I love music. I truly, truly do. I have it playing in my ears to and from work (and during, when possible) and on the car speakers, whether I’m with my family or not. Actually, the more I think about it, if there’s any media consumption that rivals my video game playing time, it’s probably music.
I grew up with classic rock as the background to most of my childhood. Hearing The Beatles, The Eagles, Rush, Led Zeppelin, and eventually my own version of these in the 90s and 2000s as I hit high school and college. What I’m trying to say is that a game like Wax Heads gets it! Music is special. It means something to everyone, even if they don’t know it yet.
Wax Heads hits platforms with a wise-cracking personality of just how crucial human and creative connections can be for so many people. Helping others is part of the job and a big part of what the game has you doing, but it’s about more than that, and that’s why it’s a title I’d recommend to almost anyone. Especially if you’re a music fan!
Wax Heads Is Filled With Charming Moments
Playing as “the new kid,” you’re stepping in to help staff at Repeater Records. You’re stepping into a place and a collection of eclectic people who have history. The store itself has a “from the ashes” backstory, as the owner is a former big-time rock star from yesteryear. The opening moments lay out what may have happened and raise questions about how one of the era’s most popular bands suddenly broke up.
This is all a backdrop and setup for a story full of personal relationships, featuring a lot of wonderfully written, quirky characters. In a way, the “new kid” is walking into quite the predicament in Wax Heads, but you just don’t know it yet. All in all, I really enjoyed the basis for what becomes a much more personal story than I was expecting going in. It adds some great depth to a game that could have been Papers, Please, but with a cartoony look that focuses on a record store instead of violent border protection.
The gameplay in Wax Heads almost exclusively centres around interactions with coworkers, some of their friends, and, of course, the customers of the store you now work for. Behind the sales desk, you’ll get a handful of people stopping in for various reasons: sometimes to set a record, a gift, or for sentimental value. No matter who they are, most customers have no idea what they want or need. That’s where you come in! You’ll briefly step away from your desk to check what’s in stock. It feels a little slow and even tedious at first, but progression comes in a number of ways throughout Wax Heads, creating a puzzle game that flows naturally like the tunes on a classic vinyl record.
As the story progresses, stock and choices grow. This is great in a couple of ways: first, it creates a more complex puzzle, as you’ll have to use limited information to sift through a larger stock. But on the flip side… or B side…you’re now able to see and hear more amazing music and art! This is my favourite part of the game. For me, Wax Heads is a real sign of art from every angle.
A major selling point for me is the music itself. There is a ton of original music composed for this game. Tracks cover a wide range of genres that I was quickly falling in love with. I personally found something to love in each song and found myself going back to the in-game jukebox just to pull up a few minutes of vinyl I absolutely needed to hear again.
Music and Art are at the Forefront
As you take a step into your stocked shelves, you can pick up records and examine them. Because the customer is so bewildered, it’s your job to decipher their story and determine whether it’s a “RAD, MEH, or SAD” purchase. Despite the simplistic UI and gameplay approach, taking a closer look at the small details of each record and studying the customer is actually a joy! Wax Heads doesn’t pressure you to be perfect, and it won’t put a clock on your search. It just wants you to do your best. And isn’t that what we all want in life?
Records are charmingly crafted with wild, sometimes minimalist, hand-drawn art. No two are the same, and many of them have histories of their own. Grabbing a record off the shelf and examining its sleeve, a review, and the vinyl itself can uncover the perfect detail and “ah ha” moment. Once you take it to the cash register, you’ll get some dialogue and a rating of how well you matched the music with the customer. It all sounds very mundane, and in some ways it is. But the artistry in the art design and in the music itself, through Wax Heads, is what makes things really special.
The purchasing scenario mechanic also extends to other locations throughout the story. As you get to know your boss and coworkers, you’ll aid them in various ways and make suggestions. Like ordering them a drink at the bar. These are fun relationship-building moments, but I found them to be far less interesting. I enjoyed venturing out of the store, but I also wanted to spend more time in there as well. There’s nothing wrong with these moments per se, I just didn’t find them as interesting. There’s a bit of an interactive comic or visual novel in Wax Heads, and just witnessing and, every so often, interacting with the characters in front of you is enough.
But no matter what I was doing or who I was talking to, character moments happen in every scene, with witty writing and highly enjoyable dialogue. There’s a lot to take in here, but everything is constructed so that it all feels very real and believable. Sure, Hank, Abi, and others are animated with a mix of Scott Pilgrim and classic ’90s cartoon styling, but they all feel like authentic people.
Verdict
Patattie Games is the two-person team behind Wax Heads, and I think they’ve created a wonderful experience full of creativity and heart. The game plays like an underdog story and feels inspired by grassroots movements that keep communities together. Living in big cities can be exciting and can open you up to wonderful people and experiences… like a Repeater Records. But it’s often those closest to you that truly make a difference.
Wax Heads is a great example of a game that takes its love and care for art and friends and moulds them into something so much more. It’s funny, charming, beautiful, and celebrates what truly makes music and community special and unique.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PC
