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Mixtape · Awoken Game Club Podcast

0:03
SPEAKER_02: Welcome back.
0:05
SPEAKER_02: Another episode of Awoken Game Club.
0:07
SPEAKER_02: Patrick, what song did you listen to today?
0:12
SPEAKER_02: I didn't think of an intro zinger.
0:16
SPEAKER_01: Well, maybe the real question is,
0:18
SPEAKER_01: did you listen to it on the way music is supposed to be listened to,
0:23
SPEAKER_01: which is clearly a CD according to these 90s question mark kids?
0:28
SPEAKER_02: A CD while floating through the air is really the only way I listen
0:33
SPEAKER_02: to music I don't know how you listen
0:35
SPEAKER_01: to music Everything else is just selling out Yeah
0:41
SPEAKER_02: Well welcome if you're joining us for the first time Awoken Game Club is
0:44
SPEAKER_02: a monthly video game book club we play indie games that strike our fancy and
0:49
SPEAKER_02: then debrief debate and celebrate after playing throughout the month follow us
0:53
SPEAKER_02: on Substack to get notifications see Patrick's art and chat
0:56
SPEAKER_02: with us our game next month so
1:00
SPEAKER_02: July of 2026 is Lucky Tower Ultimate looking forward to that one and
1:06
SPEAKER_02: then one last housekeeping is that each one of these episodes is packed full
1:12
SPEAKER_02: of spoilers so treat these like a monthly book club where all
1:15
SPEAKER_02: the attendees have had all their time with the game if you are worried
1:19
SPEAKER_02: about spoilers this episode is evergreen and come back and listen
1:23
SPEAKER_02: after you've played and with that
1:27
SPEAKER_02: Let's talk about Mixtape.
1:29
SPEAKER_02: Mixtape was one of the choices that I offered you this month, I believe.
1:34
SPEAKER_02: Patrick, why did you pick Mixtape?
1:38
SPEAKER_01: I think it's very rare that we get to play something very new and very topical.
1:42
SPEAKER_01: And this was fresh off of, I think, IGN's.
1:49
SPEAKER_01: It just labeled it a 10.
1:51
SPEAKER_01: It looked very pretty.
1:53
SPEAKER_01: Music is not normally like something I'm overly passionate about
1:56
SPEAKER_01: so I think I mostly just like seeing why one person out there called it a 10 out
2:04
SPEAKER_02: of 10 and that's really why I chose it yeah I feel like it's I mean art it's fun
2:10
SPEAKER_02: to play like every year there's like two or three one to three hour experiences like
2:16
SPEAKER_02: a journey-esque like art game that
2:20
SPEAKER_02: Breakthrough to the masses and whether it be the production value or just
2:24
SPEAKER_02: the quality of the game um and yeah like you said this game was getting a ton
2:29
SPEAKER_02: of buzz it was probably going to be people's game of the year kind of choices around
2:34
SPEAKER_02: that when that time comes um so yeah it felt like the right time to jump on
2:38
SPEAKER_02: and see what it was about absolutely I I knew it was a game based
2:43
SPEAKER_02: in nostalgia I knew it was going to be kind of vignette based um
2:50
SPEAKER_02: I guess I'll ask you kind of, did you like it?
2:55
SPEAKER_02: How did you feel after your time was finished?
2:58
SPEAKER_01: I think if we're going to talk high level opinions here, I'm glad a game like this exists.
3:04
SPEAKER_01: I'm glad someone was able to make it.
3:06
SPEAKER_01: It is very well polished.
3:08
SPEAKER_01: It looks and sounds good.
3:10
SPEAKER_01: It's just short enough to really be digestible.
3:16
SPEAKER_01: But for me, it was just like, cool, that was neat.
3:20
SPEAKER_02: and I'm gonna move on yeah I think this is like the most we've ever agreed about
3:28
SPEAKER_01: a book club like I
3:30
SPEAKER_02: maybe we could just end the podcast that's it I think like my read
3:36
SPEAKER_02: on this game is identical I think so we touched on it in the pre-show but
3:44
SPEAKER_02: the internet did not like that 10
3:48
SPEAKER_02: that IGN gave it like it I think I didn't really find out about the backlash until
3:56
SPEAKER_02: after I played it but it was so like
4:00
SPEAKER_02: the internet I think it was just like one upset that it got a 10 upset that
4:05
SPEAKER_02: a walking simulator got a 10 upset that they played it
4:08
SPEAKER_02: and they didn't think it was worthy of the 10 and I just like it almost felt like
4:12
SPEAKER_02: when the internet gets all conspiracy theory about when like an actor's blowing up
4:16
SPEAKER_02: or musicians blown up and they're saying like it's
4:18
SPEAKER_02: an industry plant I feel like that's kind of the vibe
4:21
SPEAKER_02: that like hey like one person really loved this game that doesn't make it
4:24
SPEAKER_02: an industry plant um
4:27
SPEAKER_02: But I had a friend who like I was like oh yeah I'm playing mixtape
4:31
SPEAKER_02: and he's like oh yeah I was interested in that it looked cool
4:34
SPEAKER_02: but it didn't look like
4:35
SPEAKER_02: a 10 like I even like I know I just have like it's just amazing how
4:39
SPEAKER_02: the whole discourse kind of came down to that IGN review
4:44
SPEAKER_01: that is insane I am just like team let people enjoy things and
4:50
SPEAKER_01: Unfortunately, in the pre-show, I really quickly covered just to get hype in the game.
4:55
SPEAKER_01: I watched a YouTube video and I was like, okay, that's pretty neat.
4:59
SPEAKER_01: And I made the unfortunate decision of scrolling to the comments.
5:02
SPEAKER_01: And it is a cesspool down there.
5:06
SPEAKER_01: And whatever you feel about the game, that is not an okay thing to say down there.
5:12
SPEAKER_01: Just because it's got a 10.
5:14
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, just because it's got a 10.
5:16
SPEAKER_02: Is that really only it?
5:18
SPEAKER_02: That's as far as I'm aware It got very personal down there
5:22
SPEAKER_01: and I didn't appreciate it for that person
5:26
SPEAKER_01: and I unfortunately I'm just like gamers what are we doing?
5:30
SPEAKER_02: I know What are we doing?
5:31
SPEAKER_02: Is this the hill we're dying on?
5:33
SPEAKER_02: This is why YouTube got rid of the down thumb button Oh my gosh Because
5:39
SPEAKER_02: the internet just can't be trusted with moderation tools
5:43
SPEAKER_02: This is crazy.
5:44
SPEAKER_02: But anywho, we don't have to dwell on that too much.
5:46
SPEAKER_02: I think I looked a little bit about the making of this game.
5:50
SPEAKER_02: I didn't play their previous title, The Artful Escape, but I remember it when it came out.
5:54
SPEAKER_02: Are you familiar with that game?
5:56
SPEAKER_02: I am not.
5:58
SPEAKER_02: I think it's another kind of music theme.
6:00
SPEAKER_02: This one's like a music platformer where music again is like
6:04
SPEAKER_02: a really huge part of the gameplay and about the story and things like that
6:09
SPEAKER_02: so I think this was like a very um uh
6:14
SPEAKER_02: like a sequel or a follow-up a natural spiritual follow-up yeah so
6:19
SPEAKER_02: the game's director is Ghani Galvatron which is Johnny Galvatron which is
6:24
SPEAKER_02: a crazy cool name but he wanted the game to feel like channel surfing old school MTV
6:32
SPEAKER_02: at 3 a.m.
6:33
SPEAKER_02: which I thought I thought he was pretty successful in that in terms of the mixtape
6:37
SPEAKER_02: or mixtape
6:39
SPEAKER_01: I think so did he also very intentionally because you could have done a lot
6:43
SPEAKER_01: of different things to make it like that with any kind
6:46
SPEAKER_01: of music genre did he talk anything about like trying to not necessarily replicate
6:52
SPEAKER_01: but do a coming of age
6:55
SPEAKER_02: Yes so this is all from the Wikipedia because that's the depth of my research but so
7:01
SPEAKER_02: on the narrative side he was inspired by John Hughes films where
7:07
SPEAKER_02: the characters were always at the point where things were about to change
7:12
SPEAKER_02: and they could never be changed back which I think is like very cool
7:17
SPEAKER_02: and I also feel like
7:19
SPEAKER_02: I think that that was maybe one of my little bit of disconnects going
7:22
SPEAKER_02: into this game was that I thought it was going to be a love letter to music
7:26
SPEAKER_02: and maybe in a way it was but it actually felt like a love letter
7:30
SPEAKER_02: to movie soundtracks for me I feel like
7:36
SPEAKER_02: the song choices were very movie soundtrack-esque and that they like
7:43
SPEAKER_02: they were prominent but they were slightly the background
7:46
SPEAKER_02: and they were vibey I just thought they were all very safe
7:53
SPEAKER_02: and I thought I'm gonna say it and I know there's a the music
7:57
SPEAKER_02: in this game is incredible and people love the music and the artists outside of
8:01
SPEAKER_02: the game and it's been
8:03
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
8:19
SPEAKER_02: they all kind of sounded the same I didn't feel like they were that risky in like
8:24
SPEAKER_02: the genre jumping it felt like this artist
8:28
SPEAKER_02: or this person yeah Stacy I guess like had a very specific taste and did not deviate
8:34
SPEAKER_02: from that taste and I felt like I if I didn't share that taste I wasn't getting
8:40
SPEAKER_02: the same hit I guess yeah
8:45
SPEAKER_01: Well, that was like her entire personality.
8:47
SPEAKER_01: I don't know if we're getting into the characters yet.
8:49
SPEAKER_02: Let's do it.
8:50
SPEAKER_02: Let's take it how we want to take it.
8:52
SPEAKER_01: I mean, Stacey... She sucks.
8:55
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, in all of the characters, I did think they all eventually grew on me.
8:59
SPEAKER_01: She was so unlikable and a little insufferable.
9:01
SPEAKER_02: So unlikable.
9:03
SPEAKER_01: But I do think she was the one with the character arc, for the most part.
9:08
SPEAKER_01: Like, personal journey of, like, understanding that Cassandra...
9:13
SPEAKER_01: didn't her whole world didn't rely on Stacey and there's even a line later in
9:17
SPEAKER_01: the game where Stacey's like talking about Slater's like man I don't appreciate him
9:23
SPEAKER_01: as much and like I don't often comment out that he's such
9:26
SPEAKER_01: a great artist like drawing and I just feel like Stacey is so self-centered and
9:32
SPEAKER_01: the world revolved around her with her New York trip of that is nothing by the way
9:37
SPEAKER_02: of I'm just gonna stalk this person and hope I get a job
9:41
SPEAKER_01: and just it took so long for her to be remorseful
9:44
SPEAKER_01: for just like blowing up her friends anyways yeah very unlikable I feel like it
9:49
SPEAKER_02: broke my immersion a little bit because I think this game is successful in a lot
9:53
SPEAKER_02: of ways of like what your teenage years feel like in terms
9:57
SPEAKER_02: of your town being your whole world and kind of wanting to get out of your town
10:02
SPEAKER_02: but now these adults trying to keep you down and trying to like kind of
10:07
SPEAKER_02: Strike it independence any way that you can but I felt like she seemed like
10:12
SPEAKER_02: a 13 year old in an 18 year old's body or like story like I didn't I wasn't she was
10:19
SPEAKER_02: a little bit annoying in the sense or immature and in a way
10:23
SPEAKER_02: that was like you're 18 like come
10:26
SPEAKER_02: on like you're no you're just what are we doing here um
10:32
SPEAKER_01: When you contrast that to Cassandra and Slater you bought more
10:36
SPEAKER_01: into their plights Yeah,
10:39
SPEAKER_02: I think they were just even when Stacey was just being normal she had that kind
10:47
SPEAKER_02: of like
10:49
SPEAKER_02: Teenage movie narrator voice of like really a lot of flourishes a lot of sarcasm
10:59
SPEAKER_02: a lot of like I'm very funny and insightful and I just I just I think
11:07
SPEAKER_02: that she might not have been annoying but
11:09
SPEAKER_02: the writing was annoying like I didn't think that the writing in this game was
11:15
SPEAKER_02: I didn't think the story was very strong I didn't think that Cassie's dad was
11:20
SPEAKER_02: a very good character I know that everyone played a role and it got it across
11:26
SPEAKER_02: the finish line and I liked this game I'm really glad I played it and it was fine
11:32
SPEAKER_02: but I think I feel 1% of the annoyance that the internet feels right you can kind
11:39
SPEAKER_02: of see why
11:42
SPEAKER_02: Some people took it too personally that this game got a 10 in
11:46
SPEAKER_02: the worst way possible,
11:48
SPEAKER_02: but I think there was just enough in this game that I felt like was a bit clumsy.
11:56
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I was teetering on the edge of like these teenagers and how insufferable they are.
12:03
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, is this just how I think of a lot of teenagers now that I'm clearly not one?
12:07
SPEAKER_01: I did think the game was in on it a little bit with the vignette and smaller beats.
12:14
SPEAKER_01: I agree the overall story and like even the emotional beats were not very resounding
12:21
SPEAKER_01: or satisfying.
12:22
SPEAKER_01: But I did think some of the bits...
12:24
SPEAKER_01: that these kids the way they talk there were so many times
12:28
SPEAKER_01: where I just like rolled my eyes I'm like I cannot believe like this I'm hearing
12:31
SPEAKER_01: this teenage so edgy teenager go on and on but I did think the game had some of
12:37
SPEAKER_01: the it was in on it when they started to joke around with you know how awkward
12:42
SPEAKER_01: that kiss is and that kiss scene was like very good like those smaller scenes right
12:47
SPEAKER_02: the tongue when you you control the tongues during
12:49
SPEAKER_02: the kiss flashback yeah truly awful really good and which I think
12:55
SPEAKER_01: Go ahead No well I was just gonna say another small example of that was like
13:00
SPEAKER_01: when they were at the Slurpee shop and they were like Slater you have
13:04
SPEAKER_01: the mustache like you're the most adult here and then it just like zooms in
13:08
SPEAKER_01: on his prepubescent like pimple filled mustache I was like okay so like
13:12
SPEAKER_01: the game knows this is how we all talked and like we truly believe that the guy
13:18
SPEAKER_01: who did have the mustache was the most mature but like on
13:21
SPEAKER_01: the outside they are still children
13:24
SPEAKER_02: And I think like for as much as this game is a bit of like
13:28
SPEAKER_02: a hold forward walking simulator the gamey aspects of this game which there are
13:35
SPEAKER_02: a lot of them were like the strongest parts for me like the little vignettes
13:42
SPEAKER_02: and like where you're
13:44
SPEAKER_02: moving the couch or blowing up explosives while you're on a skateboard
13:49
SPEAKER_02: or uh field going across the field journey style the field the kaiju mode and
13:54
SPEAKER_02: the dinosaur theme park like there was there the it was almost like um
14:04
SPEAKER_02: Like WarioWare or something or Super Mario Party where I really looked forward to
14:11
SPEAKER_02: the mini games and I thought when the music hit during the games
14:15
SPEAKER_02: that made sense right like the emotions they're trying to give to the player
14:20
SPEAKER_02: by setting up a loose narrative
14:23
SPEAKER_02: and then doing a flashback and having a really fun silly beautiful because
14:28
SPEAKER_02: the art's amazing with the soaring music that stuff like 8 or 9 out
14:35
SPEAKER_02: of 10 times was fun so I think that's like that's to me the core of this game was
14:40
SPEAKER_02: the gameplay not just like the music or the narrative it was the way
14:47
SPEAKER_02: when those became a game that was like the most fun part yeah
14:52
SPEAKER_01: I agree I mean I think about the car ride as well I really like that
14:57
SPEAKER_01: when it felt good and right to like hit the trigger with the explosion or
15:01
SPEAKER_01: the firework or even the scene where and this is like just where some of
15:07
SPEAKER_01: the emotional resonance comes in when Stacy was like trying to hang out
15:11
SPEAKER_01: with Cassandra and she sees Cassandra with the whatever
15:16
SPEAKER_02: the fuck her name is yeah I didn't really yeah
15:22
SPEAKER_02: I'm just thinking about how much Stacy didn't like
15:24
SPEAKER_02: that character I know Janie fucking whatever they had to try really hard for that
15:30
SPEAKER_02: to be part of her redemption arc to be nicer to that person I'm like okay yeah
15:36
SPEAKER_01: but I did find like when that happened and it was like black and white
15:41
SPEAKER_01: and you're just kind of like floating through like I think we
15:44
SPEAKER_01: as all teenagers did feel that betrayal and it was so melodramatic and
15:50
SPEAKER_01: When a friend did that to you Yeah When you're just not emotionally equipped
15:55
SPEAKER_01: to handle it like
15:56
SPEAKER_01: an adult That's true I felt like those parts were like oh okay like I identify
16:01
SPEAKER_01: with this person even if like she needs to get over it like yes Jane whatever
16:07
SPEAKER_01: the fuck her name is wasn't actually an awful person but having your friend lie
16:11
SPEAKER_01: to you to hang out doesn't feel great especially also
16:15
SPEAKER_01: because we know it's Stacy's fault she's not a fun person and Cassandra knew
16:21
SPEAKER_01: that she couldn't tell Stacey that she was hanging out with this person
16:23
SPEAKER_01: because Stacey would have such a fit so I buy into the closing of the loop
16:29
SPEAKER_01: that Stacey crashing out over it was like not a good look
16:34
SPEAKER_02: for her yeah I mean I guess if you think about like the movies too
16:38
SPEAKER_02: that inspire this game like Breakfast Club like aren't all those characters
16:41
SPEAKER_02: insufferable isn't that kind of like
16:43
SPEAKER_02: I can't remember That's kind of for me I do think they captured so much coming
16:51
SPEAKER_02: of age sentiment and nostalgia but
16:54
SPEAKER_02: the whole time I was playing this game I was just thinking of movies It felt like
17:05
SPEAKER_02: a recreation of one of those 80s coming of age movies and the soundtrack
17:10
SPEAKER_02: that would be in that movie more than like a wholly original game designed around
17:16
SPEAKER_02: a mixtape yeah yeah I think uh
17:23
SPEAKER_02: It was fun, though.
17:25
SPEAKER_02: It was popcorn.
17:26
SPEAKER_02: It was good.
17:28
SPEAKER_02: I think that's where ratings and critique come up against summer flicks, right?
17:35
SPEAKER_02: If someone were to sell this game to you as one of the Barbie the movie
17:42
SPEAKER_02: or some really just fun way to spend some time during the summer...
17:49
SPEAKER_02: this game nails that the art is amazing apparently so I guess
17:55
SPEAKER_02: the game features stop motion inspired animation
17:58
SPEAKER_02: which I didn't I couldn't figure out why this game looked so unique
18:04
SPEAKER_02: and I thought it was just the frame rate was
18:09
SPEAKER_02: but I guess they really were trying to evoke like a Into the Spider-Verse kind of
18:14
SPEAKER_01: an animation style that's what I was gonna say they cut some frames to make it look
18:18
SPEAKER_01: a little like you said stop-motion comic book-y it looked awesome yeah
18:23
SPEAKER_01: the hand-painted was very pretty and yeah I think when you combine that with some of
18:29
SPEAKER_01: the video game elements especially some of those interactive moments it really did
18:35
SPEAKER_01: the page and there were times like you didn't fully know when
18:39
SPEAKER_01: the transition cutscene from an intro
18:41
SPEAKER_01: or outro bled into the gameplay element which i kind
18:45
SPEAKER_01: of enjoyed uh i just was like oh look i can
18:48
SPEAKER_01: jump now as she's talking so it felt very cinematic in that sense yeah i did appreciate
18:54
SPEAKER_02: the polish involved yeah and as much as i really i really did think
18:59
SPEAKER_02: the music just didn't resonate with me like i
19:03
SPEAKER_02: I know they got licensed music
19:05
SPEAKER_02: and I just thought it all I thought it was like yeah this is good like if this came
19:09
SPEAKER_02: on on the radio or it was played at a wedding like I would enjoy this song
19:13
SPEAKER_02: but I'm not like there's so many songs that to me would just are hype right like
19:21
SPEAKER_02: a Mr.
19:21
SPEAKER_02: Brightside I know it's just a stupid random example but like songs that are bigger
19:27
SPEAKER_02: than the
19:30
SPEAKER_02: whatever space that they're in whereas all these songs I feel like were like
19:34
SPEAKER_02: a movie soundtrack they did not jump out of the they they served the scene in
19:39
SPEAKER_02: the movie they did not jump out of the movie I guess yeah I don't know
19:45
SPEAKER_02: if that's like a coherent explanation
19:48
SPEAKER_02: of why I just I was expecting more like oh we're listening to
19:56
SPEAKER_02: Taylor Swift and then we're listening to a metal song and then oh here's Jay-Z
20:00
SPEAKER_02: and like a mixtape it doesn't have to be mainstream music but it I think
20:05
SPEAKER_02: of like mixing songs together and those songs popping off
20:11
SPEAKER_02: the CD I don't know yeah do you have a favorite song from the game or you want
20:18
SPEAKER_02: to go listen to the soundtrack outside of the game like how did you feel about
20:21
SPEAKER_02: the music
20:22
SPEAKER_01: I mean the music just served every scene which is what it was intentionally supposed
20:28
SPEAKER_01: to do like my favorite scenes I think I could I just jived with
20:33
SPEAKER_01: the music I think like the baseball one and
20:36
SPEAKER_01: the running saving Cassandra like they fit they were good but maybe
20:41
SPEAKER_01: to your point like when we think about Breakfast Club and the Don't You Forget
20:47
SPEAKER_01: About Me I'm like that's the Breakfast Club that's gonna be forever
20:50
SPEAKER_01: the Breakfast Club
20:52
SPEAKER_01: I just don't think that this game has that kind of cornerstone song
20:56
SPEAKER_01: and I do find running up that hill and maybe this is just like some of the weakness
21:02
SPEAKER_01: of the writing or its lead like Stacey's whole thing is she can find
21:07
SPEAKER_01: the perfect song for any given moment and
21:09
SPEAKER_01: while that's true I'm just like I don't you didn't like bring it home
21:15
SPEAKER_01: for me Stacey yeah you didn't bring it home in front of me like I get it like
21:21
SPEAKER_02: It might and I think it's a taste thing too like which is totally okay like I think
21:27
SPEAKER_02: that like
21:27
SPEAKER_02: if I had heard one Blink-182 song I would have lost my shit right like I would have
21:32
SPEAKER_02: been like oh yes like this is like high school going to a party
21:38
SPEAKER_02: uh or or like uh I don't like this artist but if I heard
21:42
SPEAKER_02: a Drake song like I just I all of the none of the songs made me think
21:47
SPEAKER_02: of my teenage years which is no offense to anyone who's like 10 years older
21:51
SPEAKER_02: than me we just had different teenage years like yeah I agree and I think
21:56
SPEAKER_02: that uh I think that when you watch a movie like The Breakfast Club um
22:03
SPEAKER_02: It's the narrative and the dialogue that bring you back to your teenage years
22:06
SPEAKER_02: because that music was not part of your teenage years.
22:09
SPEAKER_02: It's timeless because of the acting and the story.
22:14
SPEAKER_02: Even though my parents might remember Breakfast at Tiffany's.
22:19
SPEAKER_02: What's the song from that movie?
22:21
SPEAKER_02: Is that what it is?
22:22
SPEAKER_01: um it's the don't you have a birthday cake no no that one's breakfast club but
22:27
SPEAKER_01: when she's uh doing the cake I forget what that song is at breakfast
22:30
SPEAKER_02: so basically those movies my my parents remember those songs playing all summer at
22:36
SPEAKER_02: while they were teenagers and I'm maybe like for for myself uh
22:42
SPEAKER_02: a movie like um Juno or uh yeah uh what's the Michael Cera being
22:48
SPEAKER_02: a wallflower yeah yeah like if I had heard some of those songs
22:55
SPEAKER_02: that would bring me back um even though those songs don't necessarily um mean a ton
23:01
SPEAKER_02: to me but but I guess that's the credit I did want to give is that
23:05
SPEAKER_02: They did weave the songs into the scenes so effortlessly.
23:09
SPEAKER_02: You never really heard a song end or have to replay because you were lingering too long.
23:17
SPEAKER_02: I don't know how they did it, but it was a magnificent achievement.
23:21
SPEAKER_02: The way that the music just played never stumbled, never felt awkward.
23:28
SPEAKER_02: I don't know how they were transitioning and cutting the music,
23:32
SPEAKER_02: but it always felt like whenever I decided to move on,
23:35
SPEAKER_02: was also when the song decided to move on and it never felt clunky
23:39
SPEAKER_01: which is probably extremely hard to do interwoven and nobody ever said
23:45
SPEAKER_01: that this game wasn't polished it's just very clean and I did appreciate that
23:51
SPEAKER_01: and maybe it's a shame because the music is supposed to be
23:54
SPEAKER_01: the major identifying component but even if I didn't necessarily relate with
23:59
SPEAKER_01: the music like the game still had timeless tropes
24:05
SPEAKER_01: that are identifiable whether it be the sibling you're the older sibling but like
24:11
SPEAKER_01: when your older sibling is like the coolest person
24:14
SPEAKER_01: and like other people are like little Figueroa like my with my sister all the time
24:19
SPEAKER_01: or
24:20
SPEAKER_01: Anytime the booze like came up
24:22
SPEAKER_01: as very like Pulp Fiction gold like just white blasting like those were cool those
24:28
SPEAKER_01: were identifiable and that's just like timeless across any age it's just such
24:33
SPEAKER_01: a shame that the music couldn't necessarily do that
24:36
SPEAKER_02: Yeah and they took swings that some of them did hit
24:39
SPEAKER_02: for me like I wrote down some quotes I don't remember who said it
24:42
SPEAKER_02: but motorcycles haven't earned loudness I thought that was kind of funny
24:47
SPEAKER_02: and like calling your hometown
24:48
SPEAKER_02: the big suck is objectively hilarious um uh someone said cargo shorts are definitely
24:56
SPEAKER_02: metal um yeah whether or not they're metal yeah I thought that was
25:00
SPEAKER_02: that was fun um I uh
25:07
SPEAKER_02: I thought that there were I'm just looking at my notes I thought
25:10
SPEAKER_02: the fireworks stuff went on a little bit too long I was like I thought
25:15
SPEAKER_02: the last 10 minutes should have been halved I just kind of maybe it was just
25:22
SPEAKER_02: the whole exploding the fireworks I was like
25:27
SPEAKER_02: I liked this but I'm ready to move on um agreed agreed yeah the photo booth was fun
25:35
SPEAKER_02: where you were kind of controlling the characters I really I
25:40
SPEAKER_01: I think that's kind of started where I started to really find
25:43
SPEAKER_01: the characters endearing because I did think a lot
25:45
SPEAKER_01: of their dialogue just reeked too much of angst and edge and then
25:52
SPEAKER_01: when it showed their softer sides and the game I think benefited
25:56
SPEAKER_01: as it did this vignette style but like the one-on-ones that Stacey had with each
26:01
SPEAKER_01: of her friends was really nice I really liked that photo booth scene with her
26:06
SPEAKER_01: and Slater that was very endearing um
26:10
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I really towards the end really came around on all of them.
26:15
SPEAKER_01: And I did find Stacy and Slater's goodbye with the yes,
26:21
SPEAKER_01: it was kind of cheesy with the don't let go and then the don't fades.
26:27
SPEAKER_01: I was like, I was holding my controllers tight.
26:29
SPEAKER_01: I was like, this is time to to let go.
26:31
SPEAKER_01: And I like letting go of the control.
26:33
SPEAKER_01: I was like, OK, this is a cool way to bring in the gameplay elements.
26:38
SPEAKER_01: and that is resonant with the emotional scene it's just
26:40
SPEAKER_01: a shame I don't know what song was playing but that is
26:42
SPEAKER_02: a me thing I don't music very good but um did you yeah so did you let go before
26:48
SPEAKER_02: the game told you to let go no oh okay okay okay I waited until it faded and
26:55
SPEAKER_01: then I was like now's the time
26:57
SPEAKER_02: Okay, yeah, because then the game, because the text changes, right?
27:00
SPEAKER_02: Do you know that?
27:01
SPEAKER_01: The don't on the don't let go begins to fade.
27:05
SPEAKER_02: Oh, yes, yes, yeah.
27:07
SPEAKER_02: I thought that that fading of the don't made it less cheesy and made it like, oh, that's cool.
27:13
SPEAKER_02: I'm not so cold-hearted that that isn't, that it's not getting me.
27:18
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that was good.
27:19
SPEAKER_01: It was good.
27:19
SPEAKER_01: You got me.
27:20
SPEAKER_01: You got me.
27:21
SPEAKER_01: Well earned.
27:21
SPEAKER_01: Well earned.
27:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
27:22
SPEAKER_02: I don't know why they're all not just going on this road trip together.
27:25
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
27:26
SPEAKER_02: It sounds fun.
27:26
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
27:27
SPEAKER_01: Stacey is awful I'm sorry but like especially because she doesn't have
27:32
SPEAKER_01: a job lined up she's gonna go bum off her sister wait one week and then fly out
27:38
SPEAKER_01: of LA LA probably has better flights instead of
27:41
SPEAKER_02: the big suck yeah I don't know man I don't know insufferable and then she has
27:46
SPEAKER_01: the gall to get mad that Janie fucking Goodman or whatever
27:51
SPEAKER_01: the hell her name is is going with them it's like anyways yeah
27:56
SPEAKER_01: she deserved getting chewed out and props to Slater as a character who is like
28:02
SPEAKER_01: the ultimate peacemaker and is probably the most well adjusted out of all of them
28:07
SPEAKER_01: with a chill mom amazing hobbies and like basically everyone that came up
28:11
SPEAKER_01: to him was like hey Slater hey Slater Slater is the best character in
28:16
SPEAKER_02: that game yeah no he was he was awesome I feel like they even made like they also
28:26
SPEAKER_02: They made like
28:27
SPEAKER_02: talking about hookups at high school parties not creepy too
28:31
SPEAKER_02: which normally that's like super creepy and even the coming of age movies
28:38
SPEAKER_02: that showcase high school parties are creepy
28:42
SPEAKER_02: but Slater was just like I don't know like they were just very chill
28:46
SPEAKER_02: and it was like okay this is you're handling this well
28:48
SPEAKER_01: which is good they're all very accepting that that kind of stuff goes on there was
28:53
SPEAKER_01: a one line when you're at the Ritz safe house
28:57
SPEAKER_01: where I was like okay cool weed and booze I get it but then they did have
29:01
SPEAKER_01: a whippet thing and I was like I don't know how whippets work but I recognize
29:06
SPEAKER_01: the canisters and I was like guys whippets are really dangerous
29:11
SPEAKER_01: in my head I'm like you poor children like stop doing whippets
29:14
SPEAKER_01: because they were like that's for I forget they were being cheeky
29:18
SPEAKER_02: about it yeah I didn't catch that at all um
29:24
SPEAKER_02: and then yeah I think
29:25
SPEAKER_02: the dinosaur theme park I think whenever like whenever they went um
29:33
SPEAKER_02: a little bit alt like I prefer the black and white vignettes and
29:38
SPEAKER_02: the dinosaur theme park to the
29:40
SPEAKER_02: like the what was it like jumping through the grassy hills which was kind of cool
29:45
SPEAKER_02: for five seconds but
29:46
SPEAKER_02: then I was like okay I'm done I'm done I'm ready yeah whenever it got
29:50
SPEAKER_02: a little darker I think I I enjoyed
29:52
SPEAKER_02: that that's just my personality I think I enjoyed the darker
29:54
SPEAKER_02: the darker pieces more um yeah yeah but yeah I think like I do think that
30:02
SPEAKER_02: the discourse of this game did devolve from that IGN review but uh
30:10
SPEAKER_02: you shouldn't let that keep you from playing it yeah no no
30:15
SPEAKER_01: and also yeah just what discourse like right guys guys calm down calm down gamers
30:23
SPEAKER_02: yeah let's calm down yeah like when I think about the games
30:26
SPEAKER_02: that we've played like this game deserves its place just as much as any
30:33
SPEAKER_02: of them um agreed my opinion agreed yeah I did get the platinum
30:40
SPEAKER_02: How hard was that?
30:42
SPEAKER_01: It was okay.
30:44
SPEAKER_01: One of them was the baseball.
30:45
SPEAKER_01: The hardest one,
30:46
SPEAKER_01: and this will lead to a little bit what I wish it could be improved on,
30:50
SPEAKER_01: was the baseball one where you just had to, as Cassandra, hit all of the balls.
30:57
SPEAKER_01: And what was tough is if you missed one,
30:59
SPEAKER_01: you had to start over and you had to rewatch the entire cutscene.
31:04
SPEAKER_01: So that was very frustrating because I would choke
31:08
SPEAKER_01: and I would be like I cannot believe I have to do the whole cutscene and
31:14
SPEAKER_01: so my one way to improve the game and I thought would have been fun and clever
31:18
SPEAKER_01: and cheeky is like any good mixtape give me a fast forward and rewind button
31:24
SPEAKER_01: that I can like hold yeah
31:26
SPEAKER_01: and it would like replicate like you would have like it could like scribble
31:30
SPEAKER_01: the screen as if you were actually fast forwarding I was like give me
31:34
SPEAKER_01: that I would have been like this is so fun
31:38
SPEAKER_01: to fast forward and back and like replay or even like with R1 or R2 like skip
31:43
SPEAKER_01: the chapter like skip chapter I don't know would have been fun would have made my
31:47
SPEAKER_01: platinum journey a little bit easier one of the awful ones is kiss on the screen
31:54
SPEAKER_01: for 60 seconds so just sitting there I'm like toggling my two my two joysticks
32:02
SPEAKER_01: and unfortunately I sat there for more than 60 seconds because I was like
32:06
SPEAKER_01: where is this trophy
32:08
SPEAKER_01: and I didn't want to end the scene because I was like I've been sitting here like
32:12
SPEAKER_01: if I end the scene and it doesn't pop I'm gonna have to sit here again and
32:16
SPEAKER_01: so I probably actually sat there for maybe two whole minutes like waiting for
32:22
SPEAKER_01: the trophy to pop and I was like well screw this it doesn't pop until you exit
32:26
SPEAKER_01: the scene I was like I probably actually sat here for
32:28
SPEAKER_01: and watched like these two disgusting like
32:33
SPEAKER_02: If it's one minute and you said two minutes, it was three minutes.
32:36
SPEAKER_02: Let's all be clear.
32:37
SPEAKER_02: It was definitely three minutes.
32:40
SPEAKER_01: Or listeners,
32:40
SPEAKER_01: you can't see,
32:41
SPEAKER_01: but I have like the shocked Pikachu face because I may have been attacked.
32:46
SPEAKER_01: It was definitely three or four minutes.
32:48
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean,
32:49
SPEAKER_02: it wouldn't be a platinum trophy if it wasn't some shenanigans along the way,
32:56
SPEAKER_02: though.
32:57
SPEAKER_02: For sure.
32:58
SPEAKER_02: You don't want a free platinum trophy.
33:02
SPEAKER_01: no no not on my IGN 10 out
33:05
SPEAKER_01: of 10 game
33:09
SPEAKER_02: what else you got I'm pretty much tapped I think like I uh it was
33:14
SPEAKER_02: definitely a thumbs up for me and I would recommend it given its price
33:19
SPEAKER_02: and its length um but I thought it it would have been more for me if the music and
33:26
SPEAKER_02: the story uh
33:30
SPEAKER_01: I think so I think I'm in the same boat I don't have much more left
33:36
SPEAKER_01: in my notes maybe the one thing that I am I could be hungering for
33:41
SPEAKER_01: after this game similar to you is I would like a coming of age
33:48
SPEAKER_01: Piece of media to like hit me because I think I am a fan of nostalgia and I'm like,
33:55
SPEAKER_01: okay, I looked briefly what my options are.
33:57
SPEAKER_01: I'm like perks of being a wallflower.
33:58
SPEAKER_01: Maybe I'll go watch Garden State.
34:01
SPEAKER_02: Dude, pursuing a wallflower meant so much to me as a kid.
34:07
SPEAKER_02: Like, that game hit me.
34:09
SPEAKER_02: I think I just sobbed.
34:10
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I don't know how old I was when that game came out.
34:13
SPEAKER_01: I know, I think it was college because you,
34:16
SPEAKER_01: I think you had like told me about it and I either read the book slash watched
34:20
SPEAKER_01: the movie only because you were a big fan.
34:24
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the movie came out in 2012 and I don't even remember the movie.
34:29
SPEAKER_02: But the book came out in 1999 So I think I Oh dang I think I read the book
34:34
SPEAKER_02: in high school Um Uh Gosh I don't even know if that movie would hold up
34:43
SPEAKER_02: Because I think one of
34:44
SPEAKER_01: the actors has been cancelled Yeah Ezra I'm not gonna say I didn't Are we saying
34:53
SPEAKER_01: names but also
34:59
SPEAKER_02: That's a good question though like best coming of age video games is it Persona?
35:08
SPEAKER_01: No those are I don't know JRPGs I don't know if they capture coming
35:14
SPEAKER_01: of age like emotion that is there's too much JRPG in there
35:19
SPEAKER_01: to be emotionally resonant
35:21
SPEAKER_02: I feel like video games always just include violence as part of their gameplay
35:27
SPEAKER_02: so they can't be teenagers because there's so many open world games
35:32
SPEAKER_02: which are not
35:38
SPEAKER_02: featuring teenagers I did google this and unfortunately
35:41
SPEAKER_02: the response is AI but the response is pretty good Night in the Woods I never played
35:49
SPEAKER_01: that one
35:50
SPEAKER_02: That one's really good.
35:51
SPEAKER_02: It's a good coming of age game.
35:53
SPEAKER_02: Life is Strange is definitely a coming of age game.
35:57
SPEAKER_01: I actually really like that one.
35:58
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, it's similar vibes, but I think if I played it again, I think I would also enjoy it.
36:07
SPEAKER_01: I really like that game.
36:08
SPEAKER_01: I really like Life is Strange.
36:09
SPEAKER_01: I never played any of the sequels, but that first one.
36:12
SPEAKER_02: I played the first chapter of True Colors, the sequel, which was pretty good.
36:18
SPEAKER_02: Nice, nice.
36:20
SPEAKER_01: A Short Hike.
36:23
SPEAKER_01: That's a good one.
36:24
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, it's kind of like about getting out of your comfort zone.
36:27
SPEAKER_02: Oxenfree.
36:28
SPEAKER_02: I remember playing that.
36:30
SPEAKER_02: It's funny, I found like a Reddit thread, which the AI clearly stole all of its answers for.
36:40
SPEAKER_01: yeah
36:41
SPEAKER_00: yep
36:47
SPEAKER_01: Wait isn't uh dude we played one earlier this year uh
36:53
SPEAKER_02: mouthwashing definitely
36:56
SPEAKER_01: mouthwashing blueprints yeah I'm looking
37:01
SPEAKER_01: at another thread dualshockers.com Celeste is a good one I'm looking at
37:06
SPEAKER_02: that one too this is good content just us googling coming of age games um
37:13
SPEAKER_01: we're making sure we've played them oh yeah that's not
37:16
SPEAKER_01: the sequel ones yeah I think Life is Strange is gonna be
37:19
SPEAKER_02: the Awoken Game Club official pick I don't know I think I like Celeste I didn't play
37:27
SPEAKER_01: Celeste okay well if it's
37:29
SPEAKER_01: the one we've both played Walking Dead I think I really like Celeste
37:32
SPEAKER_02: though I actually think I can fell is a good one
37:37
SPEAKER_01: I can fell is a good one I like that a lot I like that answer not mainstream enough
37:41
SPEAKER_01: to come up on these Google searches but it's a shame everyone go play I can fell
37:46
SPEAKER_02: that game is really good yeah honestly that would have been a good Game Club game
37:51
SPEAKER_02: if we hadn't already played it
37:55
SPEAKER_00: cool man yeah I think like
38:04
SPEAKER_00: it was
38:07
SPEAKER_01: It was good It's good Let him finish He's cooking up something It's literally, it's good
38:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah like I'm trying to because I do feel like I was in my head as I was saying
38:23
SPEAKER_02: that like what's the best case scenario for an Awoken Game Club like
38:27
SPEAKER_02: a Game Club game and I feel like this is not it right like because you want you want
38:34
SPEAKER_02: to have like spiritist debate and strong feelings and like I'm not saying you need
38:41
SPEAKER_02: to love or hate it but you want
38:43
SPEAKER_02: I feel like this game certainly did elicit some strong feelings but you can't it's
38:48
SPEAKER_02: so like harmless and well made and fun that it doesn't feel good
38:57
SPEAKER_02: to have like strong critiques but yeah so yeah I mean I think
39:05
SPEAKER_01: I do think just in general like commandments
39:08
SPEAKER_02: for picking your game club game I feel like what's it called like charming games are
39:16
SPEAKER_01: not good choices yeah something palatable very crowd pleasing yeah I think so
39:26
SPEAKER_01: and yeah maybe we'll just never pick a 10 out of 10 IGN game ever again
39:31
SPEAKER_02: yeah I guess but maybe if every game is a 10 out
39:34
SPEAKER_02: of 10 we can't avoid them just kidding well yeah next month is I never remember
39:42
SPEAKER_01: the name Lucky Tower Ultimate Lucky Tower Ultimate Lucky Ultimate Tower
39:47
SPEAKER_02: or Ultimate Lucky Tower it's one of those something like
39:51
SPEAKER_02: that it's Lucky Tower Ultimate so we'll be back with our thoughts on that game
39:58
SPEAKER_02: but yeah until then thanks again Patrick thanks Ben okay
40:02
SPEAKER_00: Take care Thank you for listening Much love