When I first saw Mixtape during the Xbox Games Showcase 2024, I knew I not only wanted it but needed it injected into my veins. I’ve spoken before about how fatigued the industry (myself included) had become with Interactive Narrative games, so any games seeking to revive the genre needed to do something special. Thankfully, for the most part, a lot of them have been.
I expected to like Mixtape, but I was not expecting to be FLOORED by it. I’ve used the term “Art as Video Games” before to describe art pieces that use the medium of video games as interactive experiences, but kind of falter as games. On its face, it almost feels like a negative explanation, so let me say, without a doubt, Mixtape is THE BEST example of “Art as Video Games” I have ever experienced.
The story involves three friends—Stacy Rockford, Slater, and Cassandra—celebrating their last day of summer and their final year of high school together. In the span of a day, the three need to figure out how to... Read more