As an old, any media that harkens back to the 90’s will also set my nostalgia off. Seeing music on tape, VHS camcorders, and the definitely very cool outfits everyone wore back then just hits right for me. So, when Mixtape was announced I hoped it’d fit the bill in this regard. Having played through it, I can say that it does indeed do the 90’s justice, but it’s really much more than a love letter to the past. It’s a tale of friendship, of growing up, not knowing where you’re heading, and celebrating those you hold dear in the moment regardless of what the future brings. And it is, to be blunt, excellent.
We follow a trio of teens – Stacey Rockford, Slater, and Cassandra – as they spend one final night together in the town of Blue Moon. Stacey is setting off for New York, dreaming big of becoming a music supervisor. She’s a huge music fan, able to list off bands and songs to fit any moment, delving deep into why songs work and what makes them great. The titular Mixtape is Stacey’s way of cataloguing this final night: 20-plus songs to capture the moment at every turn.
As they spend the day preparing for a final party being held by the cool, older kids, we follow along, listening to the likes of Silverchair’s grunge-angst song Freak, and Iggy Pop’s Candy, among many others that are best discovered as you play. Beethoven & Dinosaur have absolutely nailed the song choices here, each key moment catalogued perfectly. So much so that, while I was keen to see what was next, it always felt a little sad to move on from the moment.
Naturally, in a tale about teens, things don’t go as smoothly as planned, and it’s the trials and tribulations of Mixtape’s story that really cement this as one to be savoured. From cops and parents (sometimes one and the same) ruining the fun, to new friendships threatening old ones, or simply a group that once felt invincible finally showing signs of cracking, there’s something here that everyone can relate to. It’s a fairly short ride – around five hours or so at most – but this allows the pace to never really let up and kept me hooked from start to finish.
The presentation is immaculate throughout. Not only is the soundtrack incredible, but the visuals on display are fantastic too. Mixtape uses a similar animation style to South of Midnight in that we have animation ‘on the twos’, giving it this almost stop-motion-like appearance. It’s an excellent visual spectacle, but the real spotlight must go to the scenarios we find the crew in. As they listen to and get lost in the music, we find them whisked above the trees, stomping around like Godzilla, or using a shopping trolley as a makeshift go kart to escape the cops. I loved how inventive and music video-like these sections could be, and most of the time we can go for as long as we like before choosing to end the experience. One area by a lake was worth the price of admission alone, though I’ll avoid saying any more so as not to ruin it.
As is evidenced through the game (and hopefully what you’ve read so far), Mixtape revels in showing us how music can truly capture a moment in time. Think back to your youth; how many times can you think of a key moment where there wasn’t some song that is forever etched into your memory along with it? For me, I’ll always associate R.E.M’s Automatic for the People album with my man MPV Graham and his parent’s house, where we’d hang for hours playing games with his older brothers, slowly eating spaghetti and meatballs, and spending some of our earliest nights drinking and passing out. Or the summer that I met my now wife, spent listening to System of a Down and Breaking Benjamin while playing Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube. Or, of course, our first dance at our wedding where we shuffled about to Foo Fighter’s Big Me.
Music has always been important in my life for many reasons, but its ability to transport me back to a moment is easily the main one. And Mixtape so wonderfully demonstrates this in its story, characters, moments, and 90’s coming-of-age story vibes that it captures so well. There are dozens of lovely events that I don’t want to spoil, and that it wraps up so quickly only makes each one of those feel more impactful. I cannot applaud Beethoven & Dinosaur enough for their work here, and would recommend that even if you’re mildly curious, you should absolutely check it out.
Conclusion
Celebrating the 90’s, excellent music and how it impacts and marks our lives, and the joy of growing up with a few close friends, Mixtape is a stellar experience from start to finish.
This game was reviewed based on Xbox S|X review code, using an Xbox S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.
