Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 74 | 23 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 94% | 88 | 900 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 95% | 89 | 29 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 83 reviews sampled · 58 total reviews in window · weighted 42 up / 2.4 down · computed 7h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (29)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“The Big Con is a coming-of-age story set in the '90s. Its strength is in the storytelling, the relatable characters, and the homage to that moment in time. The puzzles provide some challenge, and while the pickpocketing mechanic is a bit overdone, it's something you can turn off. For those who didn't grow up during the '90s, you might not connect with some of the story, but you'll still get enjoyment nonetheless. However, for people like me, who are old enough to remember growing up during this time, I think there's a lot you can connect with in this game.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Where the gameplay may be lacking, The Big Con makes up for with emotional stakes. I found Ali’s relationships to be engaging, funny, and heartfelt. She can call her mom and her best friend, who she’s currently on the outs with, from the road. She makes friends with recurring guests along the road, including a particularly funny Pawn Shop Broker (the game’s way of letting you sell random items for extra cash). She even has a delightful imaginary friend called Rad Ghost who serves as a helper, emotionally, and logistically with controls, throughout the game. Amid the nostalgia and time travel, there is a very tangible reflection on the transience of commercial fads as well as a love and concern for small businesses. Ali is a good kid, and getting to follow her journey, living vicariously through her as the cool ‘90s teen I never was, was worth even the most lackluster of pickpocketing opportunities.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Maybe it’s the 80s kid and 90s twenty-something in me, but I’ll admit that when a game features a slice of life from my own heyday, made clear by your character working in their mom’s video rental store, it can quickly get my attention...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The Big Con presents a fun, addictive gameplay loop to embrace - despite never truly sitting right with us narratively. Its world is a delight to explore, the characters are fun and the 90s vibes wrap around you like a warm winter's blanket. It's a shame its morals are never presented in a truly challenging way, but if you can look past its messy narrative, you'll find a fun, charming indie adventure that's hard to put down.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“undefined.The Big Con is a stylish adventure game that feels more playful than mystifying, nailing a good balance that opens up to a wider audience than most of its kind. The '90s Nick feel definitely makes it more appealing to those of a certain age, but the goofy period piece design of the world is unspecific enough to not feel impenetrable if you don't know your Skeeters from your Stimpys. The charm far outweighs the thievery for Ali as she tries to save her mom's video store by robbing the world blind.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A criminal scheme becomes a big hearted journey into the recent(ish) past.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The Big Con is a unique take on video game nostalgia that takes players to the '90s, but not the video game '90s.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“It is not easy to make a game about coning and robbing people on this personal of a level and not make the gamers feel bad about what they are doing but the developers behind The Big Con use the art style, comedic bits and the 1990s nostalgia in a way that this idea works in such a nice way that you will have a blast playing it, specially if you are a 90's kid.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Mighty Yell shows its creative flair through The Big Con's art style and soundtrack, which makes me look forward to future titles from the studio and hope that Skybound continues its mission to reinvent adventure games.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“For an experience meant to mimic a night spent in front of a rented VHS tape and a bowl of microwaveable popcorn, that’s about all you can ask for.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“It’s entertaining while it lasts, and developer Mighty Yell has absolutely nailed the 90s cartoon aesthetic. But The Big Con is devoid of much real substance. Had there been more narrative, better character development and more engaging missions, this could have been something special. As it is, it feels like an underdeveloped concept that falls short of its promises.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Overall The Big Con is a charming little slice of nineties nostalgia. It's propelled by its strong writing and world-building, a deep understanding of the era it is referencing, and some fantastic characters, and it's certainly a road trip players will enjoy taking. Although its gameplay is limited and there are some technical issues, it's an earnest and compelling journey.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
The Punished Backlog
Nindie Spotlight
Pure Xbox
NintendoWorldReport
Eurogamer
GameSpot
Bazimag
Explosion Network
JumpCut PLAY
GameSpew
Screen Rant…and 17 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- ANNOUNCEMENT! v1.4.11: THE RAD ACHIEVEMENT UPDATE IS LIVE ON STEAMAug 10, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Mighty News for The Big Con: Patch v1.2.0Feb 16, 2022
- PATCH v1.1.17 IS LIVE!Nov 15, 2021
- Patch 1.0.45 is Now Live!Sep 16, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.0.25 is now live on Steam!Sep 8, 2021