Salvation Found in Neon Lights, Glass Screens, and Impossible Worlds

Games matter, so much so that they can be the thing that keeps us grounded in reality, even though there are many that argue that games disconnect players from reality. Recently, I stumbled on a post pointing out that 198X existed, where the poster was curious if anyone in the group had played it. I quickly found myself watching the trailer and mere moments later I was buying the game on Steam. I had expectations but I was not aware how deep 198X could be with a fairly simple premise and how much it resonated with my own past.

Anyone who has listened to our Personal Histories and Why We Love Games episode of the Forever Classic Podcast will likely know exactly why I think 198X is so interesting. In short, I grew up in a tumultuous household. We moved around a lot. Family members seemed to always be angry at each other for one reason or another. In the middle was me, a snot-nosed brat that enjoyed being in his own world. Games became my passion since the first day I picked up an NES controller and played until my eyes burned. Gaming as a child was wondrous and it helped me connect with other kids my age and even some adults.

In my teen years, my family mellowed out and I came to understand why it was always so chaotic. It was in those trials that most of us really grew closer than we probably would have otherwise. Keeping me fascinated with stories, art, and music though was games which eventually led me to the pursuit of a career involving them.