too expensive or like it would take way too much time.

Eventually, I decided to just go for it and make one myself. I wanted to make something fun for friends or couples to play together, inspired by the kind of co-op games I’ve always enjoyed.

It's just me making this game, so if you give it a try, I'd love to hear what you think. What worked, what didn't, and what could be better. The Steam forums are the best place to share feedback, and I read every post.

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

Character voices (English and Mandarin) are generated with ElevenLabs. Music is generated with ACE-Step and ElevenLabs. Some in-game family photographs were generated with Qwen-Image. AI tools also helped write the game's code and build some of the 3D models and textures.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

What Was Lost is a narrative co-op puzzle game about grief, memory, and the people we leave behind. Chapter 4 contains material exploring depression and suicidal ideation, including a scene in which a character contemplates an overdose of prescription medication. These themes are conveyed through implication, written reflection, and audio fragments rather than graphic depiction, but they may still be distressing to some players. The game shows a content warning before Chapter 4 begins and points players toward real-world mental-health support resources. There is no on-screen violence, gore, sexual content, or strong language at any point in the game.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS: Windows 10 64-bit
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-4xxx / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or equivalent
    • Memory: 4 GB RAM
    • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1050 / AMD RX 560 / Intel UHD 630 (Vulkan-capable)
    • Storage: 2 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-8xxx / AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or better
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1660 / AMD RX 5600 XT or better
    • Storage: 2 GB available space