Games are a wide category of media. Now and then, a studio pushes the limits of what it means to be a game. Beethoven and Dinosaur do this with Mixtape, creating a “game” that is truly just telling an interactive story, where players can take on the role of a character, and experience memories and the story of a friend group. It’s very similar to watching an animated movie that players have a little sway over, similar to a dream.
One Last Night
The story itself is relatively simple; players find themselves in the shoes of Stacey Rockford, one of a trio of friends going through the motions of their final day together. This includes reliving memories and hijinks they’ve gone through, while also preparing for a large party that is “teenage high society.” Though preparations largely include the age-old question, “How do we get booze?”
There’s not much in the way of actual gameplay, though. The game has scenes that are interactive in the sense of “Hit X for skateboard trick” while riding down a road, and a very memorable but highly uncomfortable kissing scene using thumbsticks. In most cases, this would be a negative; Mixtape, however, utilizes this excellently. It feels eerily similar to the nostalgia of playing Life is Strange for the first time. Where suddenly everything I knew about games is upended for a true narrative experience.
The nostalgia of a coming-of-age story is a big deal. As I was playing, while I unfortunately did not get a 1:1 experience since I’m not a “90s kid”, there were still moments that I felt connected. The game reminded me of moments that I experienced growing up, and especially made me feel that fleeting teenage experience again, which is an almost priceless commodity. Mixtape feels more like an art form rather than just another game to put onto a backlog or to play through over the course of a few sessions.
One Last Mixtape
Mixtape is obviously very music-forward. What is very out of the norm for the game, though, is the extensive use of licensed music. And this can be a problem for people such as streamers and YouTubers, though the development team has said they would not make a stream-friendly mode, as the music is so important. While I played, I couldn’t agree more. There is something eerily comforting about just how much the music and song choice of the game creeps into everything, from scenes obviously intended to match the song playing to the few oddly quiet moments. It felt almost wrong for music not to be playing, and that is a really interesting thing to consider, given what one of the main characters said during the plot.
It is an amazing list of artists that make up the “Mixtape” of Mixtape, including icons such as Iggy Pop and The Smashing Pumpkins. It’s almost unheard of in modern gaming to have so many large, recognizable, and “big” songs that weren’t originally made for the title. And it makes the game feel like a relatable passion project. Where the story takes precedence above all, it is a musical experience more than a game at times, but with a name like Mixtape, it’s expected.
The music matches the occasion greatly, and it complements the mood and feelings of each scene in the game in indescribable ways. The game’s soundtrack is the backbone of its entire premise, and as a music lover, that is something that really sticks with me from my playthrough.
One Last Thought
Mixtape is an excellent experience. While I’d normally just say it is a great game, it proved to be more than that. It captures feelings and the experience of life in ways that an ordinary game just does not come close to meeting. Every once in a while, a game released by a smaller studio that reminds players what games can do emotionally, and Mixtape has that effect. It is a must-play for gamers in my eyes, though it needs to be approached with the mindset that while it’s similar to Life is Strange, it is not Life is Strange. Gameplay itself is very little, barring walking around, getting interactive scenes, etc. But the narrative does a great job of putting you into the role of the character, building a connection to the story, and I’d go so far as to say it succeeds most at making players feel the story and draw connections to their experiences and life.
It is an excellent game all around, filled with nostalgia and good vibes. It has its share of “wait what” moments, and I can’t think about the game without thinking about that kissing scene, which in a way, I suppose really helps players feel the moment.
The only thing I can say negatively about the game is that I wish it were longer. I wish I could have seen more, felt more, and experienced more. Though for its price point, I can’t hold that against it. It is a near masterpiece in creative vision and one I will remember for a long time.
Mixtape is out now on Steam, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PlayStation 5.
It is also a part of Xbox’s Game Pass for Ultimate, PC, and Premium subscribers.
