Sometimes, it’s mundane, but that’s the point.
Playing *Mixtape* feels like playing a video game version of a high school movie. Kids discuss life and the theme songs that might play as they enter a room. They’re concerned about looking cool for a party. They’re keen on procuring alcohol. Beneath these clichés is a meaningful story of nostalgia, friendship, and teenage angst, highlighted by a great soundtrack.
*Mixtape* unfolds over a summer day. You play as Stacey Rockford, a music enthusiast freshly graduated from high school. She’s leaving her quiet California suburb for New York City the next morning to become a music supervisor. Alongside her are her two best friends: the relaxed Van Slater and the rebellious Cassandra Morino, as they pass the time before a big party.
Rockford, Slater, and Cassandra truly resemble a group of teenagers. Much of the game involves spending time in their rooms, talking about music, life, and their futures, full of teenage bravado. Rockford, in particular, prides herself on her music knowledge, breaking the fourth wall to discuss song choices, featuring artists like Portishead, Iggy Pop, and The Cure.
The essence of *Mixtape* involves exploring as Rockford, examining items like a CD or a road trip map while listening to commentary from the trio. Reminiscent of nostalgic titles like *Life is Strange* or *Gone Home*, *Mixtape* shares a similar pace. Sometimes, an object triggers a playable flashback with distinct scenarios, such as mixing slushies, navigating a video rental store while drunk, or sneaking into a dinosaur-themed park with a Game Boy Camera-like device, evoking suburban teenage memories.
As the narrative progresses, complexity is added to each character. Rockford, after persuading Slater to share his music, prompts him about his motivations, revealing she doesn’t play any instruments despite her knowledge. Cassandra yearns for independence against her controlling parents. Slater, superficially a slacker, shows himself to be caring and considerate. Even Cassandra’s father, a cop disrupting parties, gets his moment.
Much of *Mixtape* feels mundane. At one point, I spent 10 minutes skipping rocks—a significant duration for a roughly four-hour game. Yet this mundanity makes the experience genuine. My high school years lacked the antics *Mixtape*’s trio experience, but I related to the narrative of friends reflecting on their past and facing the future.
*Mixtape* is available on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X / S.