Those of us that experienced the 90’s, either as a kid or young adult, can sometimes aggressively cling to the past. Simultaneously agreeing it was terrible and the best time to be alive, backwards caps and scrunchies were unironically fashionable, and baggy ripped Jeans were a staple. Thanks to Mighty Yell studios, we can step back in time to the ’90s and help Ali in “The Big Con,” in hopes of saving your Mother’s video rental store! This single-player adventure is packed full of throwbacks that adults will love while presenting an equally charming experience for a younger generation.

On a bright and sunny day in Lisbon County, our protagonist Ali, or as she unabashedly refers to herself as Ali-C, is dragging her feet to her part-time job. Being a small town, everyone knows each other so a couple of quick stop-and-greets to local shop owners gently remind you that yes, you should be at work.

It was a couple of simple interactions and it gave me a little cozy hometown vibe. Ali’s quick wit was also on display early on as a loveable little rebel. After dragging her feet back to “Linda’s Video Store” I felt a burst of happiness. I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw a video store in real life. Turns out this isn’t just your job but your home, as Linda is your Mother and boss.

I probably wasn’t the only one, but I used to help out my mother with her own business and we would frequently try and turn it into a game to make the day go by. Linda and Ali have done just that and it leads into a core element to the gameplay, they make a bet to see who can get as many customers out the door with the right movie suggestions. Having to hide behind shelves to eavesdrop on their conversations and then use that information in a multiple-choice conversation is the backbone of The Big Con and became more and more in-depth as the game rolled on.

After the store was clear, a pair of shady loan Sharks give your Mother the shakedown while you eavesdrop, turns out there is a $97,000 debt to be paid in two weeks… It was rather quickly that the stakes went from a playful teenager getting ready for band camp and working a part-time job to watching your mother about to lose her house and store. In fact, the rest of the game seemed to kind of jump forward in leaps and bounds from this point on as you make the brash decision to side with a Grifter in town and resort to pickpocketing and hustling. From this point on you can pick-pocket anyone with a mini-game of timing which is unavoidable in certain cases as you need certain items to progress the story.

For a game that is based around hustling and pickpocketing, it is an extremely vibrant and charming experience. The environment and buildings all remind me of the blocks and shapes I made in Microsoft Paint when I would just fill everything with the bucket tool. The characters all look like they have been freshly drawn and cut out to be used as little 2D puppets in a 3D world. The green, red, orange, and yellow skin tones almost made me feel like I was watching a “Doug” spin-off. For the most part, everyone just goes about their day and little speech bubbles plaster their thoughts out for you to pick up on, but the conversations screen was a bit jarring as it’s a solid backdrop of squiggly lines and in your face bright colours.

I quite enjoyed the world-building as I progressed from small-town Lisbon, through Milton Mall and more expansive areas like Las Venganza. The tasks incrementally climbing from collecting $40 to leave your hometown on a bus, to planning a heist of a safe with more money than you have ever seen, each area gives you three chances before you get caught by the law. This could range from getting caught trying to pull a wallet or calling a used car salesman Dan the man, which will immediately shut down his questline.

Don’t do that. He really didn’t like me calling him that. You do slowly start to deal with the gravity of dealing with a grifter through call-to-home segments, confounding your true feelings to your former best friend or a guilty conscious call to your Mother.

However, it still seemed strange you just went from a loveable little rebel to a full-blown criminal in a manner of speaking with almost no second thought.

While not pushing the boundaries of storytelling, Mighty Yell Studios have woven together a bit of nostalgia and some modern-day mechanics to appeal to a wide set of players. I could definitely see a family gathered around the couch watching their children frolic through the 90’s urban set pieces while their parents told stories about forgetting to return a rental and the dreaded fear of astronomical late fees.

Written by: Shane Fletcher