Almost everyone has dreamed of turning their hobby into a career at some point. But few actually take the leap and make it a reality. Mr. Records is the story of someone who did just that: by day, a record store owner; by night, a rhythm gaming enthusiast.
Open for Business
As an indie game enthusiast, I always love getting a sneak peek at upcoming titles. So when Glee-Studio, the French four-person team behind Musical Story and Headbangers Rhythm Royale, offered us a preview of their new game, Mr. Records, I jumped at the chance.
Mr. Records blends multiple gameplay concepts. At its core, it’s a rhythm game, but it also incorporates business simulation and narrative elements. The question is: how do all these pieces fit together?
In Mr. Records, we follow George, an older man who finally decides to pursue his dream of opening his own record store. George has a unique ability: he can vividly visualize music, creating entire worlds in his mind that pair perfectly with the sounds of a song, something no one else can do as well as he can.
While listening to songs, you guide George through these mindscapes in a linear rhythm game. You’ll jump over obstacles, kick enemies, and slide across oil spills and sauce with the press of a button or the flick of a stick. Every time you take damage or bump into something, it deducts from your score. And scoring well is crucial because the records you curate by listening will be sold in your store. The better you perform on a track, the higher the price you can ask.
Between rhythm levels, you can open your record store. Customers will come in and ask for information about a record they’re looking for, either by describing the cover or asking about specific genres. Giving them the right record earns you coins, which you can use to buy new records, unlocking new rhythm levels. This creates a satisfying gameplay loop: play a track, expand your collection, and attract more customers.
The Sound of Music
Unlike many rhythm games, Mr. Records doesn’t use licensed music tracks. Licensing can be challenging for small studios, so it’s no surprise that an indie team like Glee-Studio opted for original music. But that doesn’t mean the quality suffers.
In the demo, I got to try out seven of the 45 songs that will be in the full game. Each track spans a different genre, drawing inspiration from real artists. There was The Power of Imagination, clearly inspired by The Beatles, the Britpop tune After All, and the psychedelic Teardrops. But my personal favorite was The Sausage Blues, a bluesy track I completed on my first try in both normal and hard modes. Yet, I kept replaying it over and over simply because I loved the song so much. It’s been five days since I played the hour-long demo, and I still catch myself humming, “Oh, it’s a sausage blues” at random moments, whether I’m at work, in the shower, or typing an article. I can’t wait to see what other head-bobbing earworms the full game will include if this is the level of quality we’re already seeing in the preview.
A Visual Feast
Another highlight is the game’s visual direction in the rhythm levels. The 2D cartoonish style beautifully transports you into the musical worlds George creates in his mind. Each level feels like a distinct reality, a fever dream conjured by a brain high on music. From grimy British streets to ketchup-and-mustard-stained prairies, the creativity is wonderfully absurd. Add to that the way the visuals interact with the music, and you can almost see the beat as if you were George himself.
Early conclusion
It’s still too early to say how the final product will turn out, but if the demo I played is any indication, Mr. Records is shaping up to be something special. The original songs, unique visual style, and engaging gameplay loop left me wanting more, I even replayed almost every song multiple times. Mr. Records is set for a 2027 release on PC, you can already wishlist the game on Steam to stay updated.