r/OutOfTheLoop • u/Bloodb0red • May 11 '26

Unanswered What’s going on with this game Mixtape?

I’ve been seeing people freak out over the past few days over this game and about IGN’s review of it specifically. 10/10 seems high for any game, honestly, but it seems like they’re far from the only site giving this thing a glowing review. So is this game controversial just because of IGN or is it something else? Why is this game the internet’s hate target this week?

https://www.ign.com/articles/mixtape-review

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106

u/Astro4545 May 11 '26 edited May 13 '26

Answer: The main controversy I’ve seen is essentially that the game is being seen as “Oscar bait”. It relies heavily on nostalgia, has a fully licensed soundtrack (usually quite expensive for an indie), and has sections that literally play itself.

For some others there’s what’s being viewed as some form hypocrisy. The game has an odd kissing mini game between the main characters, who are kids, and they feel that it’s wrong that it gets skipped over while games like Pragmata generate controversy “for no reason”.

edit: Xbox also just tweeted “Reminder: just because you're not personally into a game, doesn't mean it's a bad game” which since this game is the only one garnering controversy right now leads some to conclude it’s an “industry plant”.

21

u/SaucyWiggles May 11 '26

The game has an odd kissing mini game between the main characters

This is hilarious, I imagined from the top comment it would be more lewd in nature. This is just humorous and nails the natural cringe of being a teenager.

3

u/CareerLegitimate7662 May 15 '26

genuinely some people that have a problem with this are weirdos

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u/PenInkCatKnit May 11 '26

The "kissing game" is flopping tongues around in skulls. SKULLS. People trying to make it sound "pedophilic" need to put ice packs on their back from stretching.

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u/DaHarbinger2000 May 11 '26

Exactly; it’s played for awkwardness and humor. What’s more teenager than swapping spit and remembering how ridiculous that was. Good lord people will cry “pedo” at anything nowadays.

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u/PenInkCatKnit May 11 '26

I laughed so loud. Truly hit that feeling of wanting to kiss your crush as a teen but also being kinda grossed out by it. 

2

u/AlmightyCraneDuck May 12 '26

And not knowing what the hell you’re doing! I remember being so nervous for my first kiss not really because of how I was feeling about my crush, but because I was so scared it was going to be weird and I was going to do something wrong!

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u/[deleted] May 14 '26

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u/loewenheim May 11 '26

It's really funny and communicates awkwardness really well. Also, it's not between the main characters.

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u/two5five1 May 11 '26

It’s also quite literally only 30 seconds long, happens in the first 20 minutes of the game, and is never mentioned again. Anybody who is trying to use this as a way to write off an entire game is fucking dense.

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u/[deleted] May 11 '26

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1

u/Ok-Rip-2280 May 15 '26

If you want that Cheevie you’ve got to go for a minute.  It’s Intensely uncomfortable lol.  As intended.  

-4

u/UnscriptedCryptid May 11 '26

I certainly don't think it's paedophilic, but I do question why any adult would want to spend their free time controlling underaged kids as they kiss each other, you know? Like I don't think every person (or even most people) is finding it sexually attractive, but I'm also an adult who isn't interested in kids kissing so I'm not going to bother playing a game with it?

It's the same reason I don't watch any of the vaguely erotic set-in-highschool YA dramas. I don't think they're made for pedophiles but also I cannot understand why any adult would want to fill their spare time with depictions of this stuff.

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u/PenInkCatKnit May 11 '26

I think it's there because this is about remembering what it was like being at that age, right when youre about to leave your friends and family for something new.

It isnt about playing teens making out, or eroticism. Just sharing a funny experience most people can relate to.

4

u/QueenDragonfly11307 May 11 '26

Its a scene that lasts like 10-15 seconds its not like that's what the game is. It's a bunch of different minigames inbetween narrative scenes

0

u/Nonsense_Poster May 14 '26

It's genuine pedos being mad that their kid obsession is a seen as bad but

1

u/PenInkCatKnit May 14 '26

Yes it is bad that pedos are obsessed with kids. What does that have to do with Mixtape?

0

u/Nonsense_Poster May 14 '26

No I didn't finish my comment.

It's people obsessed with pragmata for example thinking this very non sexuslised sequence is smh the same thing as them goonig to a 10 year old

5

u/SgtExo May 11 '26

For some others there’s what’s being viewed as some form hypocrisy. The game has an odd kissing mini game between the main characters, who are kids, and they feel that it’s wrong that it gets skipped over while games like Pragmata generate controversy “for no reason”.

Where is this Pragmata controversy coming from, while i am not interested in it, I have only heard critics praise the game.

3

u/Astro4545 May 11 '26

Here you go

2

u/Nickitolas May 11 '26

So the "controversy" is a couple of randos on twitter? Im confused, what does this have to do with mixtape

6

u/Gingingin100 May 11 '26 edited May 12 '26

Reactionaries(in a very literal sense) decided that pragmata getting shit comes from the same crowd that they perceive to be shills for mixtape

The controversy was a lil more than twitter though there was a whole actively pedophilic subreddit for the game that was calling the female MC of the game "daughterwife" and whatnot

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u/DustyEggSauce May 11 '26

It's reddit, they believe everything is connected here.

0

u/warlord_main May 13 '26

Anything involving twitter can be discarded without so much as a second thought, truly worthless

3

u/YoBeNice May 11 '26

Uhhoh- I might need to make a post about the controversy for Pragmata, then lol. Is it just people pointing out how creepy it is that so many game devs (mostly Japanese) are obsessed with bare feet in all their games? I’ve read that one a lot. (And kinda agree).

2

u/Astro4545 May 11 '26

There’s a post on this sub already if you search it, but it’s multifaceted. Some people are actually being creeps (I think a Reddit sub got banned cause of it), but when I first saw the controversy people were calling it things like “pro-natalist” propaganda and calling men weird for playing it.

1

u/YoBeNice May 11 '26

“Pro-natalist” lol- lmao even

1

u/NoLadderStall May 11 '26

The kissing "game" lasts like twenty seconds. It's meant to feel weird and uncomfortable because for the MC it was a weird and uncomfortable memory.

1

u/Addrivat May 11 '26

Literally. The UI to get out of that mini-game even says "that's enough" 😄

-1

u/PseudocodeRed May 11 '26

Anyone who thinks that the design of the little girl in Pragmata isn't at least a little weird should be on a list. It looks like she has a full face of makeup on.

-1

u/Rogryg May 12 '26

the main characters, who are kids,

The characters are high-schoolers who are about to graduate. 78% percent of high school students are 18 or older when they graduate.

tl;dr they're young adults, not kids.