The App Army assemble: Lost in Harmony - A bitter but very sweet symphony

Each week, we ask members of our App Army for their impressions of the latest releases on mobile.

This week we're looking at Lost in Harmony, the latest game from the creator of Valiant Hearts, which is now available on iOS and Android.

Lost in Harmony is the latest game from Yoan Fanise - working now with Digixart - and it shares his way of storytelling through a rhythm based runner.

So Lost in Harmony is a rear facing runner game with a pretty cool soundtrack. You whiz along, trying to avoid the traffic, while collecting musical notes.

The story is focused on Katio, a teenage boy whose friend Aya, is diagnosed with an unnamed serious illness that you learn more about as you progress through the game.

The game drip-feeds information and you'll want to find out more, hoping that everything will turn out ok.

The game takes place in Katio's dreams, where the current events of this relationship take the form of various scene-scapes.

Katio carries Aya on his back as they both try to avoid various obstacles in time with the level's music track.

Alyce

This game is beautiful and it captured my heart from the moment that I picked it up. The gameplay is quite challenging, causing you to mess up every once in a while, but you learn from those mistakes.

There's also something glorious about the artwork and the music. It's incredibly charming.

The gameplay is simple, but it does present some challenges as you aim for the highest possible completion score.

Levels are a few minutes long and have a blend of classical tracks with a modern twang in the background. You'll find yourself nodding your head, getting immersed in the environment - which changes with the music.

You have to use your finger to slide left to right to avoid things like signs, trees, door and wood. There are also a few sections in each level where you have to dodge said obstacles by tapping markers in time with the music.

Later on, this gets really intense and you'll have to alternate between the swipes and taps quite quickly.

That's sweet. They're holding hands after the first level. The game seems quite good fun. Not my usual choice, but I like to mix things up now and then.

I did notice that this had a slight problem on the 6s with 3D Touch. Pushing hard makes you jump which I kept doing by accident when I wanted to slide left or right. I'm looking for a way to disable that, then i'll carry on.

Wow! That pretty much sums up my thoughts. These guys know how to tug at your heartstrings. Lost in Harmony, in my opinion, is the video game equivalent of the song 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.

It's really a testament to what a true friendship is. It's gorgeous, everything looks fantastic. Just like a top-rated Japanese anime.

That 2nd dream was no joke.

Ok, there is definitely a story happening here. Doesn't look promising for the person on the other end of the phone. I think she may be a bit sick.

I'm loving the art in this game! I can appreciate it as a fellow artist.

Seems like it's stardust i'm collecting.

I love the soundtrack to this so much, I could listen to it all day. It's quite a cute game, all things considered. I'm also consistent with my results, though my report card would still say 'Must try harder.'

Lost in Harmony quickly throws you straight into the narrative and keeps you playing with addictive gameplay. At times, it reminded me of Audiosurf.

Having played through the first 3 dreams, I must say this game is glorious. It controls well, looks top notch, and the songs are amazing.

The narrative sections have some very moody and well composed music, which contrasts well with the dream, in-game music.

The War Dream is my favourite so far. Quite a powerful message using music and art.

This is quite cool. When they get 100,000 total players, they will unlock another chapter that gives us a new character and story. Interesting.

I like that the game allows for a bit of customisation, similar to Alto's Adventure. Though it seems like it's only visual and this apparel doesn't have a passive effect on your character.

The story is great and really holds your attention. You will want to progress to learn more. The controls are simple and you'll be glad for that when things pick up. There's also a lot of really cool features that make this game worth playing.

It seems you can upload and download music into, and from the game, within the community. Although, when you upload your music, you have to create the level yourself.

I wish it was more like Audiosurf and Beat Hazard Ultra where they simply allow you to upload your music and the game automatically generates the playing field for you. It would have been nice if the game had given you the choice.

Agreed. If this was in place, I'm sure the community would grow as more users create custom tracks to share.

I think Kaito needs a break from social media

I am not one who is fond of the endless runner formula but this has surprised me. Endless Runners are often filled with simplistic gameplay and little meat, but Lost in Harmony differs from the formula.

The soundtrack is among the best i've heard and the atmosphere is engrossing. Everything feels like it has a purpose and meaning.

Wow! Just got through this. The game is a bit sad, a mix between the spirit of Valiant Hearts and manga like Miyazaki, which is extremely clever. This is not the kind of game I normally like, but I love this.

I beat the game. It's lovely in a lot of ways, but also quite depressing.

I'm with you there. This is not a cheery, happy game, that's for sure. I don't think the story content quite fits around the skateboarding theme though.

GGod Hand

If I had to sum up Lost in Harmony in one word, it would be beautiful. What sets it apart from other games in the genre is that it combines aspects and ideas from the runner genre prevalent in the mobile community, with the rhythm genre.

This combination works for the better, and challenges the player to switch playing styles when the game changes its flow. One moment you will be jumping and moving your character from side to side, and the next you will be tapping stars on the screen to the rhythm of the music.

I also took a quick liking to the anime inspired design, the customisation options, unlocking of skins, accessories, and apparel. It would have been nice if some of these skins had some passive abilities, but this is a minor complaint that doesn't take anything away from the core game.

The relationship between Aya and Kaito is also truly special. When you have someone you love, and cherish more than anything in the world, sometimes just being there for them is more than enough to get through the rough times. Speaking from experience, the power of love and friendship can overcome all sorts of pain and suffering.

I am excited to keep playing this and see where it goes in the coming months. I highly recommend Lost in Harmony. The App Army have spoken! If you'd like to sign up, please have a gander at our App Army application article.