Mixtape, the narrative-driven adventure game from developer Beethoven & Dinosaur and publisher Annapurna Interactive, has earned IGN's first perfect 10/10 score of 2026. The game released on May 7, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

A Coming-of-Age Musical Journey

From the creators of The Artful Escape, Mixtape is a roughly three-hour single-player experience that follows three friends on their last night together, exploring memories set to a curated soundtrack of licensed music from artists including Devo, The Smashing Pumpkins, and more. The game has been described as a "playable mixtape" that blends nostalgic coming-of-age storytelling with music-driven gameplay mechanics.

Critical Reception vs. Community Sentiment

IGN's Simon Cardy awarded the game a 10/10, writing: "A musical delight from start to finish that sets a new standard for coming-of-age stories in games." The game currently holds a "Very Positive" rating on Steam from over 3,200 user reviews.

However, the 10/10 score sparked notable debate in the gaming community. While many players praised the game's emotional depth, animation style inspired by Spider-Verse visuals, and inventive gameplay, some questioned whether any three-hour narrative experience warrants a perfect score. On Reddit (r/Games), discussions were split — with some calling it a masterpiece of the medium and others arguing the review ecosystem is too generous to short, artsy titles. The reaction mirrors a broader pattern where critic scores and player expectations sometimes diverge, especially for shorter experimental games.

Dual Shockers called it "a wholly unique gaming experience that's loaded with nostalgic charm, great humor, and many poignant moments." On Steam, user reviews highlight the game's emotional impact and soundtrack curation as standout features, with criticism mainly directed at its short length and limited replayability.

Platforms and Pricing

Mixtape is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) priced at $19.99 / Rp 169,000 on Steam. The game is also included with Xbox Game Pass on console and PC.

Sources: IGN review, Steam user reviews, Reddit r/Games discussions, Gematsu