The Big Con

Last updated
The Big Con
The Big Con cover.jpg
Developer(s) Mighty Yell
Publisher(s) Skybound Games
Director(s) Dave Proctor
Producer(s) Yash Kulkarni
Designer(s) Jill Murray
Programmer(s) George Degenkamp
Josh Capelli
Artist(s) Saffron Aurora
Writer(s) Dave Proctor
Composer(s) Dan Rodrigues
Platform(s)
Release
  • Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • August 31, 2021
  • Switch
  • June 1, 2022
  • PS4, PS5
  • August 31, 2023
Genre(s) Adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

The Big Con is an adventure game developed by Mighty Yell and published by Skybound Games. It was released for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on August 31, 2021. A Nintendo Switch version was released on June 1, 2022. Versions for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were released on August 31, 2023. Set in the 1990s, the game follows Ali, a teenager who works at a video rental store owned by Linda, her mother. After learning that her mother owes $97,342.18 to loan sharks, she meets Ted, a con artist. They travel across the United States, earning money to save Linda's store. The Windows version of The Big Con received favorable reviews, while the Xbox Series X/S version received mixed reviews.

Contents

Gameplay

Ali pickpocketing a NPC. To successfully pickpocket the NPC, the pink needle has to be stopped in the purple zone. The Big Con pickpocket.png
Ali pickpocketing a NPC. To successfully pickpocket the NPC, the pink needle has to be stopped in the purple zone.

The Big Con is an adventure game where the player controls Ali, a teenager who has to raise money to save her mother's video rental store. [1] In each location, the player has to steal a certain amount of money. [2] Once the threshold is reached, they can continue to explore, or leave the area by talking to Ted. [2] Ali can earn money by pickpocketing non-player characters (NPCs). [2] Each NPC has an indicator that shows the amount of the cash that they hold. [2] To successfully pickpocket a character, the player will have to play a minigame where they must stop a needle in a target area. [2] If Ali fails to pickpocket a NPC, she will have to find another disguise before attempting to pickpocket them again. [2] If she fails three separate times, she will have to rewind VHS tapes at a video rental store. [2] Ali will earn back lost money after completing this task. [2] Ali can also earn money by collecting items and selling them to a pawnbroker. [2] Ali can additionally accept sidequests from NPCs. [2]

Development and release

The Big Con was developed by Toronto-based developer Mighty Yell. [3] The developers set the game in the 1990s to make the plot "easier to believe", and allow for a "bright and colorful" palette. [3] Saffron Aurora, the game's artist, used cartoons such as The Simpsons , Hey Arnold! , and Doug to form the game's art style. [3] Ali is voiced by Erika Ishii, and Rad Ghost is voiced by Dave Fennoy. [4]

The team won $50,000 at the 2018 Gaming Pitch Competition at EGLX. [5] The Big Con was featured at PAX West 2019 and at PAX East 2020. [5] [6] A teaser trailer was also released in 2020. [7] In March 2021, the game was shown off at the ID@Xbox showcase. [8] [9] In May, Skybound Games partnered with Mighty Yell to publish the game. [10] In June, Melissa Joan Hart presented the game in at Tribeca Festival. [11] The game's demo was available during the Steam Next Fest. [12]

The Big Con's theme song was performed by Rockapella, and the soundtrack was composed by Dan Rodrigues. [11] The game was announced for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on May 12. It was scheduled to release that summer. [13] [14] The game's August 31 release date was announced in July. [15] Mighty Yell held a contest to choose a voice actor for a non-player character in the game. The winner would receive a copy of the game and a T-shirt. [16] The Big Con's demo was playable at PAX East 2022. [17] A Nintendo Switch version titled The Big Con: Grift of the Year Edition was released on June 1, 2022. [18] [19] The Big Con: Grift of the Year Edition was also released for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. [20]

Reception

The Big Con received generally favorable reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [21] [22]

GameSpot 's Andrew King praised the "vibrant" art style and complemented the game's music. King felt that the pickpocketing minigame was "confusing" and thought that the story was "familiar". [23] Kyle LeClair from Hardcore Gamer felt that the game's con jobs provided "clever" puzzles and "fun" gameplay. [24] Miles Dompier from Windows Central called the game's story "touching" and "relatable", but felt that the gameplay loop became repetitive. Dompier recommended The Big Con for fans of adventure games. [28]

Eurogamer recommended The Big Con as an "endearing adventure". [1] Miri Teixeira from NME praised the "immersive" levels, but criticized the controls. [27] Nintendo World Report's Neal Ronaghan wrote that The Big Con was a "stylish" game with a "good balance". [25] Ozzie Meija from Shacknews called the game "intriguing" and described Ali as a "fun" character. He believed that the dialogue was "hit-and-miss" and felt that the pickpocketing mechanic became repetitive. [26]

Nominations

The Big Con received a honorable mention for the Excellence in Narrative award at the Independent Games Festival. [29] [30] At the Canadian Game Awards, the game was nominated for Best Indie Game and Best Score/Soundtrack. [31] The game received a nomination for Best Audio for an Indie Game at the 2022 Game Audio Network Guild Awards, and received a honorable mention at the A MAZE. Awards. [32] [33]

YearAwardCategoryResultRef
2022Canadian Game AwardsBest Indie GameNominated [31]
Best Score/SoundtrackNominated
Game Audio Network Guild Awards Best Audio for an Indie GameNominated [32]

Related Research Articles

<i>Super Meat Boy Forever</i> 2020 video game

Super Meat Boy Forever is an indie platform video game developed by Team Meat for Nintendo Switch, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, Android and Linux. Originally planned as a mobile-only version of Super Meat Boy, Super Meat Boy Forever was gradually developed into a full-fledged sequel featuring its new auto-runner control scheme and randomly generated levels.

<i>Owlboy</i> 2016 video game

Owlboy is a platform-adventure video game created by Norwegian independent developer D-Pad Studio. The game is notable for its long development cycle, which began in 2007, and was released in November 2016.

<i>Gang Beasts</i> 2017 multiplayer beat em up party game

Gang Beasts is a beat 'em up party game developed and published by English indie studio Boneloaf. The title would originally be published by Double Fine Presents until May 2020 and self-published afterwards, while it would later be published in physical form by Skybound Games. The game released for Windows, macOS, Linux, and PlayStation 4 on 12 December 2017, following an early access period for the PC platforms that began in August 2014. It was also released on the Xbox One on 27 March 2019. A version for Nintendo Switch was released on 12 October 2021.

<i>Headlander</i> 2016 video game

Headlander is a 2016 Metroidvania-style video game developed by Double Fine Productions and published by Adult Swim Games.

<i>Celeste</i> (video game) 2018 platform game

Celeste is a 2018 platform game developed and published by indie studio Maddy Makes Games. The player controls Madeline, a young woman with anxiety and depression who aims to climb Celeste Mountain. During her climb, she encounters several characters, including Part of You, a personification of her self-doubt who attempts to stop her from climbing the mountain.

<i>Just Shapes & Beats</i> 2018 video game

Just Shapes & Beats is an action rhythm video game developed and published by Canadian indie team Berzerk Studio. It was released on May 31, 2018, for Windows and Nintendo Switch, February 24, 2019, for macOS and Linux, May 10, 2019, for PlayStation 4 in the US, and May 30, 2019 for PlayStation 4 in Europe, Russia, and Australia. It was also released on June 30, 2020, for Stadia, and on May 31, 2022, for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. In this game, players move a colored shape to the beat of background music and dodge pink shapes.

<i>Overcooked 2</i> 2018 video game

Overcooked 2 is a cooperative cooking simulation video game developed by Team17 alongside Ghost Town Games, and published by Team17. The sequel to Overcooked!, it was released for Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on August 7, 2018. The game was released for Amazon Luna on October 20, 2020. Overcooked: All You Can Eat, a compilation game that includes both Overcooked and Overcooked 2, was released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 12, 2020. The compilation came to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on March 23, 2021, and on Google Stadia on May 5, 2022.

<i>Ghosts n Goblins Resurrection</i> 2021 platform game

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is a platform game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Switch. It is the 8th game in the Ghosts 'n Goblins series and was released on February 25, 2021 to celebrate the series' 35th anniversary. Ports for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One were released on June 1, 2021. The game received mixed reviews upon release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serenity Forge</span> American video game developer

Serenity Forge LLC is an American video game developer and publisher based in Boulder, Colorado. The studio was founded in 2014 by Zhenghua "Z" Yang.

<i>Road 96</i> 2021 video game

Road 96 is a 2021 adventure game developed and published by French studio DigixArt as part of HP's OMEN Presents, with additional publishing support by Plug In Digital. The game is set in mid-to-late 1996 within the fictional nation of Petria, an authoritarian country ruled by a dictatorship undergoing a potentially transformative election season. The player controls several teenagers as they attempt to flee the country through Petria's northern border via Road 96.

<i>Capcom Fighting Collection</i> 2022 video game

Capcom Fighting Collection is a fighting game compilation by Capcom in celebration of the Street Fighter series' 35th anniversary. The collection includes arcade versions of ten fighting games originally released by Capcom between 1994 and 2003, including all five Darkstalkers games. It was released on June 24, 2022 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. A follow-up focusing on the Marvel vs. Capcom series, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, is set for release in 2024, while a direct sequel, Capcom Fighting Collection 2, is set for release in 2025.

<i>Silt</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Silt is a surreal underwater puzzle-adventure indie horror game developed by Spiral Circus and published by Fireshine Games for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, in which the player controls a deep-sea diver who can possess the diverse marine life that enters their vicinity. It was released on June 1, 2022.

<i>Pupperazzi</i> 2022 video game

Pupperazzi is a photography game developed by Sundae Month and published by Kitfox Games. The game was released on January 20, 2022 for macOS, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A Nintendo Switch port was released on April 6, 2023. Players control a humanoid camera, earning followers by taking photos and sharing them on the in-game social media site, dogNET. Pupperazzi received mixed reviews upon release.

<i>Chicken Police: Paint It Red!</i> 2020 video game

Chicken Police: Paint it Red! is a point-and-click adventure game developed by The Wild Gentlemen. HandyGames released it in 2020 for multiple platforms. Players control a burnt-out cop who is investigating a crime in a city of anthropomorphic animals.

<i>Valfaris</i> 2019 video game

Valfaris is a 2D action platforming game developed by Steel Mantis and published by Big Sugar. The game was released for Windows and Nintendo Switch on October 10, 2019, and later for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November. Merge Games distributed the physical copies of the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch versions in November 2019. Amazon Luna version arrived in December 2020. The game's soundtrack was composed by former Celtic Frost guitarist Curt Victor Bryant.

<i>Kunai</i> (video game) 2020 action-platform video game

Kunai is an action-platform video game developed by TurtleBlaze and published by The Arcade Crew. The game was released on February 6, 2020 for Windows and Nintendo Switch. In the game, the player controls Tabby, a robot tasked with defeating Lemonkus, an AI that nearly causes the extinction of humanity. In July 2020, The Arcade Crew partnered with Limited Run Games to release physical copies of the Nintendo Switch version. The physical copies were released in October 2020. The PC version received generally favorable reviews, while the Nintendo Switch version received mixed reviews.

<i>Garden Story</i> 2021 video game

Garden Story is an action role-playing game developed by Picogram and published by Rose City Games. The game was released for macOS, Windows, and Nintendo Switch on August 11, 2021, and for Xbox One on July 12, 2022. Limited Run Games announced that physical copies would be distributed in Q3 2022.

<i>Thirsty Suitors</i> 2023 video game

Thirsty Suitors is an adventure video game developed by Outerloop Games and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game is about a young woman, Jala, who returns to her hometown for her sister's wedding and must navigate her relationships with her family and former paramours. The game was released on November 2, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Ports to Android and iOS published by Netflix is in development.

<i>Mighty Goose</i> 2021 video game

Mighty Goose is a run and gun video game developed by Blastmode and published by Playism. It was released for Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S. The game follows Mighty Goose, a bounty hunter travelling across the galaxy to defeat the Void King.

<i>KeyWe</i> 2021 video game

KeyWe is a 2021 puzzle-platform video game developed by Stonewheat & Sons and published by Sold Out. The game was released for Windows and Nintendo Switch on August 31, later releasing on September 28 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S ports were released on December 16. KeyWe follows Jeff and Debra, two kiwis working at the Bungalow Basin Telepost Office. KeyWe was prototyped during the 2018 Global Game Jam. Grant Gessel, the technical artist, took inspiration from Going Postal, a story by Terry Pratchett. Rare games such as Banjo-Kazooie and Conker's Bad Fur Day inspired KeyWe's art style. KeyWe received mixed reviews from critics.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Score based on 13 reviews.
  2. ↑ Score based on 9 reviews.
References
  1. 1 2 Hollis, Daniel (31 August 2021). "Review: The Big Con - A Charming Xbox Console Exclusive". Pure Xbox . Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 King, Andrew (14 September 2021). "The Big Con Review -- Oceans '97". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Livingston, Christopher (11 June 2021). "'The moment you have to steal an old lady's wallet, people think there's something wrong with you'". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  4. ↑ Borthwick, Ben (13 August 2021). "Comic adventure The Big Con heads to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC later this month". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  5. 1 2 Kobek, Patricio (17 August 2019). "The Big Con Looks To Make Thieves Of Us All". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  6. ↑ Moore, D. M. (3 March 2020). "10 of the most interesting indie games at PAX East 2020". The Verge . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  7. ↑ Allin, Jack (6 December 2020). "The Big Con currently in planning stage". Adventure Gamers . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  8. ↑ Bankhurst, Adam (10 August 2021). "ID@Xbox Indie Showcase: Every Game Announcement". IGN . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  9. ↑ Boddy, Zachary (26 March 2021). "Xbox March Event: Every announcement at the ID@Xbox games showcase". Windows Central . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  10. ↑ LeClair, Kyle (15 May 2021). "Skybound Games to Publish The Big Con, Coming This Summer - Hardcore Gamer". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  11. 1 2 Shankar, Bradly (1 July 2021). "Toronto-made The Big Con is a 90s con artist game highlighted by the Tribeca Film Festival". MobileSyrup. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  12. ↑ AG staff (16 June 2021). "Demo round-up for Steam Next Fest". Adventure Gamers . Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  13. ↑ Boddy, Zachary (12 May 2021). "Indie game The Big Con releases on Xbox Series X|S and PC later this summer". Windows Central . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  14. ↑ Romano, Sal (12 May 2021). "'Teenage grifting adventure game' The Big Con launches this summer for Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  15. ↑ Helm, Jordan (22 July 2021). "Mighty Yell's The Big Con Gets August Release - Hardcore Gamer". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  16. ↑ Romano, Sal (22 July 2021). "The Big Con launches August 31". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  17. ↑ Culafi, Alex (25 April 2022). "The 10 Coolest Games We Played at PAX East 2022 - Feature". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Reynolds, Ollie (26 May 2022). "Nintendo Download: 26th May (North America)". Nintendo Life . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  19. ↑ Bonthuys, Darryn (12 June 2022). "Biggest Games Releasing In June: Diablo Immortal, Mario Strikers Battle League, And More". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  20. ↑ Shaver, Morgan (15 June 2022). "Shacknews E6 2022: Everything shown during the Shacknews Indie Showcase". Shacknews . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  21. 1 2 "The Big Con for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  22. 1 2 "The Big Con for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  23. 1 2 Ahmed, Emad (31 August 2021). "The Big Con review - the fun adventure of a 90s hustler". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  24. 1 2 LeClair, Kyle (31 August 2021). "Review: The Big Con - Hardcore Gamer". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  25. 1 2 Ronaghan, Neal (27 May 2022). "The Big Con (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  26. 1 2 Mejia, Ozzie (31 August 2021). "The Big Con review: Pickpocket monster". Shacknews . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  27. 1 2 Teixeira, Miri (31 August 2021). "'The Big Con' review: a refreshing take on nostalgia and the art of the heist". NME . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  28. 1 2 Dompier, Miles (31 August 2021). "The Big Con review: A vibrant and touching blast from the past". Windows Central . Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  29. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (7 January 2022). "Unpacking and Inscryption lead 2022 IGF Awards nominations". GamesIndustry.biz . Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  30. ↑ Wallace, Chris (11 January 2022). "Inscryption and Unpacking earn multiple nominations for the 2022 IGF Awards". MCV/Develop . Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  31. 1 2 Vegvari, Steve (9 April 2022). "Introducing the Winners of the 2022 Canadian Game Awards". Canadian Game Awards. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  32. 1 2 "20th Annual G.A.N.G. Award Winners". Game Audio Network Guild . 26 May 2022. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  33. ↑ "A MAZE. Awards 2022. Nominees, Honorable Mentions and Jury Announcement | A MAZE. / Berlin 2022 - 11th International Games and Playful Media Festival". 2022.amaze-berlin.de. 3 April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.