198X Reviews
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.
The game does leave you wanting more but ultimately promises more of Kid and their soul-searching adventure through video games in the future. If you’re looking for a quick jog down memory lane filled with nostalgia and a strong emotional core, then 198X will not disappoint.
198X is a love letter to classic arcade, amusement arcades and confused adolescence in its transition to adult life. Hi-Bit Studios uses the nostalgia for we can feel identified with Kid, a teenager who discovers arcade games, which help him somehow face the real-life step. We expect 5 levels based on 5 different classic genres with impeccable audiovisual quality. The only issue is how short the game it is, arround one hour, because it leaves us wanting more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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
While 198X isn’t going to blow you away with its story, it will make you nostalgic for the arcades of old. The pixelated art style, the impressive soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro that sounds like it was ripped from an episode of Stranger Things, and the incredibly short play time of right around 2 hours was a package that feels deserving of its $9.99 price tag, and even more so if it includes the yet to be dated Part 2. My biggest gripe is that you can’t select to play the 5 games individually from the main menu after rolling the credits.
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.
While by no means a bad game, 198X is a bit like ordering a pie and finding out it has no filling.
198X on the Switch better resonate personally with an old school gamer because so many of us were first introduced to gaming by Nintendo.
Short as it was, I enjoyed 198X immensely. It does exactly what it sets out to do — provide a nostalgic '80s story with retro-inspired minigames — with an incredible level of polish. With the retro style, the remembered nostalgia, and the actual memories, it was a bittersweet experience from beginning to end. I'll be keeping an eye out for part two, as I want to experience the rest of Kid's story. After all, it reminded me so much of my own story, and those of so many other geeks of a certain age.
As a child of the 70s and 80s who spent an enormous amount of time in the arcades there’s no doubt 198X was made for me...
Understanding the experimental and purposeful design of 198X goes a long way toward appreciating it. Rather than a fun, traditional game experience, it's best viewed as a bold and thought-provoking work that reminds us of a time before wireless controllers and console wars. Back when all you really needed was a quarter and some courage.
A passionate love letter to a bygone age, 198X celebrates 2D, arcade-based gaming brilliantly and wraps it up in some of the best hand-drawn art we've seen in years.
198X feels like it was made specifically for me and my nostalgia. Despite it being very short, I love everything 198X is trying to do and I think it succeeds with excellent results. I can't wait to see what kind of games they will bring in part two.
198X is a grounded tale of growing up lost and finding salvation in an unlikely place. Arcade games are the anchor for this character and for many players out there this story rings true.
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.
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.
Although it's fantastic to be able to experience 5 completely different gameplay styles, 198X's campaign is over within an hour or so and all you can do after that is replay its brief chapters again and again.
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.
198X is a throwback mash-up of five very brief genre excursions with an overwrought story of growing up thrown on top.
198X is a heartfelt tribute to arcade games, a door with a neon sign that leads into a bright and pleasantly noisy game room. It is not only this, because the indie title also tells a story, a drama that, in some ways, has a lot in common with many gamers, not only those who have lived through the era of arcades, but also the younger ones.
Review in Italian | Read full review