You can always rely on indies to tap into a novel premise and deliver a change of pace from the glut of samey AAAs. The Big Con, announced today by publisher Skybound Games and developer Mighty Yell, does just that and should have those of us born early enough nursing pangs of nostalgia for the ’90s. And, let’s face it, it’s been a while since the ’90s was ‘last decade,’ more than qualifying it for a rose-tinted throwback.
Described by Mighty Yell as a classic coming-of-age story framed as a teenage grifting adventure game, The Big Con sees players take on the role of 17-year-old con artist, Ali. With her mother’s video store (remember those?) at the mercy of some seedy loan sharks, she sets off on a cross-country road trip with local swindler Ted to pilfer, dupe, and con her way to a small fortune to pay them off. The game is open-ended and fleshed out with humorous dialogue, the odd puzzle, and plenty of ways for players to scheme their way to the required funds.
The Big Con Features
Mighty Yell’s pulled together a list of features to tempt those intrigued by what The Big Con‘s all about.
- A comical narrative adventure game with open-ended situations, puzzles, and exploration.
- Live the grift! Pickpocket, sneak, wear disguises, and con anyone you can.
- Talk your way into deals and out of trouble.
- Meet a weird cast of ’90s characters, then rip ’em off, or help them (if you feel like it).
- Call home and argue with your mom.
The Big Con trailer, which you can watch just above, is a bit of a treat. It oozes with 90s references from those once ubiquitous and nauseatingly optimistic voice-overs to an AOL Online-style intro – dial-up sound and all – and those squiggly-lined neon motifs that inexplicably appeared in every TV show and cartoon back then.
The Big Con, Mighty Yell’s debut game, will launch this Summer on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.
