The Big Con is a neon-soaked, radically colorful trip down memory lane that perfectly captures the loud, cartoonish aesthetic of the mid-1990s. You play as Ali, a sarcastic teenager who skips band camp to embark on a cross-country fraud road trip to save her mom’s video store from loan sharks. It is a narrative adventure game that trades traditional combat for pickpocketing, grifting, and the art of the hustle.
The gameplay consists of exploring vibrant locations, talking to eccentric NPCs, and figuring out how to separate them from their hard-earned cash. Whether you are pickpocketing a businessman, smooth-talking a naive tourist, or donning a ridiculous disguise to sneak into a VIP area, the puzzles are loose and open-ended. It encourages creativity, letting you choose how ruthless or benevolent a con artist you want to be.
The art style is an absolute triumph, looking exactly like a lost Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network show from 1996, complete with plaid patterns and abstract shapes. The dialogue is snappy, witty, and packed to the brim with 90s pop culture references that will make millennial players grin from ear to ear. Beneath all the stealing and scheming, there is a surprisingly sweet coming-of-age story anchored by Ali’s charming personality.
Some players might find the actual mechanics of the cons a bit too simplistic, as most challenges boil down to basic fetch quests or quick-time-event pickpocketing. However, what it lacks in mechanical complexity, it more than makes up for in style, humor, and pure nostalgic joy. It is a delightful, low-stress caper that feels like a warm, neon-colored hug from the past.
English