198X Reviews

198X is ranked in the 48th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
5 / 10
Jan 29, 2020

198X is a true love letter to the old arcade genre : through a retro trip of five different mini games, Hi-Bit's celebration only manages to copy and paste tiny bits of classic ones. Thanks to a clich' narration, 198X does nothing but tell how good the past used to be, and how much the present suck. If you still possess the original, there is not much need to play this wanabee experience.

Review in French | Read full review

GameMAG
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jul 4, 2019

198X is one of the brightest and deepest dedications of the history of arcade games. If you want to know how modern blockbusters started, you will not find the best chance in an interactive form.

Review in Russian | Read full review

70 / 100
Jul 24, 2019

Sitting at a playtime of somewhere between one and two hours, 198X gives players a glimpse of the retro-inspired world that the developers have crafted, leaving players wanting more of what they got.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2019

A fascinating if overly lean meditation on the video game scene of old, 198X is a compressed, weaponised dose of nostalgia that deserves to be experienced by anyone whom professes a love for this greatest of hobbies.

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85 / 100
Apr 14, 2020

198X does a fantastic job of breathing some life into genres of old, paying homage in a respectable, loving way while achieving an identity all of its own. For me there was no weak link in the gameplay and the storytelling moments kept me engaged and looking forward to the next bit of exposition. Hi-Bit Studios' 198X is a short experience but one I'm glad I've had. Here's hoping for future instalments to build upon this solid foundation.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 30, 2019

198X is an incredible nostalgia trip for those who grew up playing arcade games and gives younger players the opportunity to experience those games in all their 80s glory.

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6.8 / 10.0
Jun 23, 2019

It is indeed a great history lesson on the golden age of the arcades, but a short one, with low replayability.

Review in Italian | Read full review

5 / 10
Jul 12, 2019

198X is a throwback mash-up of five very brief genre excursions with an overwrought story of growing up thrown on top.

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7 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2019

198X is exciting as a stroll down memory lane, but its simplicity and abbreviated story leave it short on substance

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Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
5 / 10
Jan 28, 2020

A mawkish attempt to glorify the 80s that features some gorgeous visuals and music but offers no real insight into the era's culture or games.

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