# A Normal Lost Phone

> Narrative investigation game exploring a stranger's life through their found smartphone. (iPhone/iPad app by Plug In Digital.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-normal-lost-phone/id1181828672 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Plug In Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/608306412)
- Category: Games, Adventure, Puzzle
- Price: Free (on sale, was $2.99)
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 479 App Store ratings · 169 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 104 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2017-01-25
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-normal-lost-phone/id1181828672/reviews.md

## What is A Normal Lost Phone?

A Normal Lost Phone is a game about exploring the intimacy of an unknown person whose phone was found by the player. 

The game takes the shape of a narrative investigation: you have to search the phone’s text messages, pictures and applications, in order to learn about its former owner. Through this phone, you uncover Sam’s life, friends, family and relationships, until the evening when they turn 18 and mysteriously disappear. 

Features 
- An immersive and intuitive way of introducing the narrative through a fake smartphone interface. 
- A game that bridges the gap between reality and fiction by letting players act as themselves. The game asks a simple question: if you close the app but still think about the game, have you truly stopped playing? 
- A relatable story that helps build empathy with the characters, allowing to explore difficult topics.

## Key features

- Investigate text messages, pictures, and apps
- Uncover a former owner's life and relationships
- Fake smartphone interface for immersion
- Narrative investigation gameplay
- Explore difficult topics and build empathy

## What do users think of A Normal Lost Phone?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 💕 Touching story
- 🌈 Representation of LGBTQ+ community
- 🎨 Beautiful art and music
- 🤗 Relatable and emotional
- 👍 Clever puzzle mechanics

**Cons**

- ⏱️ Too short
- 💰 Expensive for the length
- 🐛 Technical issues like crashes and freezes
- 🤔 Predictable or lacking depth in the story

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Calculator app not functioning
- Progress getting reset unexpectedly

**Most requested features**

- Longer gameplay with more branching story paths
- Ability to interact with characters beyond just reading
- More puzzles and challenges to solve

## Recent user reviews (10 of 169)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-normal-lost-phone/id1181828672/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Revisiting a Memory (Spoilers ahead!)

*2025-03-28, version 1.4*

I guess I first downloaded this game a long time ago, in 2017, as a teen. I have no memory of it at 27 in 2025 but I was scrolling through my old apps for some nostalgia and saw it, figured it would be a fun little mystery game. When I first played it I was 19, and I was just figuring out I might not be straight. Flash forward to now and I know I’m not a woman either. What a wonderful treat to find this game and get to relive the mystery. As a trans person myself I can say the subject was handled very well, especially for having come out 8 years ago. It hit so many personal notes for me. My (now) wife came out to me first. When she told me she was a woman I was so excited to get to say I had a girlfriend. When I discovered I was non binary she was nothing but supportive. After dating since we were 15 she was finally ready to get married on our 10 year anniversary. I was honored to give her my last name. What I’m trying to say is the story on the forums, about the woman whose partner comes out to her as trans, it doesn’t always end badly. If anyone is out there reading this after just having played the game, scared to come out to your partner, please have hope. 12 years with my wife next week. It can happen for you too, coming out isn’t always the end. 
Anyway this game was lovely and I appreciate how the subjects were handled with such grace. There was only one thing I had to look up a hint on, the game lasted me about 1.5 hours but kept me up late when I work tomorrow lol. 

Trans kids out there I love you. I gets better, I promise.

### 4/5 — Love this game - wish it was longer

*2024-10-08, version 1.4*

I really loved this game. Really got a feeling for the person behind the phone. Unfortunately it was just too short, I completed it in two hours, and passwords weren’t always intuitive, we never did find out Melissa’s birthday. I would’ve have liked a much bigger calendar, it only had two months on, not realistic for a phone calendar. I had to use a walkthrough.

I also would’ve liked a lot more action. I expected to get a lot more messages, emails, dating app messages, etc. But got less than five the whole time playing. The phone also didn’t allow me to send any messages that hadn’t already been drafted by Sam. Would’ve liked to send a message to some of Sam’s friends and potential dates. Didn’t get to know some of them as well as I had hoped. Would’ve been good to add a photo to my (I mean Sam’s) dating profile too.

Now I see I’ve almost finished the game, but I didn’t even get to the goal I wanted (can’t really say without spoiling it). Let’s just say I wanted to meet Alice, she sounded really neat, and learn more about his family. Maybe you left it open for a sequel? Maybe when I play ‘Another Lost Phone’ I will find out more. I don’t know. I would really love more in this game. It has a lot of substance, but I was left wanting more, although for me that usually means it was a really good game, I think in this case it really was a bit too short for the price I paid. Bundling it was nice though.

### 5/5 — Extremely moving

*2024-08-17, version 1.4*

I thought it was going to be another “find the person” story but (no spoilers or anything) it completely changed into something I could not stop reading for an hour. The puzzles are challenging but fair, the story is relatable in ways I’ve never experienced in similar games, and I legitimately cried at the end. Short but sweet. Highly recommend.

### 1/5 — Broken on iOS 17.4.1

*2024-05-22, version 1.4*

Very sadly, the “calculator app” doesn’t work on iOS 17.4.1 so the game cannot be completed.

### 1/5 — don’t download the game it’s boring

*2024-03-30, version 1.4*

I think the game was boring and even though the art style was okay, most of the characters looked terrible and the designs were bad. I think Sam was annoying and if he had more relationships with people instead of all his texts being happy birthday it would’ve been slightly better. The art style wasn’t terrible but the character designs were AWFUL

### 5/5 — Très touchant

*2023-06-24, version 1.4*

Quelle belle façon de raconter une histoire. On se sent très près des personnages. Merci pour cette expérience unique.

### 1/5 — Game just freezes

*2023-04-07, version 1.4*

I’d like to write a review but the game just freezes and I have to restart my iPad to close it. I purchased this and your bundle, would love a refund!

### 5/5 — Stellar and heart wrenching

*2022-08-10*

This is a wonderful game. Without spoiling too much, I found that I deeply identified with the events, revelations, and emotions that the player discovers throughout the course of the game. This game, while not identical to, tells a story that mirrors events that have occurred in my own life. I highly recommend this game, and while the puzzles can be difficult at times, the rewards and rich storytelling are more than worth it. Thank you to the developers for making this game, and I look forward to playing the sequel.

### 5/5 — Sweet, Hopeful, Realistic

*2022-04-23, version 1.4*

I loved this game. Searching through the phone to find puzzle answers while learning about the main character’s life was a great way to experience this story.

### 5/5 — Beautiful

*2022-04-02, version 1.4*

The game design is amazing, and the way the story unfurls as you solve each puzzle makes the experience feel authentic and rewarding. The score is also incredible, a perfect match for the tone of the game. Absolutely gorgeous story, with a satisfying end.

## Frequently asked questions about A Normal Lost Phone

### What is A Normal Lost Phone?

A Normal Lost Phone is a narrative investigation game where players explore the intimate life of an unknown person by examining their found smartphone. You'll search through messages, pictures, and apps to uncover their story and the mystery of their disappearance.

### What are the key features of this game?

The game features an immersive fake smartphone interface for intuitive narrative delivery. It allows players to act as themselves, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. The story is relatable, aiming to build empathy and explore difficult topics.

### How much does A Normal Lost Phone cost?

Based on the provided information, this application is a paid game. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or advertisements, indicating a one-time purchase model.

### What kind of experience does this game offer?

This game offers a unique narrative investigation experience. It focuses on exploring the personal lives of characters through a simulated smartphone, encouraging empathy and reflection on the story's themes.

### Is this game available on all devices?

The provided data does not specify compatibility with different operating systems or devices. However, as a mobile application, it is likely designed for smartphones and tablets.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 1.4 — 2020-10-20

Adapted the game to modern iPhone and iPad screens and fixed some minor visual glitches.

### 1.3.1 — 2017-03-30

Minor fixes

### 1.0 — 2017-01-25

No release notes.

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## More apps by Plug In Digital

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- [Another Lost Phone](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/another-lost-phone/id1267197755)

All apps by Plug In Digital: https://appshunter.io/developer/608306412

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*