Indie · June 20, 2019
198X (2019)
Welcome to Suburbia, just outside the City, sometime in 198X. This is the journey of Kid, a teenager stuck between the limitations of innocent youth and the obligations of inevitable adulthood. The story unfolds when Kid discovers the local arcade – finding new worlds, and new meaning, in video games. For every visit to the arcade – every game uncovered, every move mastered, every demon defeated – Kid grows stronger. And the lines between game and reality starts to blur… This is 198X – where a new life is just 1 credit away. Estimated play time: 2 hours
Indie releases from 2019
38 Indie titles launched in 2019 — top 6 by review volume.
Peer Indie titles
Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.
Position in Indie
| Metric | This title | Genre position |
|---|---|---|
| Review volume | 2.1k Steam reviews | Top 94% in Indie |
| Positive rating | 76% positive | Genre average: 87% — this title sits in top 90% |
| Metacritic | 63/100 | Genre average 77 — top 94% of Indie titles |
| Engagement hours | 1 h average | Top 97% for session depth among Indie |
Community Tag Signals
Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.
- Indie · 48
- Retro · 29
- Pixel Graphics · 23
- 1980s · 23
- Arcade · 20
- Beat 'em up · 17
- Great Soundtrack · 16
- Short · 13
- 2D · 10
- Singleplayer · 7
- Action · 6
- Shoot 'Em Up · 6
Reception Metrics
Steam community
76%Mostly Positive · 2.1k reviews
1.6k positive · 497 negative
Metacritic
63/100 critic aggregate
Metacritic user score
5.9/10
Curator recommendations
589
Press Quotes
“The faithful homages to classic titles are a treat.” Polygon “An escape that makes you feel something you haven’t quite felt before.” 9/10 – God is a Geek “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.” 8/10 – Critical Hit
Engagement Profile
All-time avg
1h
brief (under 5 hours)
Median
2h
Typical completion time
Achievements
14
Steam unlocks available
Release & Availability
| Release date | Jun 20, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Hi-Bit Studios |
| Base price | $6.49 -35% |
| DLC / Add-ons | 1 released |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Estimated owners | 100k–1M |
| External links | Official site · Metacritic page · [email protected] |
Localization Coverage
Interface / Subtitles (2)
- English volume_up
- Japanese volume_up
Full audio (2)
- English
- Japanese
Features & Capabilities
Input & Comfort
- Partial Controller Support
Other
- Single-player
- Family Sharing
Editions & Packages
Buy 198X