While I’ll admit that cozy games with more of a chill narrative focus don’t tend to be my thing, I do appreciate their presence in the eShop. When I’m looking for something to help bring the temperature down, it can be very soothing escaping into games full of quirky characters who can always surprise you with some strange comments or obsessions over odd things. As has been proven with other titles where a work simulation is used as a base for these interactions, whether working as a barista, bartender, or even managing a small shop of some kind, pairing a simple activity with these character-driven experiences is a good move, and Wax Heads is yet another title that bears this out.

As the new kid working in a hip downtown record shop you’ll need to initially learn the ropes and ingratiate yourself with your co-workers and the clientele. With the customers this may seem to be pretty easy on the surface, but you’ll quickly find that helping people not necessarily get what they’re asking for, but instead what they may need, can be tricky. Each customer will come in with a small laundry list of things they’re looking for in their next audio adventure, and you’ll need to then go through the store looking through the inventory to find what seems to be an appropriate match. The better you do, the happier the customer, you’ll just need to try not to disappoint them by going in the wrong direction. As for co-workers, for the most part your interactions will involve simply listening to them and taking in some drama, but there will also be some fun periodic activities where you’ll often have an opportunity to share your creative flair, hopefully putting together something epic in the process.

In general, all of this works reasonably well, is thoroughly pleasant, and can feel rewarding at times. One problem I have though, is that when you’re seeking out records to recommend it doesn’t take too long for the store to start feeling very small overall. I appreciate the desire to create custom art, liner notes, and then pull some bands into the store narrative, which is cool in its own right, but for me this really lets the gameplay part of the experience down a bit. I was fine when I couldn’t quite crack what a given patron was looking for, but even when I’d get it right it felt like my choices were limited to the point where there was a missed opportunity for a deeper and more fulfilling challenge on the work sim side. If, however, you’re here for the bands, the stories, and the underlying scene drama, it should be satisfying.