The creators of Mixtape want to make a great hangout video game

Source: Engadget

Overview

Mixtape – a new narrative adventure from Annapurna Interactive – isn’t about chasing a lost artifact or solving a grand mystery. Instead, it follows the misadventures of a group of friends enjoying their last days together before moving on. The game shows how good music can bring people together and how much fun getting into trouble can be.

From Beethoven & Dinosaur, the Australian creative team behind The Artful Escape, Mixtape is, in many ways, a tribute to classic ’90s Americana and an ode to the rebellious youth of the average suburb. I recently played the latest build and spoke with game director Johnny Galvatron about its creation. He shared his favorite ’80s and ’90s films that helped shape his vision and explained how tough—yet rewarding—it is to make “idleness” in video games compelling.

“Idleness is hard to explore as a video game, and one of the interesting things about being a teenager is you just hang out a lot, and sometimes it just sucks,” said Galvatron. “So I love that we made a game that shows that idleness.”

“I think it can be a really hard balance to make something that is based on what is really a hang‑out film—something like Wayne’s World or Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused—but to have that be paced well and be exciting for a video game was a real challenge.”

Set in the 1990s, Rockford and her friends Slater and Cassandra prepare for one last hurrah before heading into adulthood. Rockford decides to make a daring move to New York City to hopefully connect with her music idol, while the crew reminisces about late‑night fast‑food runs, evading the police in shopping carts, and first kisses—all to the tune of their favorite songs.

Beethoven & Dinosaur

Gameplay Highlights

On the surface, Mixtape is an interactive coming‑of‑age story about a crew of rebellious teens, with memories serving as playable mini‑games and interludes that capture their feelings at the time. The segments are presented as exaggerated recollections, fueled by the music of Devo, Joy Division, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. They’re emotional, poignant moments that tap into how moments from our youth seemed bigger and grander than they actually were.

One section I enjoyed was an interactive head‑bobbing segment where the crew drove across town to get fast food. Different buttons corresponded to fist‑pumping and head‑bobbing actions, but there were no specific directions, so I just went with the flow. The scene is a great bit of comedy that shows how goofy Rockford and her friends can get while vibing, and it also feels like a callback to films such as Pulp Fiction, which used rear‑projection sets to simulate car‑driving scenes (the memory even plays out on a film set).

Another segment focuses on a photo booth with Rockford and Slater, putting them in a position to capture the best—or funniest—shots.

But it’s not all fun and games. One segment has the friends tossing toilet‑paper rolls around their school principal’s house, which quickly takes a turn for the worse when one of them decides to take the blame to spare Rockford from expulsion. It’s a surprisingly heartfelt and sad moment that foreshadows a simmering conflict among the characters.

Cinematic Influences and Style

It’s clear that Mixtape seeks to capture the experiences of a particular era, and the developers have a genuine fondness for American movies and pop culture of the time. The game captures the feeling of the so‑called MTV generation and the intersection of media and youthful emotional expression. This is evident in its “mixed‑media, liquid‑television” editing style, which intercuts clips from TV shows and movies to emphasize emotional and comedic beats. Rockford even delivers a Ferris Bueller‑style narration for the player.

Potential Film Adaptation

Given that video‑game‑to‑movie adaptations are more popular than ever, Galvatron has talked about a potential film version.

“Obviously, Annapurna is also a film company, and they have those kinds of connections, and let me tell you, those meetings are fun as fuck,” said the director. “When people pitch you stuff, it’s super cool. I would just say that, yes, I can see it coming. I would probably be totally hands‑off on it.”

“When you develop video games, you should be changing them to work better within the medium. I think when they try to adhere too closely to the way a game works, that can sometimes break down. But yeah, if there were to be some adaptation stuff for Mixtape, probably, and I will stay clear of it.”

Beethoven & Dinosaur

Release Information

Mixtape feels like a heartfelt tribute to the ’90s. While nostalgia bait is increasingly common, there’s a deeper message under the hood, and taking part in these larger‑than‑life days of young adulthood has me excited for what’s to come. I’m hoping the final game will deliver an adventure where I can really savor those listless hangouts with friends.

Mixtape is set to be released on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S later this year.