Mixtape Review

There is a perfect song for every moment in your life whether you know it or not. When i think back to growing up i can remember so many moments in my life based on the songs that were playing and the feelings that they gave me in those moments. Mixtape is a game that is built on the music and those moments that will live on forever in your memories. The game is told through the Mixtape made by our main character, Stacey Rockford, that is made to go with the last day that she will spend with her two best friends before moving across the country to chase her dreams. The game wears its inspirations on its sleeve with the feelings of a classic John Hughes movie but with a much more fantastical and music video feel to the sections with each new song.

Mixtape being such a narrative focused adventure, I feel that milage may vary based on how you connect with the characters and the music. While i was playing I felt there were moments in this game that I just couldn’t connect to the story as much, however having sat with it and playing through it again the overall journey and complete package as a whole struck a cord with me that i just cant deny. Its not a game that is relying on nostalgia as a gimmick to make you feel, heck most of these songs i hadn’t heard before and it seems to be that case with most players from what i’ve seen. Instead the game is leaning into the feelings that you and your friends felt when you would go out and have

adventures, but where it really hit me are in the moments when it made me think of the last times i had a sleepover, saw a friends room, and went out for walks being a bit chaotic. I think back to those moments and I used to be sad because I missed those moments where you felt free, however this game has helped me to look back fondly and smile on all the memories that were made back then.

This game is a nice and tight 3 hour experience that you may want to experience time and time again. It has an absolutely killer soundtrack, fun and light gameplay sequences, and emotional beats that will may hit you harder than you expected. I really loved the characters of Stacey and Slater, but i really just couldn’t find much about the third friend, Cass, that i enjoyed. I felt her part of the story fell flat for me and the choices that she made angered me more than anything else. Overall i think the game is a solid time and i think even the non-gamers out there would enjoy this thoroughly if they give it the time.

What I Liked

• The Music Choices hit every time for me
• Stacey Rockford is clearly inspired by Ferris Bueller, which is one of my favorite movies
• Each section felt unique gameplay wise and some are just so addicting to play (Skipping Rocks)
• You can go back and play your favorite chapters once you have beat the game
• The Ending hit so incredibly hard

What I didn’t like

• Cass’s story and relationship with her dad fell super flat for me. It came in a bit too late for me and I felt like it was ground that has been tread so many times before in media so it just didn’t hit.
• The lead up to the ending did feel a little rushed and I wanted just a moment to sit and breathe with it.