Mixtape Review (PS5) – Publisher Annapurna Interactive and developer Beethoven & Dinosaur reunite after the success of the thoroughly creative and vibrant, (also) music themed, The Artful Escape, to bring us something that; from the promotional material, appears to be equally as creative and vibrant.
Director Johnny Galvatron brings us a game that is intrinsically linked to its soundtrack, suitably titled Mixtape. A game that I wasn’t sure would meet the lofty expectations I had for it, so imagine my surprise, when it didn’t just meet them, but managed to surpass them.
Mixtape Review (PS5) – Times Of Our Lives
Remember When
When it comes to gameplay, Mixtape might well divide opinion with its more minimalist approach, but it expertly conveys the feeling of each scene, capturing the nature of youth and makes the absolute most of those gameplay sequences. It is that very aspect that sets it apart from cheap nostalgia bait, and forms something that is entirely genuine and relatable.
For example, there is a moment where you start running through a field, but then you’re lifted into the air, taking superhuman leaps, gliding across the plains with your friends. It creates a sense of fleeting freedom that really dials into a cornerstone of youth, and the carefree nature of our formative years. A scene that really took me back, and even though it might be one of the more quiet moments, it definitely felt the most poignant.
There is other short gameplay sequences of stumbling around a VHS rental store while high, skimming stones, or racing to a friend, which plays similar to that of an endless runner where you control the jumping and sliding mechanics. Mixtape might be light on gameplay, but it instead creates a near perfect melding of film and game.
That is just one example, but the game is absolutely brimming with them. Its genius is not long only in utilizing those moments of gameplay expertly, but also having the right song for the right moment. Which, ironically, is what the main character boasts as her gift.
Johnny Galvatron curated his own playlist of favorite songs as the initial concept of Mixtape, and you can really feel that throughout the game. Every scene is made stronger through its soundtrack, more genuine, and more heartfelt as a result of that core idea, and feeds directly into every facet of Mixtape.
Smells Like Teen Spirit
The soundtrack features music from the likes of Joy Division, Roxy Music, David Gray, Smashing Pumpkins and many more, with the chapters structured like a playlist, named after each song, hence the title of the game. The story progresses as you make your way through the songs.
Beyond its musical core, Mixtape is a game that is not only a nostalgic love letter to the 90’s, but also an experience about the dying embers of the teenage years, and the big changes that await us, that seemingly happen over night. The old adage that “We all went home one evening, and didn’t know it was the last time.” Of course, Stacy is aware that this otherwise ordinary moment in their lives does bear importance.
It is that idea that is keenly felt in this game, and having distinct memories of that from my own childhood, it really did hit me square in the gut. It’s something that is relatable for so many of us, and while this idea has been explored plenty across film, and tv, it hasn’t been done as earnestly, maturely, or quite frankly; as good as it has in Mixtape.
Beethoven & Dinosaur’s story-focused adventure game takes place over just one day, the last day before their lives will splinter and change forever, and it sees protagonist Cassandra Rockford with friends Van Slater, and Cassandra reminiscing, and trying to enjoy one last party before chasing her dreams in New York.
Mixtape’s stakes are suitably low, which is a welcome change to games as a whole, but specifically this genre, where they often go too big and fly too close to the sun, but rather it is very personal, and focuses more on its characters. There hasn’t been a game that captures the nature of youth as well as it has here, since Night in the Woods, back in 2017.
From The Top
Mixtape is a beautiful game. Not only is it vibrant and abundantly colorful, it also has great cinematography. Additionally, the characters move at a slower frame rate, much like the Spider-Verse films, making for a stop-motion-like quality, that adds a sense of style, allowing the game to really pop. That stop-motion approach makes for some really slick animations.
Some that really stood out to me were during the skateboarding segments, in Stacy’s gait as she walks, or during the conversational moments when multiple characters are on screen. While a slight detail, the way she glances towards either character who happens to speak looks really natural, and definitely adds to its film-like quality.
The not-so-secret sauce is in the voice over, though. Mixtape’s cast does an exceptional job of bringing their characters to life, capturing the accents and their attitudes perfectly. On top of that, this game is genuinely funny, and made me laugh on multiple occasions, in no small part due to its exceptional voice work. Jessica Ma‘s Cassandra Morino shouting at some kid during the baseball section really tickled me in particular.
Beethoven & Dinosaur has the game running excellently on PS5, and I ran into no issues during my short time with the game. And yes, Mixtape is a very short offering, one that should only take you a few hours to beat, and its only replay value is chasing down a straight forward Platinum Trophy.
Nostalgia can be intoxicating in high doses, but it never feels unearned or cheap in Mixtape. It expertly and maturely navigates its themes of youth and immaturity through transcendental albeit limited gameplay, with a killer soundtrack at its core. It’s perhaps the finest example of a narrative focused experience in gaming, and as a result; a must play. I can hardly wait to play it from the top again this weekend.
Review Code Kindly Provided By Publisher
Mixtape is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC