Indie devs keep bringing great-looking indie games to Steam, and the upcoming rhythm game Mr. Records teases a cozy, music-filled experience that is perfect for physical media lovers. It’s easy to simply wishlist a game on Steam only for it to get pushed further and further into the dark corners of one’s backlog, but Mr. Records is arriving at a time that makes the game an important reminder of how special collecting physical media truly is. As a self-confessed physical media fiend, I know I definitely have my biases when it comes to game collecting. As the digital-only future moves forward full steam ahead, the future of collecting looks bleak, and Mr. Records makes a great case for why physical media is about more than just ownership.
Physical games have been a hot topic this year. The announcement that Sony is ending physical game production in 2028 has ignited a lot of backlash, with some gamers even vowing to boycott PS5 games until the company backpedals. Unfortunately, that’s probably never going to happen. Whether it’s movies, music, or video games, much of the entertainment industry has fully embraced digital over physical. On the bright side, there are still outliers. Vinyl records and CDs still exist, and some developers will still opt for physical options until it’s no longer viable. Even though media ownership is important, that’s only the tip of the iceberg, and Mr. Records looks to be a beautiful showcase of why physical collections are so magical.
Mr. Records‘ story follows an old man named George who has finally taken the leap and opened his dream record store. Fans of cozy sim games like Coffee Talk will be drawn to the game’s record shop focus, while music lovers and rhythm game fans will be especially attracted to the game’s Hi-Fi Rush-like beat-focused gameplay. George’s passion lies in listening to music, but that’s only the half of it. When he listens to a song, he’s transported to colorful, vibrant worlds where he has to platform his way through each level along to the beat. That’s where the Hi-Fi Rush-style gameplay comes in.
Each level George encounters is a dream world inspired by the memories from his life, and each one throws in gameplay twists to keep things exciting. There aren’t really many projects that combine games like Hi-Fi Rush and Coffee Talk into one experience, but the trailer and Steam demo have already demonstrated that it’s a wonderfully odd match.
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A Look at Mr. Records’ Confirmed Features
- Connect with customers and learn about their lives by recommending them music.
- Enjoy downtime in George’s apartment above the record store.
- Listen to an original soundtrack made by the developers that covers a wide range of genres.
- Run, jump, slide, and dodge through over 40 handmade levels.
- Revel in a variety of side activities with George’s dog Buzz.
- Explore George’s memories through his impressive record collection.
The simple, cartoonish art style that developer Glee-Cheese Studio used for this game is incredibly endearing, and combining this design choice with the game’s soundtrack and trippy level design adds an extra layer of charm. One of the most impressive features in this game, though, is the soundtrack. The dev team created every song, with the soundtrack ranging from pop, funk, electronic, and even prog rock. There are a lot of games with great soundtracks out there, and Mr. Records already has what it takes to be one of the best soundtracks of the year if it launches before 2026 ends.
Mr. Records Gets to the Heart of Why Physical Collections Are Such a Powerful Thing
Check Out Mr. Records on Steam
Throughout Mr. Records, George gets to experience a wide variety of whimsical levels, but each level also highlights key moments from his life. Collecting music isn’t just a series of records and CDs sitting on a shelf. Owning physical music is like having your very own time capsule. It’s a scrapbook for the ears, and this same line of thought bleeds over into video games. One of the biggest problems with digital-only games and other forms of entertainment is that it ultimately keeps people away from one another.
Mr. Records will also be available on the Epic Games Store, GOG, the Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. A release date has yet to be announced.
There was once a time when stores like GameStop and local sellers would host midnight game release parties. People would hang out for hours waiting for games like Halo 3 and Skyrim to launch. A lot of friendships were actually made this way, because these launch events brought groups of like-minded gamers together in one spot. Those days are long gone, but Mr. Records plays into this same idea, but through music instead of games.
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Visiting an actual record store means that people will inevitably interact with the workers and fellow music lovers, and it could make for some great conversations and inspire surprising connections. Streaming services have streamlined the consumer experience to make everything more convenient, but convenience can actually have serious downsides. I know I sound like a grumpy old man yelling at the clouds, but face-to-face interaction is important, and passions like video games, music, and movies are great ways to start up conversations and grow relationships with people that you may have never met otherwise.
Physical Media May Falter, But It Won’t Truly End
When it comes to the physical vs. digital media debate, gaming has it the hardest. Music still has the niche of vinyl collectors, and CDs have been coming back in style, too. When it comes to movies, production companies like A24 print some of its most successful films on Blu-Ray. Gaming is a much trickier situation, though.
Questions have started to form about Sony and Xbox’s next-gen consoles. With certain industry heavyweights pushing digital-only so hard, there are fears that the PS6 and Project Helix won’t even support discs, especially since the Xbox disc-to-digital feature has been confirmed. There have been reports that the PS6 will have an attachable disc drive accessory as an add-on, but only time will tell if these claims are true. The future may look bleak for fellow physical media collectors right now, but Mr. Records is a charming reminder that going out and buying physical entertainment is a worthwhile pursuit.
