I have mixed feelings about MIXTAPE, the latest game from Beethoven & Dinosaur. The writing, style, and most importantly, the music should hit all gamers and viewers right in the feels. However, MIXTAPE falls short as a video game.
I’m a huge fan of walking narratives. WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH, FIREWATCH, and OXENFREE are some of the best video games I’ve ever played. Yet what makes them so compelling is that you are an active participant in those walking narrative games, rather than a passive one. In MIXTAPE, the setup of the interactive moments is cool and innovative, yet the player doesn’t actually have to do anything. There was one area where I was flying, and for the entire section, I chose not to press any buttons and still made it to the next level. To me, that’s not a video game, that’s a mixed-media experience.
With that out of the way, the memory framing of High School amongst Rockford, Slater, and Cassandra should instantly evoke empathy for anyone who remembers what it was like to let go of childhood and move into adulthood. Those memories are paired with a truly amazing soundtrack that captures the essence of adolescence and is likely why MIXTAPE is getting such rave reviews. The sections that really stuck with me were:
- YESTERDAY’S HERO by John Paul Young – The running and clapping characters in the background had me dancing in my seat.
- SHINE by David Gray – You can almost smell the campfire.
- LOVE by Smashing Pumpkins – the most ‘explosive’ sequence in the game.
Final Thought: MIXTAPE would’ve made a better movie than a video game. It’s a short, nostalgic trip down memory lane where I won’t soon forget the story, but will instantly forget the gameplay.
It’s available on most gaming platforms. I played it on the Switch 2.
