Mixtape – Review – Imagine if a single day of your life had its own soundtrack – music that follows every step, every emotion, and at every turning point. Which songs would you put on that list?

Whenever I see Annapurna Interactive, I know I’m in for a beautiful, emotionally rich experience bursting with creativity. That’s exactly what I got while playing Mixtape. Maybe even a little more than that.

Mixtape begins in the spirit of classic old school teen movies, filled with nostalgia and an unavoidable warmth. The story follows three friends – Stacey Rockford, Van Slater, and Cassandra Morino, who decide to turn their last day together into something unforgettable. Every moment is carefully paired with a song Stacey has chosen with great attention, and the day builds up to a big farewell party, the perfect ending to one chapter of their lives. But, as is often the case, there are things that threaten to ruin this seemingly perfect day.

Stacey has always dreamed of becoming a music supervisor, someone who deeply understands how emotions are expressed through music. Confident in her knowledge and her impeccable taste, she’s determined to move to New York and present her carefully curated soundtrack to the right person. In her eyes, this isn’t just a playlist, but the first major step toward achieving her dream of becoming the best music supervisor ever.

However, her ambition begins to create small cracks in their seemingly perfect friendship, as tension can be felt from the very beginning. Despite everything, Stacey guides you through each part of the day, speaking directly to you and introducing every song by name, artist, and release year. Each moment is accompanied by carefully selected music, whether you’re skateboarding to her house, reminiscing about sweet memories from the recent past, running to help someone without hesitation, or searching for alcohol that her sister hid, but conveniently left clues for you to find.

The game explores the inevitability of change and how it quietly but powerfully reshapes friendships. At its core is that familiar feeling of time slipping away while you’re still trying to figure out who you are and what you want from life. You’ll likely see yourself in at least one of these characters, whether it’s a determined Stacey, Slater who serves as emotional support for everyone around him, or Cassandra, torn between her parents’ expectations and her own courage to break free and claim her independence.

Since all three friends are skaters, the game lets you grab a skateboard in various segments, ride through beautiful environments, and pull off a few tricks, more for the feeling than for any real challenge. Most of the gameplay unfolds through memories whether that’s hitting a baseball, throwing objects with rocks or a slingshot, flying through the city, picking movies at a video store, parkour, and similar moments that complement the story without ever feeling tedious.

Every moment is enhanced with dreamlike effects, which might just be part of the charm of that teenage phase – everything feels possible, so don’t be surprised when fireworks explode every time you point at them while riding along to beautiful music in the background.

The game also encourages exploration. Simply approaching an object and interacting with it prompts Stacey, Slater, or Cassandra to share a memory or comment, deepening the world and giving insight into how strong your bond really is. Important elements are highlighted with a yellow colour. While it’s clear the focus is on storytelling, the gameplay supports it faithfully without ever overshadowing it.

The art style radiates warmth and nostalgia. The characters feel like they’ve stepped straight out of an animated film, while the environments retain enough detail to feel believable and alive. Warm tones dominate, sometimes creating a subtle sense of melancholy. Nighttime, however, brings a different, almost dreamlike dimension to the city of Blue Moon Lagoon. Certain light sources highlight key moments, giving them a cinematic spectacle.

Interiors are filled with small details that tell their own stories. Each character has their own room, reflecting their personality through the objects within it.

The voice acting is very convincing, and despite the story leaning into familiar tropes, it never feels cringe worthy, instead, it reminds you of your own teenage years. And finally, as the cherry on top we have the soundtrack. The game features music that most people will recognize: DEVO, Roxy Music, Iggy Pop, The Cure, Joy Division, Lush, and more. Some songs will definitely hit you as a “blast from the past” when they play it at just the right moment. Even more special is how Stacey introduces each track, marking the beginning of a new chapter. My personal favorite moment was during “Yesterday’s Hero” by  John Paul Young which came out in 1975. If any game has used its soundtrack the right way, it’s definitely Mixtape.

Some games raise your adrenaline, ones that pull you into endless exploration, and others that tackle complex philosophical questions. And then there’s Mixtape, a game that invites you, if only for a short while, to slow down. To give in to nostalgia, to return to a time when everything felt simpler, and to remember the people who defined that period, whether they’re still by your side or have become just a beautiful memory.

We would like to thank Annapurna Interactive for providing us with a copy of the game for review purposes.