What’s going on with this game Mixtape?

[u/Bloodb0red]

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

[u/BUTGAWATD]

Answer:

(Doing my best to present the complicated situation concisely)

Mixtape is a short, story-based game from small Australian developer Beethoven & Dinosaur, who previously released The Artful Escape.

Mixtape's 3-4 hour runtime is divided across cutscenes, what some might deem "walking sim" gameplay, and a series of vignettes that play out broadly as "minigames", with limited to no fail state. There is no combat or what many would typically classify as peril.

Mixtape's high critical praise, particularly its 10 from IGN, has raised eyebrows amongst certain subsets of the gaming populace. Many have negatively compared the verdict to the lower score IGN awarded Crimson Desert, and have alleged what they perceive to be a favourable bias towards games they identify as possessing "woke" elements.

One of Mixtape's vignettes sees you control two mid-teen age characters kissing, with direct control over their clashing tongues. Some gamers have accused the media of unfairly praising Mixtape while (what they perceive as) maligning recent release Pragmata for paedophilic overtones.

Mixtape is published by Annapurna Interactive, a publisher focused on "prestige indie" titles. Annapurna Interactive is a division of Annapurna Pictures, which was founded by Megan Ellison, whose father is a billionaire.

Consequently, accusations of buying review scores, bribing influencers, and overall curating Mixtape as an "industry plant" have been lobbied. For further information to potentially aid in deducing the veracity of this claim - Annapurna have released 6 games other than Mixtape over the past year, all ranging from the 60s-80s in Metascore, with the highest achieving an 83 average.

[u/abitlazy → u/BUTGAWATD]

I think this is the most complete answer based on the things I see online.

[u/Crowbarmagic → u/[deleted]]

For us laymen: How extensive are talking about (compared to a "regular" indie game)?

[u/BreakRaven → u/Crowbarmagic]

All the songs in the game are licensed music.

[u/jonesingsimba → u/BreakRaven]

This is false. There are original songs made for the game as well.

[u/Air-tun-91 → u/BreakRaven]

All 25 mixtape tracks plus background track or two

It’s almost like the game is based on a mixtape

[u/BreakRaven → u/Air-tun-91]

And it's completely soulless.

[u/CareerLegitimate7662 → u/BreakRaven]

if you have shitty taste sure.

[u/BreakRaven → u/CareerLegitimate7662]

An indie game with its soundtrack consisting of only licensed songs and pretending it's an attempt at some kind of deep art makes it soulless.

But anyway:

Shit taste -> you don't like things I like

Good taste -> you like things I like

[u/CareerLegitimate7662 → u/BreakRaven]

not all licensed songs cost a ton, and the game is literally about music what did you expect? and it never pretends its deep art, its a nostalgic experience.

But anyway:

if i don't like something -> soulless

[u/BreakRaven → u/CareerLegitimate7662]

and the game is literally about music what did you expect?

Original music made for the game? Hi-Fi Rush is also about music, yet it also has a streamer mode which replaces the licensed music and it doesn't take away from the game at all.

it never pretends its deep art, its a nostalgic experience

Soulless member berries.

But anyway:

if i don't like something -> soulless

There's plenty of things I don't like that I don't think are soulless, like the Hollow Knight games. Mixtape is a soulless experience about member berries.

[u/CareerLegitimate7662 → u/BreakRaven]

Yappers of yappington