Work at a Filipino town’s lost and found office in this upcoming indie game
How do you become a game developer in the Philippines? Are there any local studios and courses that can cultivate aspiring creators? Unfortunately, for a country with as much interest as it has in video games, the industry remains quite invisible for those looking to contribute to it. We have the interest, not so much the infrastructure, just yet.
But the recent emergence of locally-made titles such as Until Then and Hapunan has shown that we have the capacity to create games that can be widely enjoyed. It’s not about Filipino baiting through over-excessive local imagery—just a purely good game that can stand alongside international titles.
In that same vein, Lost & Found is an upcoming adventure-mystery game that recently caught our eye. It’s made by solo developer and animator Kurt Reodica, also known as ShaggyBearGames, and features a unique animation style that blends 2D, 3D, pixel art, and more—inspired by shows like “The Amazing World of Gumball.”
The stories that objects tell
Lost & Found follows Rico, a laid-off artist who returns to his fictional hometown of Luisiana after struggling to find work in the city. Back home, there aren’t that many opportunities floating around either, and he soon finds himself working at the local lost and found office.
His job? Return missing belongings by gathering clues, comparing anecdotes, and making sure the items end up in the right hands. Sound easy enough? However, this doesn’t seem to be your typical cozy game, as not everyone in Luisiana is as honest as they seem.
“Some people may try to claim items that are not theirs, so it is up to you to gather clues, listen carefully, and decide who is lying,” reads the Lost & Found website. “Every item holds a piece of someone’s life, and returning it to the wrong person will have consequences that affect the game’s story.”
But it’s not just about solving mysteries and puzzles. In the same way that Rico’s return to Luisiana sparks a retrospective journey into his past and the hometown he left—by looking for someone’s cherished belongings, he also encounters the special stories and feelings unique to each item.
“In Lost & Found, even the smallest objects can reveal pieces of someone’s life… A worn wallet, an old photograph, or a forgotten receipt might seem ordinary, but each item holds a story waiting to be discovered.”
From Cartoon Network to Lost & Found
Reodica interned at Puppeteer Animation Studios, where he was trained in 3D character animation. Following this, he decided to go indie as ShaggyBearGames, where he spent the last year creating animated skits featuring his original character, Shaggy Bear, on social media.
As for why he decided to work on a solo indie game, he explains in the Lost & Found press release that shows such as “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” “Dexter’s Laboratory,” and “Ed, Edd n Eddy” left a big impression on him. “Years later, ‘The Amazing World of Gumball’ brought back that same feeling with its chaotic storytelling and mixed-media style. Those influences eventually inspired me to start creating my own animations, and later to ask a simple question: ‘Why aren’t there more games that feel like this?’”
Just a day after Reodica announced his upcoming game, Lost & Found has already amassed 5,000 wishlists on Steam.
So why did this game catch our eye? Maybe it’s the oddly familiar setting and the sense of home from the brief glimpses we’ve had of the town of Luisiana? Maybe it’s the unique art style and its attempt to see past the simplicity of items and the history they hold?
Either way, the fact that Lost & Found is made by a team of one is in itself a marvel to hold, and it’s definitely one we’re on the lookout for.
