198X Reviews
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.
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.
198X on the Switch better resonate personally with an old school gamer because so many of us were first introduced to gaming by Nintendo.
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.
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.
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...
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
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.
A beautifully designed love letter to the heyday of video game arcades, 198X uses its passion for a bygone era to tell a touching story that is also a reminder of just how powerful video games really are.
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.
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.
198X is a title that oozes with love, care and personality and delivers an experience which many of us can relate to its story. But as I said, that's if we look at it as an experience. Because when we look at it as a game, we can see its flaws and lacks which make it hard for many people to justify purchasing and playing it. If you're after a short, unique and quite relatable experience about video games, you'll most likely going to like this game. But if you're only after gameplay or want a comprehensive story, you won't be pleased with 198X
Review in Persian | Read full review
For all of us 1980’s and 90’s kids out there, 198X is a coming of age story that could honestly tell the tale of any one of us. Set in Suburbia just outside the City, it’s the youthful journey of Kid as he discovers the local Arcade and realizes that, through the power of video games, he can escape reality.. be anyone or anything.. and not worry about the obligations of adulthood that are knocking on his door. The latest Kickstarter success story to officially release, I want to give a fair warning now before we dive any further into the review. 198X is episodic, and unfortunately we didn’t find this out until the game was prepping for release on Steam.
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 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 exciting as a stroll down memory lane, but its simplicity and abbreviated story leave it short on substance
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.
While by no means a bad game, 198X is a bit like ordering a pie and finding out it has no filling.
198X is a good mixture of clones of older games, and the fact that it focuses on a teenager's life and how identity crisis can affect that life really pays off in the end, as this whole concept makes it a unique experience. The developers though seem to lack experience to put the final touches in the right place, and that's the only reason 198X is not as good as other top indie titles of 2019.
Review in Persian | Read full review
198X delivered exactly what the trailer promised – great looking and sounding nostalgia fueled reminiscence of the 80s video games. However, if you've been burned by episodic game series in the past, tread carefully.
Review in Slovak | Read full review