Long before its release date arrives, Mr. Records is already making the case that it could carry one of the strongest soundtracks of 2026, and critics are taking notice. Developed by Glee-Cheese Studio for Steam, the auto-scrolling rhythm platformer fuses record-shop management with beat-synced level design in a way that makes its music central to how the game actually plays. With over 40 handcrafted levels promised and previews highlighting tracks across a wide range of genres, the indie title is emerging as a quiet contender for one of the year’s most original video game soundtracks.
The distinction critics are drawing is an important one: there is a stark difference between a soundtrack that merely plays beneath your gameplay and music that functions almost like another character, actively interacting with the world around it. Mr. Records firmly belongs to the latter category. The studio has built a small indie gem about running a record shop by day and blasting through its records by night in auto-scrolling platforming levels, and the whole thing lives or dies on the strength of its music.
A Game That Lives and Dies With Its Music
In Mr. Records, each song essentially becomes a new level, complete with obstacles to overcome and enemies to defeat all in time with the beat. Completing a level is what unlocks the ability to stock that record in your shop, tying progression directly to how well you perform against the track. Beat the harder version of a level without making any mistakes, and you unlock the deluxe edition of that record, which earns more money when it sells.
This creates a loop where half the game is about solving puzzles through the medium of selling records. Players take on the role of George, an older man who opens a record store in his twilight years because music has always been his one true love. As he explains in the game’s prologue, all it takes are the first few notes of a song before he is transported to “another world,” framing the entire premise around emotional connection to sound.
Image: Glee-Cheese Studio/Wired Productions via PolygonThe songs absolutely slap, and they’re made even better by the fact that each one is essentially a new level, with obstacles to overcome and enemies to defeat in time with the beat.
Gamer24h preview
Sitting Beside Wax Heads on Steam’s Record-Shop Shelf
The game occupies familiar territory alongside other record-shop management indies, most notably Wax Heads from Patattie Games. That title leans much heavier into storytelling and larger-than-life characters, whereas Mr. Records balances the concept with platforming challenges and a sharper focus on the quality of its music itself. It still embraces quirky personalities, but those encounters tend to be more fleeting.
In previews covering roughly the opening 30 minutes, customers who visit the store describe the records they want by their covers, and players must locate the right title from whatever is in stock. With only a handful of records available early on, matching customer requests remains straightforward, setting up an accessible learning curve before difficulty ramps up.
Image: Glee-Cheese Studio/Wired Productions via PolygonLooking Ahead
The full release will expand well beyond that short preview, with more than 40 handcrafted levels and a harder version of each offering substantial replayability. While the playable build did not include them, the Steam description also promises side activities involving a character named Buzz, along with “surreal mini-games” and “chase sequences.” Everything Mr. Records has to offer is amplified by how polished and groovy each in-game record sounds.
Whether it ultimately claims the title of 2026’s best gaming soundtrack remains to be seen once the game ships, but its early reception suggests a strong case already being made long before launch.
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