Image credit: Curve Games
Music feeds the soul. Its ineffable quality is a facet of life that Patattie Games understands well and has successfully conveyed in its Wax Heads demo. As a music lover, the premise of the game had me intrigued from the start; however, it’s the substance of this “cozy-punk narrative sim” that keeps you plugged into its heady beat.
Wax Heads is undeniably stylish, but it’s the way in which it reinvigorates the narrative-sim genre that I find most impressive. Record shops, by and large, aren’t seen as compelling venues for storytelling, yet it’s within these intimate settings that surprising connections can be made. To tune into its irresistible melody, read Kyusai’s full preview below.
People are the beating heart of music
Without people, music wouldn’t exist. Yes, there’s the natural music of nature – birdsong, the gentle drumming of rain on a tent – but without the input of humans, the way our world sounds would be extremely different. Wax Heads emphasizes this point by making NPCs the heart of the game.
No single character feels generic, nor are their interactions meaningless; every element has a point, chiefly to create an authentic in-game community. The gameplay provides a hands-on experience through this active participation. As Wax Heads states, the records don’t come to you; you have to listen to the characters and find what they want.
For me, this freshens up the shop sim format, which has become quite tired of late. Once you’ve played a dozen shop simulations, you go into autopilot mode. But in Wax Heads, you can’t. You have to read the clues customers give you carefully, as well as thoroughly investigate each album to find the right one.
Of course, these gameplay mechanics would feel rather pointless without the additional layer of impact they have on the story. This is a narrative sim, meaning your choices, including which albums you suggest, have weight. It isn’t always significant; however, it alters how the subtler aspects of Wax Heads’ story plays out.
Groove to an infectious beat
I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment on Wax Heads’ original soundtrack, which, as the developers describe, is “killer”. Much like its visuals, the tracks you can listen to throughout the working day at Repeater Records exude personality.
Original music composed by real people is a boon to any video game in and of itself, but allowing players to choose what they listen to further enhances the authenticity of Wax Heads’ fictional record store.
Moreover, it offers a level of accessibility that goes beyond the basics, to try to tailor the game specifically to you. Although its story is linear, there’s a tangible sense of freedom embedded in its gameplay.
A raw debut that needs a tune-up
Wax Heads is almost perfect. Almost. There is, however, an area that needs improvement: its flyer creation mini-game.
No matter what I tried, the cursor refused to appear on my screen, meaning that selecting and placing stickers to create Hank’s flyer was nigh on impossible. Through sheer determination, I managed to place a couple, but never the ones I wanted, nor in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Yet, Hank was impressed by my mediocre poster, even when I left the page blank. Yes, I was allowed to do nothing and still gain Hank’s approval, which only further proves that this mini-game needs work. If it doesn’t respond to your input, it’s a redundant mechanic.
It may sound nitpicky, but when you’ve got a game on the cusp of being a breakaway indie darling, these minor but niggling irritants need ironing out.
FAQs
The Wax Heads release date is scheduled for May 5, 2026.
You’ll be able to play Wax Heads on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5.
I played the Wax Heads demo on my Steam Deck without any major issues. The only problem I encountered was during the flyer mini-game, though I’m uncertain if that’s a Steam Deck exclusive bug.
The Wax Heads demo consists of the first three in-game days, which roughly translates into an hour and a half of gameplay.
About The Author
