- Shooter, Racing, Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up
198X is not just a beat ’em up, a shoot ’em up, a racing game, a ninja game and an RPG. This is a love letter to the golden age of arcade games – yet with a scope that was never possible in the actual 1980s.
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Character
Nostalgic, grave, relentless and formally daring.
- contemporarynostalgic
- gravecomic
- contemplativerelentless
- classical in formformally daring
- warmbleak
Who loves it, who doesn't
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Reviews
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From the critics
A few lines from each review; the whole review is on the critic's site. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
God is a GeekMick DohertyJul 20199/10198X 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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NintendoWorldReportJordan RudekJan 20209/10Understanding 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.
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GamingTrendDevo DeavesApr 202085/100198X 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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GameSpotJames O'ConnorJul 20195/10198X 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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Metro GameCentralJan 20205/10A 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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Snippets via OpenCritic, where 53% of critics recommend it.
About the game
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Developer
- Hi-Bit Studios
- Publisher
- Hi-Bit Studios, 8-4
- Released
- June 20, 2019
- Modes
- Single player
- Perspective
- First person, Bird view / Isometric, Side view
- Engine
- Unity
- Time to beat
- 1 h rushed · 2 h main story · 5 h completionist
IGDB rating 6.3/10 from 34 ratings.
Screenshots
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