Mixtape Reviews
Mixtape is a remarkable piece of work. It is the kind of game that reminds you why storytelling in this medium can be so extraordinary when the right people are given the freedom to follow their instincts all the way to the end. Beethoven and Dinosaur have created something deeply felt, visually inventive, and musically brilliant, and Annapurna Interactive have once again demonstrated why they are the publisher I trust above all others to deliver games that mean something.
In a world that seems built to stamp the whimsy out of us as we grow older, projects like Mixtape unleash us from society's shame and remind us to celebrate every moment like it's the climax of your favorite movie. Because one day you'll have to say goodbye. And wouldn't you hope that, whenever you do, you made it the sickest story to tell on your way out? Beethoven and Dinosaur sure did.
Mixtape is an ambitious and a polarising piece of art. It is a game that is currently setting social media ablaze not because of bugs or broken promises as of recent, but because it challenges the very definition of what a “game” should be. It is a playable core memory, a montage or highlight reel of youth that is as breathtakingly gorgeous as it is mechanically thin. The game is more like a visual novel with a few actions here and there rather than something similar to a Life is Strange or a Wolf Among Us that offers a bit more direction and implication from choice. Mostly the narrative framework of Mixtape is enjoyable. Three best friends Stacey, Van Slater, and Cassandra are on a final, aimless drive through their hometown on the night of their high school graduation. The usual tropes are here which is cliché of one last party and painting the town red in traditional American graduation style in their last blaze of glory before disbanding and doing their own things and learning how tough it is to go through emotions and have a support unit of friendship before it is gone.
In just over two hours, Mixtape condenses the adolescent sensation of feeling alienated yet anchored to a world that rejects you , that fights you, but of which you are inevitably a part, in a continuous cycle of eternal returns that involves every generation.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mixtape tends to lean more heavily on cinematic storytelling than meaningful gameplay, but beneath it all is a sincere, stylish and very relatable experience with a killer surreal 90s aesthetic and soundtrack.
Mixtape is one of those games that leaves a lasting impression and reminds you of your own experiences growing up, featuring excellent music throughout.
Mixtape feels less like something you played and more like something you experienced. It's introspective, personal, and deliberately constructed around emotion, not mechanics. It doesn't try to be everything, everywhere, all at once, and it's that focus that makes it stand out.
Mixtape is one of the most personal and emotionally resonant games I’ve played in years. Its experimental structure and collection of strange mini-games won’t work for everyone, but for me, every part of it clicked. The music, visual style, and coming-of-age story come together in a way that feels incredibly intimate and honest. It made me laugh, reflect on my own youth, and at times left me surprisingly emotional. Even though the story is rooted in a very specific time and place, the feelings behind it are universal. Mixtape won’t appeal to everyone, but if it connects with you, it will stay with you long after the final song fades out.
Mixtape is a great game in every way, both audiovisually and narratively. Realistic yet magical. Funny yet melancholic. A short, meaningful story about friendship and life.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
“Mixtape” is a great example of a well-made, if not quite phenomenal, production. This cinematic experience, which lasts just three hours, flies by in the blink of an eye, offering stunning visuals and sound. The characters, despite their archetypal nature, are simply impossible not to like, and the gameplay, despite its simplicity, remains inventive and is a ton of fun. However, one cannot escape the fact that, at its core, this is a rather shallow story that brazenly attempts to exploit nostalgia to evoke deeper emotions—with little success. It is also a story that, due to its atmosphere, won’t appeal to every audience member. Nevertheless, I believe it’s worth giving this game a chance.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Mixtape successfully translates the conflict of 90s adolescence into a gorgeous, handcrafted world backed by a legendary licensed soundtrack. The narrative pace is deliberate. This choice pays off by making every interactive vignette, from shopping cart escapes to skipping rocks, genuinely matter. If you're looking for an engrossing, emotional journey with authentic characters, this is an absolute must-play that perfectly captures the bittersweet reality of moving on.
Mixtape is a short, heartfelt and stylistically powerful narrative adventure that captures the essence of adolescence without reducing it to mere nostalgia. The way it weaves together music, memory and personal growth is the true heart of the experience, even more so than its mini-games or interactive structure.
Review in Italian | Read full review
In a game industry where everything is changing one way or another and undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift, Beethoven & Dinosaur deserves praise for taking an active role in this transformation instead of taking refuge in the comfort of uniformity. Mixtape stands as an important example of how independent game development, with the right project management, can achieve both cinematic creativity and a modest, heartfelt style of storytelling at the same time.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Mixtape is a colorful, emotional, and thought-provoking game about the final moments of your youth.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Mixtape desperately wants to be a coming-of-age indie film, and the moments where it remembers it’s supposed to be a video game often feel reluctant, shallow and mechanically underwhelming.
Mixtape is much like many coming-of-age stories you’ve probably heard before, but it tells it with so much warmth and creativity that I wanted more of it. As a game, it won’t surprise everyone, but its writing, music, and the dreamlike essence of its presentation make even predictable story beats meteor down to the surface with so much emotion that by the time the night was over, I felt like I was saying goodbye to old friends I’d only just met.
Mixtape is the kind of game we need right now. It reminds us of who we were, who we knew, and the moments that shaped us before we even understood they mattered. This is an easy game to recommend to anyone, but honestly, it is the kind of game you should recommend to everyone.
Mixtape offers a unique experience, even if it looks familiar at first. The narrative approach to memory and growing up creates a coming-of-age story that weaves through the messiness of teenage emotions. While the very small amount of gameplay can feel repetitive, the story mitigates that weakness.
Mixtape is the kind of game where years can pass, and we'll never forget playing it for the first time. With an engaging narrative, memorable characters, and a unique soundtrack, the game delivers a genuine experience of friendship, loyalty, and love for its players. An absolute must-play!
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Whether you grew up in the nineties or just appreciate a beautifully told story about friendship and… well… growing up, Mixtape hits every single emotional note wonderfully. It perfectly balances the humour of doing stupid things with your friends against the terrifying reality of moving on and leaving your childhood behind, and whilst some might argue that a four-hour linear game might lack some appeal, the sheer quality of the experience makes it something you will want to revisit just to soak in the atmosphere all over again. Mixtape is a beautiful, hilarious, and profoundly touching experience that understands EXACTLY what it feels like to be a teenager standing on the edge of the rest of your life. I haven’t felt that way in a long, long time, but having a reminder of it here has helped make the game an instant classic, and for me, one I’ll never forget.