‘Wax Heads’ Review: Somehow The Vital Connection Is Made

InnovationGaming‘Wax Heads’ Review: Somehow The Vital Connection Is MadeByMatt Gardner,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. A British writer who specializes in indie gaming and LEGO.Follow AuthorMay 21, 2026, 10:34am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Roll up the shutters for one of the best indie games of 2026 so far.Patattie GamesIt’s one thing to enjoy an escape to a familiar world, but it’s another to feel genuinely gutted when it finally comes to an end. Wax Heads is cozy gaming in the purest sense, where you can connect with people, however flawed, over a shared love — a rare experience in 2026. It’s just a shame it has to finish.The idea is as simple as they come: you start a job at a record shop, and you have to give patrons the music they want, need, or don’t know they’re missing. All the while, you have to deal with historical drama from your boss, a bunch of colorful locals, a handful of side roles, and the fundamental threat of a retail apocalypse. Admittedly, I feel a bit sorry for its creator Patattie Games, helmed by duo Murray Somerwolff and Rothio Tome. They and the handful of collaborators who joined them for this debut went up against the spectacular Mixtape, this month’s other music-heavy game. However, once you take away the face value comparison, Mixtape and Wax Heads couldn’t be more different. Despite loving Mixtape (and being a superfan of its predecessor, The Artful Escape), I’d go one step further and say I prefer Wax Heads. It just hits differently.Mixtape is effectively a jukebox musical that relies on lightly gamified but no less bombastic metaphorical set pieces that constantly evolve and surprise. Wax Heads offers a deep, rich, and fundamentally laid-back world with an immaculately scored, equally brilliant original soundtrack that serves as the cornerstone to its stories, interactions, and fandom....