Wax Heads
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Wax Heads
If you are looking for an interactive story-based cozy game, this is a rad choice. However, don’t expect much more from Wax Heads than a well-executed moral stand against an increasingly AI-loving, money-grabbing and overly-polished world of entertainment.
Wax Heads is a fun, but short, cozy narrative sim that puts you into the world of physical media via selling vinyls, which is actually seeing a resurgence in the real world. What starts as a charming new job with friendly coworkers turns into the story of how hobbies have to be balanced with real-world obligations and the reality of how corporate practices often hurt small businesses the most, taking away beloved features from towns. It's cute and a bit of a puzzle game, but I wish it lasted longer and gave me more options when speaking to characters, especially to ask follow-up questions regarding record requests.
Wax Heads ultimately shares the same central conflict as Empire Records, in which an independent shop is at risk of being bought up by a soulless corporation, but the interactive elements of this game really emphasize just how much there is to lose beyond one’s job. Music conjures powerful, immediate emotions, but it’s the game’s masterful story about how that music brings audiences together that produces all the lingering, magical feels.
Despite the rise of digital downloads, vinyl records (and other physical media) have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. Wax Heads, a story-driven ...
Wax Heads makes you feel like you are part of this safe, wholesome, creative world of Repeater Records, surrounded by alternative and queer folk who just want to keep rockin’ as long as they can. Finding records for people is fun, but also challenging, so you’ll have to not only scour Repeater’s records, but watch cutscenes, search through your apps, and pay attention to the customer’s vibe. For someone who grew up in 90s indie record stores, longing to hear something that would change my teen life, Wax Heads really cultivates an atmosphere of curiosity, love and respect for musical communities, and how much better music is when it involves human connection.
Wax Heads is a great musical journey all about sticking together, making real art, and that friendship is punk rock. It’s for anyone who likes investigation and constantly looking for something new to listen to, don't skip this sleeper hit!
Wax Heads is an impressive achievement. It delivers a great mix of varied music, great record graphical design, exquisite fictional critical texts, and narrative. The universe built around Repeater Records is a lovely one, filled with cool customers and interesting co-workers. Make sure to unlock and play all the songs that were specifically recorded for the game.
Wax Heads represents a unifying beauty and purpose I've never seen in a game before. If it exists elsewhere, please guide me to it; for now, this game deserves its moment. I laughed (a lot), I cried (a bit), I smiled (endlessly). It feels like a game made for me, but not only me.
