Button City

Button City is a pretty decent second outing from the team at Subliminal Games. The fascinating characters and hilarious dialogue make the story really endearing, and it’s all bolstered by the game’s art and music. The minigames are hit or miss, but it’s not enough to ruin an overall joyful experience.

Button City is a good game that most people will have a fun time playing through. For just $20, it's reasonably priced and does a good job of putting a smile on your face. However, there is a missed opportunity to further explore certain topics which holds back the narrative's huge potential to be something more.

I did not love the experience of playing this Subliminal title. The game is too focused on backtracking through the various areas to complete quests and side activities. Button City is, probably, a good game for younger players who might not have engaged with the genres it replicates in the arcade. Play it with a kid if you are a parent and tell them there are better versions of everything they see here out there to try and master. But the developers are good at creating a game world that draws evokes nostalgia. Their characters are fun and whimsical, although they do need more depth. Button City is a limited video game but, if the studio focuses on its strengths, it can surely create a world where the gameplay and the world are better synchronized.

Button City isn’t perfect. But it is a passionate indie project that really makes you feel something. That last part is especially rare the older I get. If you’re playing this for an extensive experience with amazing arcade games, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you enjoy games with heart and wonderful characters, you need to check this game out—a loving tribute to living through the ’90s.