Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
- December 5, 2017
- Kai Mafia
- 9h median play time
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Reviews
- gameplay949 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Getting Over It" is characterized by its intentionally frustrating mechanics, which challenge players to master a simple yet difficult control scheme involving a hammer. While many players find the experience maddening, it ultimately fosters a sense of patience and satisfaction as they learn to navigate the game's obstacles. The combination of clunky controls and philosophical narration creates a unique, if polarizing, gaming experience that emphasizes perseverance and self-reflection.
“Though incredibly frustrating, it ultimately helps you embrace patience and maintain composure, making it a surprisingly meditative experience despite its rage-inducing gameplay.”
“A tough but gratifying game that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys difficult platformers with unique movement mechanics.”
“Once you learn how the mechanics work, it can feel rewarding once you pass a difficult part of the game.”
“Let's make a really dogshit game and then say it's 'part of the mechanics' because you're a lazy developer. This is the most luck-based game ever designed; it doesn't matter about your skills, it matters on whether or not the game decides to screw you over.”
“The gameplay is trash; the mechanics don't work as intended, and slopes slide for no reason. It feels like RNG, not worth $2.”
“The gameplay is frustrating and fickle while the obstacles are daunting, impossible-seeming at times, and punishing, as you can fall to the bottom and have to restart at any point in time.”
- music504 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in "Getting Over It" is a polarizing aspect, with many players finding it both calming and infuriating. The game features a mix of soothing classical and jazz tracks, alongside old-timey songs that play during failures, which can either provide a humorous contrast to the frustration or become grating over time. While some appreciate the philosophical quotes and the unique atmosphere created by the music and narration, others suggest muting the game and playing their own background music to enhance the experience.
“The music is good, it looks great, and I like the things he's saying.”
“The music, the quotes, Foddy's voice, and the unique environment created an overall experience which I would recommend to anyone.”
“The combination of relaxing jazz music and encouraging commentary makes overcoming each obstacle feel satisfying and the failures a part of your journey.”
“I wanna rip my hair out at the thought of it, it makes my ears bleed when it plays sad pitiful music at me when I fail.”
“The soundtrack and sound effects are underwhelming and do nothing to enhance the gameplay experience.”
“Every time you fall, the game plays music that you don't want to hear.”
- humor439 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy" is a blend of absurdity and existential reflection, with the game's narrator providing witty commentary that often feels both mocking and motivational. Players find themselves laughing at their own repeated failures and the ridiculousness of the game's premise—a man in a pot trying to climb a mountain with a hammer—while also experiencing moments of frustration that can lead to cathartic laughter. Overall, the game cleverly uses its challenging mechanics and humorous narrative to create a unique experience that resonates with those who can appreciate its darkly comedic take on perseverance and failure.
“This game is a beautiful paradox of frustration and fun that will have you questioning your life choices while laughing at the absurdity of it all.”
“The mountain itself is an assemblage of random objects—a trash heap of odds and ends that symbolizes both the futility and humor in overcoming seemingly arbitrary obstacles.”
“The voiceover is nice and often quite funny.”
“This game is not funny.”
“Not funny didn't laugh.”
“8$ isn't worth an unfunny joke.”
- emotional340 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy" is described as a profound and tumultuous journey, eliciting a wide range of feelings from frustration and anger to joy and catharsis. Many players report experiencing intense emotional reactions, including tears and a sense of accomplishment upon overcoming challenges, while others express feelings of despair and emotional damage due to the game's punishing mechanics. Overall, it is characterized as an emotional rollercoaster that can be both rewarding and deeply taxing, appealing to those willing to confront their emotional limits.
“This game truly made me feel like I was going down a road feeling bad.”
“This game made me feel emotions no game has ever made me feel; I have felt sadness, grief, happiness, and pure joy.”
“The ending, once reaching it, made me feel something I haven't really felt in the same magnitude for years: joy of beating a game.”
- story327 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as minimal or non-existent, with many players noting that it lacks a traditional narrative structure. However, some reviewers appreciate the philosophical undertones and the personal journey it represents, suggesting that the real story is crafted through the player's experience of struggle and perseverance. The narrator's commentary adds a layer of depth, making the gameplay feel like a reflection on failure and resilience, even if the overarching plot is sparse.
“For me, this game masterfully combined a somewhat philosophical storytelling like 'Dear Esther' with the despair of 'Jump King'.”
“There's a story hidden within the game which you wouldn't expect from this type of rage game, and Bennett Foddy is a great storyteller too.”
“An emotional rollercoaster that isn't driven by any written story, but is driven by the story being written as you climb the mountain.”
“The older this game gets, the worse it becomes, and the less impactful its 'story' is.”
“There is no character development, no engaging storyline, and no overarching goal to strive for.”
“The story is bad, the graphics are mediocre at best, the game physics are illogical and confusing, and it is the single most difficult and frustrating game I have ever played.”
- graphics297 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as minimalistic and surreal, effectively conveying a sense of isolation and challenge. While some players appreciate the unique art style and atmospheric visuals, others criticize the performance issues and simplistic design, suggesting that the graphics may not be the main draw of the game. Overall, opinions vary widely, with ratings ranging from mediocre to impressive, depending on individual experiences and system capabilities.
“The sparse graphics and soundscape emphasize the isolation and singular focus of the player’s journey, underscoring the loneliness and personal triumph in moments of success.”
“The visuals are minimalistic yet effective, with a mix of realistic and surreal elements that create an unsettling atmosphere.”
“The graphics are great as well as the music, which gives a calm atmosphere for when the narrator speaks.”
“The art style is also lackluster, with bland and uninspired graphics that fail to capture the player's imagination.”
“The graphics are ugly, the controls are awful, and the developers' pretentiousness spills over like toxic green sludge.”
“The graphics, while bland, are charming enough (though I wish the dev did more with the main character's appearance, like give him a huge beard or something).”
- grinding115 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 68 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that grinding in this game is a significant and often tedious aspect, requiring substantial time investment and patience. While some players find enjoyment and satisfaction in overcoming the challenges, many describe the experience as frustrating and excessively repetitive, suggesting that it may not appeal to those who dislike grind-heavy gameplay. Overall, the game is characterized by its demanding nature, with players often needing to dedicate extensive hours to achieve their goals.
“It's really fun and frustrating, but enjoyable to sit down and play when I'm not grinding in BF1.”
“The controls are super simple, and the gameplay is fun and not tedious or challenging at all.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“This game is designed to be unbearably tedious, with intentionally poor controls; the entire selling point is that there is no reward for your efforts, no gain to be had.”
“The charm of the whole ordeal vanished amongst the tedious repetition.”
“It's one of the hardest games I've ever played or seen, and definitely the most tedious.”
- replayability64 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players finding it highly engaging due to its challenging nature and the desire to improve personal performance, while others feel it lacks variety and becomes repetitive after multiple playthroughs. Many appreciate the potential for speedrunning and the community aspect, which can enhance the experience, but overall, opinions vary widely on its long-term replay value.
“The replayability comes not from the variety of content but from the sheer difficulty and the drive to overcome the mountain's challenges.”
“On top of that, the game has potentially endless hours of replay value, and a great community to boot.”
“The difference between this and typical hell-platformers is how infinitely replayable it is: every obstacle can be cleared in an endless number of different ways.”
“The replay value of this game isn't very high for me.”
“Despite it having virtually no replay value as you go through the same path over and over again, when you remember how difficult the game used to be the first time around compared to your tenth time, it makes you want to be better than your previous self.”
“Buy it when it's on special (if it's ever on special) because you probably won't play it long, and there's not much replay value if you do beat it.”
- stability49 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of severe glitches, inconsistent physics, and unresponsive controls that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over losing progress due to these bugs, while some argue that the issues are part of the intended design, leading to a mixed reception regarding the game's mechanics. Overall, the consensus is that the game suffers from a lack of polish and stability, making it difficult to enjoy.
“A very smooth game, no glitches.”
“Runs great on Linux.”
“Its broken and has too many bugs and you lose all of your progress because of bugs and glitches that the developer did not even bother to fix.”
“Worst game I ever played. It's so buggy my hammer keeps going inside my body and the lamps won't collide with my hammer. I find it impossible to play.”
“The game is a buggy mess and now I have to start all over again.”
- atmosphere41 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its introspective and calming qualities, enhanced by minimalist visuals and a thoughtful soundtrack. Players appreciate the blend of soothing narration and challenging gameplay, which creates a unique environment that encourages reflection and emotional engagement. Despite its difficulty, the game’s atmosphere is described as both rewarding and therapeutic, making it a compelling experience for those seeking a meditative escape.
“I've found that the minimalist design and atmospheric soundtrack contribute to the game's contemplative atmosphere, allowing you to reflect on your own journey as you ascend the mountain.”
“The atmosphere, the music, and Bennett's words and voice are calm, and for me - despite the 2 or 3 places I got stuck for several hours - it was really therapeutic, something that I never felt in a game before in this way.”
“The visuals are minimalistic yet effective, with a mix of realistic and surreal elements that create an unsettling atmosphere.”
“There's something about the atmosphere of the game that is pretty unsettling knowing you can fall all the way down to the bottom.”
“It adds to the atmosphere of the game being extremely unforgiving.”
- optimization31 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frame drops and unresponsive controls that hinder gameplay. While a few users noted decent optimization in certain aspects, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, making it nearly unplayable for many, despite its potential for fun and engaging mechanics. Overall, the game's performance problems significantly detract from the experience, leading to frustration among players.
“Excellent optimization, idea.”
“The optimization is pretty good, not gonna lie.”
“In terms of graphics, this game succeeds at providing optimized, clean, and interesting visuals.”
“This game is so poorly optimized that it's nearly unplayable.”
“There's a known issue with this game where performance lags to the point it becomes unplayable due to it not properly being able to interpret the screen resolution.”
“The difference between this game and other hard games is that in other hard games, they are hard because the task is difficult to complete, whereas this one falls short because it is hard to complete the task not because it requires skill but because the game is so horribly broken and unoptimized.”
- character development7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is polarizing; while some players praise it as the best they've experienced, others criticize the lack of depth and engaging storylines, feeling that it fails to provide meaningful growth or overarching goals for the characters.
“Mountains in stories are arduous ordeals and catalysts for character development, a confrontation with the self framed as the mountain itself.”
“10/10 great character development”
“It has the best story and character development out of any game I have ever played.”
“There is no character development, no engaging storyline, and no overarching goal to strive for.”
“Needs more character development too”
“The character design, the world, its textures, and the overall design of the game is somehow uncanny in an odd sort of way for me.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is characterized by a lack of in-app purchases, which some players appreciate, but they express frustration over the necessity of spending money on repairs due to bugs and awkward mechanics. While the game promotes itself as challenging, critics argue that this is a cover for its shortcomings, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall value.
“10/10 can provide a feeling of accomplishment, even without microtransactions.”
“This is a fun game for the first 15 minutes, and even though there are no in-app purchases, you're going to be spending money on repairs...”
“Of course, the biggest issue is that the game seems to free itself from any and all criticism by advertising 'it's difficult!'”
“Considering I barely played the game and immediately ran into a game-ending bug, I'm of the opinion that the whole advertising theme of 'meant to be frustrating' is just a way to sell a bare-bones game with bugs and awkward mechanics as the selling point.”
