Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

Starting at $9.68Buy now

In "Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure," players control Trane, a talented graffiti artist seeking to expose a corrupt mayor while becoming an "All City King." Gameplay involves mastering a unique fighting style, creating graffiti tags in high-pressure situations, and using stealth to evade authorities and rivals. The game also features intuitive navigation and a guidance system to help players find the best spots to tag.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 640 reviews

story53 positive mentions

stability33 negative mentions

The game captures the essence of graffiti culture and hip-hop, providing a unique and immersive experience.
The soundtrack is fantastic, featuring a mix of hip-hop and other genres that enhance the gameplay.
The story is engaging, following Trane's journey from a novice graffiti artist to a legend, with interesting characters and cameos from real graffiti legends.

The controls are clunky and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating, especially during combat and platforming sections.
The PC port suffers from numerous technical issues, including camera glitches, texture flickering, and a lack of proper controller support.
The gameplay can become repetitive, with some missions feeling tedious and the stealth mechanics poorly executed.

story
150 mentions
35 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story, centered around a young graffiti artist named Trane, explores themes of rebellion, political corruption, and the struggle for artistic expression in an oppressive environment. While some players find the narrative engaging and reflective of graffiti culture, others criticize it for being clichéd and poorly paced, with significant gameplay issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, many appreciate the unique concept and the way the story intertwines with the game's artistic elements, making it a nostalgic and enjoyable journey for fans of the genre.
- “But what first starts as a gang battling for respect, grows into a much larger story about conspiracy, mayor, elections, freedom of speech, and so on.”
- “Combine that it was made by real artists and legends (they drew much of the graffiti and some were even in the game) and add to that a great story fitting for the art form with a solid combat system, and you got yourself an experience you will never find anywhere else.”
- “The story is about a graffiti artist named 'Trane', and how he rose through the ranks of other graffiti artists, fighting against rival crews and uncovering deeper political issues.”
- “The story is pretty weak and I hated the contradiction that the SFC members are not murderers in the cutscenes, yet they make a big deal out of that and then you kill lots of people in the actual missions.”
- “The plot is silly, flat, clichéd, and falls apart in the end, but drives the action forward in an attempt to maintain a minimum amount of plausibility in relation to the source theme.”
- “This game just suffers hard from a handful of horribly designed missions, combined with awful combat sections that completely suck the little enjoyment you have right out of you.”
music
107 mentions
55 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, featuring a diverse and engaging soundtrack that includes hip-hop, funk, soul, and rock from notable artists like Mobb Deep, RJD2, and Nina Simone. Reviewers highlight how the soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere and complements its themes of urban culture and graffiti, making it a standout aspect that significantly contributes to the overall experience. Many consider it one of the best soundtracks in gaming, with its nostalgic appeal resonating strongly with players.
- “The soundtrack consists of hip-hop, funk, soul, rock, electronic, etc. The game includes artists such as RJD2, Mobb Deep, Fort Minor, Kasabian, Nina Simone, Roots Manuva, Jane's Addiction, Serj Tankian, and many more.”
- “The soundtrack is also on the next level; the music adds so much to the style and atmosphere that getting up is unimaginable without Mobb Deep, Big, RJD2's work, and many other classic tunes included.”
- “The different environments are incredibly immersive and perfectly complemented by the outstanding soundtrack that just fits so unbelievably well and really gets you pumped during the action sequences!”
- “Otherwise, almost as good as I remember it, for some reason the default settings when launching only plays the audio to the intro and the video pauses during the walking in the crowd scene at the beginning of it, and some of the tags while playing will flash on and off with the ground and other black areas flashing between what they should be and a bunch of scribbles that makes me feel like playing the music video for 'Take On Me'.”
- “The soundtrack is also on the next level; the music adds so much to the style and atmosphere that getting up is unimaginable without Mobb Deep, Big, RJD2 work, and many other classic tunes included.”
- “The entire soundtrack is exhilarating and it fits the game perfectly (RJD2, Nina Simone, and Mobb Deep show up and manage to suck you into the game despite how some tracks can be overplayed), and while I might've harped on about the story's ineffectiveness, I can still get myself to be enjoyably immersed into it, at least until near the end.”
gameplay
79 mentions
43 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of third-person action-adventure, graffiti tagging, and parkour elements, offering a unique experience despite its janky controls and outdated graphics. While some players find the mechanics repetitive and clunky, many appreciate the nostalgic charm and engaging atmosphere, with the graffiti aspect standing out as a highlight. Overall, the gameplay is functional and enjoyable, especially for fans of hip-hop culture, though it may require some patience due to its imperfections.
- “This game is memorable for its tagging gameplay and a little bit of parkour.”
- “The gameplay is pretty fun, and basically consists of 1/3 graffiti writing, 1/3 beat 'em up, and 1/3 stealth/parkour, offering enough variety to never get old.”
- “It’s one of the few games to revolve around graffiti, which combined with the stylized combat makes for such a unique gameplay experience!”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and slow.”
- “Glitches, wherein they become trapped on objects or walls, collectively mar the seamless gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is just really clunky; god forbid you're playing on a mouse and keyboard.”
graphics
65 mentions
17 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, often described as reminiscent of PS2-era visuals, with numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the experience. While some players appreciate the unique art style and charm, many express frustration over the lack of graphical options and persistent issues like flickering textures. Overall, the visuals may not meet modern standards, but they still hold a nostalgic appeal for fans of the original release.
- “The graphics and texture work are charming, contributing to a fun and unique experience.”
- “This product showcases exquisite art styles, accompanied by an enchanting soundtrack, all contributing to the creation of a truly immersive atmosphere.”
- “For a 2005 game, it has decent graphics that still hold up alright, with memorable level design, story, and aesthetics.”
- “It's unacceptable that the visuals have so many bugs.”
- “I exhausted all the options to fix the visuals to no avail.”
- “Unfortunately this is a basic console port, no graphical options, no mouse sensitivity adjustments, can't rebind keys, and the camera constantly spazzes out and clips through surfaces.”
stability
34 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, graphical glitches, and crashing issues that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some players find it enjoyable and nostalgic despite these problems, many express frustration over the frequent technical issues, particularly in the later missions and during critical gameplay moments. Overall, the port is seen as a buggy mess that hampers the enjoyment of an otherwise beloved classic.
- “There's plenty of troubleshooting guides on the internet, but nothing fixed the crashing issues for me.”
- “Worst of all, the last couple of missions are very buggy, as special moves do not register, and the objectives do not complete.”
- “Steam version is insanely terrible, constant freezes and crashes.”
atmosphere
21 mentions
62 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining exquisite art styles, a captivating soundtrack, and effective voice acting to create a unique experience that resonates with street culture and graffiti artistry. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to transport players into its world, making them feel connected to the hip-hop culture it represents, despite some criticisms of gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmospheric elements are considered the standout features that elevate the game, making it a memorable experience.
- “The voice actors, sounds, the music, the story, the missions, the atmosphere, everything perfect.”
- “This product showcases exquisite art styles, accompanied by an enchanting soundtrack, all contributing to the creation of a truly immersive atmosphere.”
- “The dark atmosphere along with its brilliant soundtrack just makes it so immersive and fun just to look at.”
- “Apart from a tragically unrefined atmosphere and narrative, the levels and objectives that are here don't add up to a wholly fun mix either, which becomes increasingly prevalent the further in you are.”
- “The game has a certain atmosphere to it with the subtle hip-hop beats mixed with the quiet sound of aerosol cans.”
- “As a player who has finished the game many times, I can say the in-game atmosphere helps you understand and feel the graffiti and hip-hop culture easily.”
humor
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of absurdity and dark comedy, as players navigate a storyline filled with outrageous scenarios, such as a street artist's rise to infamy while engaging in comically violent encounters. The game's graffiti elements and political satire add a layer of wit, making the experience both entertaining and engaging. Overall, players appreciate the humorous disconnect between the game's lighthearted art and the serious actions required in gameplay.
- “Without spoiling too much, you go from a no-name street artist with an obsession for writing his name everywhere and painting some absolutely hilarious bits of art, to an infamous legend in the art scene, with a flair for Banksy-esque pieces of political mockery, all while sticking your timbs up the asses of rival gang members, cops, and the like.”
- “This results in a hilarious disconnect between game and story because no matter what, you're gonna straight up murder someone at some point or another since these instant kill moves are pretty much required for later enemies.”
- “A fun beat 'em up with a bit of platforming, graffiti, and a good sense of humor, not to mention a fantastic soundtrack.”
grinding
7 mentions
14 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, often describing it as tedious and slow, especially when navigating complex environments. While some enjoy the challenge, many criticize the awkward control scheme, particularly on PC, which exacerbates the feeling of monotony and frustration during gameplay. Overall, the enjoyment of grinding seems heavily dependent on individual playstyle and the platform used.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The jumping across roof rafters, pipes, and scaffolding is incredibly tedious.”
- “It's just a bummer that it's such a slow, kind of tedious game by modern standards.”
- “Unfortunately, the PC port is garbage; it runs great but has such a messed up control scheme that it makes the game feel beyond tedious, and there's no option to remap.”
optimization
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received largely negative feedback, with users reporting significant issues such as stuttering, flashing textures, and poor camera controls. Many players express frustration over the game's performance on PC, suggesting it feels unrefined compared to its previous console iterations, and call for a remaster or sequel to fully realize its potential.
- “Runs smoothly on my i5 1st gen.”
- “Stuttering, flashing textures, slowdown while jumping--what was the point of releasing this on PC in such a state?”
- “The most annoying thing is the camera in this game; at some angles it can be buggy, and pieces on the wall start stuttering.”
- “The camera is horribly optimized and spazzes beyond belief.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Many users express a longing for games that evoke a strong sense of emotional connection, highlighting a desire to feel immersed in significant narratives and experiences within the game worlds.
- “I'm missing those days when games made me feel like a part of something big happening in their worlds.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me, making their struggles feel personal.”
- “I was moved to tears by the storyline; it reminded me of my own experiences and made me reflect on my life.”