The Nostalgia Era
Ah, the 90’s. Some of you will not know the feeling of running around unsupervised until the street lights come on. Or remembering what it felt like to spend all day outside without the internet constantly pulling at your attention. Even just the ability to be bored. I grew up in this magical, whimsical time period. And I can safely say that, as a child, things were simpler. I wasn’t imagining how many followers I’d get for a post. Or if a video game was actually a video game. I just…enjoyed what we had. Mixtape reminds me of all these things.
You see, Mixtape IS a video game. And a damn good one. Sure, it is more on the narrative side, but honestly, that is what makes it so relatable and playable. Not every game needs to be an Uncharted adventure. Besides, most people will bash a game for its bad story (Crimson Desert may be an exception here) and avoid it at all costs. Mixtape delivers an honest-to-goodness emotional coming of age tale taking place in the 90’s. Where the end of your high school years meant the end of a whole life you once knew, and the start of a brand new one.
It also looks fantastic as well. With an almost Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse art style mixed in with some gorgeous backdrops, Mixtape is a joy to look at.
Reliving that last summer with your friends before everyone trots off on their own new adventures is a tough task to recreate. Mixtape does this extremely well. I’ve seen the game get picked apart online for its simplistic gameplay. I have seen debates on whether or not people should call this a game. But to me, none of that matters. What does matter is the story it tells and if that is good or not. Spoilers: it is.
The Soundtrack To My Life
You play as Stacey Rockford. Obsessed with music and scoring the soundtrack to every aspect of life. You once had plans to take a once-in-a-lifetime road trip with your friends the summer after senior year. But when those plans change because of a career opportunity, we take a deep dive into how our group of three came to be. The nostalgic flashbacks (and story progression) are all lined up with its own music track. They fit perfectly. Regardless if you are skating down a giant hill (VERY reminiscent to one I used to ride down) or escaping a party as the cops show up. Each memory and present hangout is lined up to bless your ears with some great music.
Mixtape’s biggest online complaint is the gameplay. While you’re not trying to save a princess in a castle, but trying to enjoy your last moments with your friends, it can be easily explained why there isn’t much jumping around. You’ll explore pretty cool set pieces, skateboard through your town (linear not open world), and chill inside the three member’s bedrooms. Each chapter will usually bring some sort of minigame portion as well. At one point, I was skipping rocks in a river. I ended up doing this for a half hour just because it was something I used to do as a kid that age, and it felt nice.
There is definitely more than enough here to be a video game and I am unashamed to say I loved every bit of it.
Middle Finger To The World
Mixtape has some very emotional and very comedic moments to it as well. Some things I heard growing up can be heard in this very game. The attitude of each of the three main characters fits perfectly into the era and the atmosphere. Nothing was as serious as it seems today and yet, it somehow was. Back then, everything felt smaller and less complicated, yet somehow every little decision still felt life-changing. Choosing between like a road trip and your career is a hard decision to make at 18, and it is displayed with awesome accuracy here.
The game knows it’s going to take you for a ride, and I feel like that’s where a lot of the music choices came from. Whether you are laughing or crying at some reference to movies in the 80’s, a scene from your own life, or just the sheer absurdity of the time period, you’re bound to have a good time.
Mixtape isn’t for everyone. It may not relate to everyone. It may not make everyone laugh. And that is okay. While I do feel it is more of a niche title based completely on the random hate I am seeing online, I feel it’s SUCH a great narrative adventure that I advise anyone to put aside this hate-piling culture we live in and try out an amazing game.
Should You Play It?
Yes! A thousand times, yes. First, it’s on Game Pass. So why not? Second, it’s not an expensive game and runs pretty short. To get 100% of the game can take 5-10 hours, depending on how good you are at certain minigames. Filled with heart and references, Mixtape will put you in a good mood. Mixtape reminded me what it felt like to grow up before everything became online, performative, and constantly connected. For me, that alone made it worth experiencing.
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