Struggling
- August 27, 2020
- Chasing Rats Games
Struggling is a bizarre, hilarious and thoroughly entertaining adventure that makes the most of its relatively simple graphics and gameplay
Get on Steam"Struggling is a physics-based platformer that challenges you to control the arms of a grotesque creature in a bizarre, adults-only world. With local multi-player for up to 2 players, teamwork is essential to success as you swing, crawl, and clamber through levels filled with hazards and riddles. Featuring hilarious gameplay, pretty visuals, and excellent music, Struggling promises a unique co-op experience filled with laughter and frustration."
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and hilarious co-op experience that leads to lots of laughter and memorable moments.
- The art style and soundtrack are highly praised, adding to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Despite its challenging controls, players find the game rewarding and fun, especially when played with a friend.
- The controls are often described as frustrating and inconsistent, leading to moments of anger and confusion.
- Many players report issues with online play, particularly with lag and connectivity problems when using remote play features.
- Some levels and boss fights are criticized for being overly difficult or poorly designed, detracting from the overall experience.
- humor33 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- -6 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its blend of absurdity and clever design, resulting in a consistently hilarious experience that often leads to uncontrollable laughter, especially in multiplayer settings. Players appreciate the game's unique and outrageous elements, from funny glitches to unexpected story twists, which enhance the overall enjoyment and create memorable moments. The combination of challenging gameplay and comedic touches makes it a standout title for those looking for a fun and entertaining experience with friends.
“The game continuously challenges you to get better and soon enough you are gliding over areas until the catastrophic and hilarious crash.”
“With every new area, I couldn't stop laughing at the audacity of the devs. They are flat-out insane in the best possible way.”
“My friend and I had a ton of fun figuring out some of the puzzles as we laughed at each other and jokingly criticized the other for messing up or doing something funny.”
“An enormous amount of 'jokes' that are not funny unless you are there with a buddy and you burst into tears of laughter.”
“The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“Many of the jokes rely on outdated references that just don't land in today's context.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its innovative mechanics and cooperative challenges, making it particularly enjoyable when played with a friend. Players appreciate the introduction of unique powers and the engaging art style, although some note a lack of cohesion as new mechanics are introduced later in the game. Overall, the experience is described as fun and chaotic, with a strong emphasis on teamwork and overcoming obstacles together.
“Crazy mechanics, top-tier gameplay, and so much fun with two players.”
“The game keeps it interesting by introducing new mechanics such as detachable arms and time slow abilities.”
“The gameplay is mostly revolved around your partner and you fumbling to get to the next area.”
“A new 'mechanic' (i.e., power) is only introduced like 2 hours in.”
“From that point onward, it seems like they sort of decided they wanted to make a different game, and it loses thematic and gameplay cohesion.”
- music22 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the soundtrack as one of the best of the year, highlighting its ability to enhance the overall experience, especially during boss fights. The compositions are described as both relaxing and exhilarating, contributing significantly to the game's surreal atmosphere and artistic style. Overall, the sound design, including sound effects and menu music, is considered exceptional, further elevating the gameplay.
“The art and music are both fantastic, in my opinion, and the story is fairly entertaining.”
“Amazing music, sound, and gameplay design.”
“There are two characters in the OST art that don't appear in-game; I really want to know why.”
“Literally every part of the game apart from that boss is incredible: the gameplay, the visuals, the music, the hats, the other bosses, everything.”
“As for the soundtrack, I'm not gonna lie, this is probably one of the best this year.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and surreal art style, which effectively complements the gameplay mechanics and enhances the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the well-crafted visuals, likening them to a piece of art, and note that the game's aesthetic, combined with a superb soundtrack, creates a memorable atmosphere. While some mention minor rough edges, the overall impression is that the graphics contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
“The visuals are very well crafted despite the game revolving around a repulsive theme; it ended up looking like a surreal piece of art. I was quite surprised those annoying parts don't compose a larger chunk of the game. It's actually quite well balanced, just a bit rough around the edges, but this may be intentional. It's got quite a handful of awesome scenes, and the superb soundtrack makes it even better.”
“Love the awesome yet gruesome art style and just the plain craziness of it all.”
“The visuals are very well crafted despite the game revolving around a repulsive theme. It ended up looking like a surreal piece of art, but as the game's name suggests, you will struggle in some parts of the game. I was quite surprised those annoying parts don't compose a larger chunk of the game; I was expecting it to be a lot more frustrating, but it's actually quite well balanced. Just a bit rough around the edges, but this may be intentional, and it's got quite a handful of awesome scenes. The superb soundtrack makes it even better.”
“Oh, and I still haven't mentioned the art style somehow; it delivers on being just incredibly weird throughout, which vibes really well with the gameplay.”
“Love the awesome yet gruesome art style and just the plain batshit craziness of it all.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it brilliant and entertaining, while others feel it lacks depth and leaves questions unanswered, particularly regarding character significance. The narrative features unexpected twists and a strong atmosphere, but the ending has been criticized for being unsatisfying. Overall, while the art and music enhance the experience, opinions on the story's quality and coherence vary widely among players.
“Short story: it's brilliant.”
“I've played through the entire game/story I think 4 or 5 times now and it still hasn't gotten old.”
“Also, the story went to fully unexpected and hilarious places.”
“I don't remember there being much story in the game.”
“Who was that guy and what was his importance to the story?”
“The story went to fully unexpected and hilarious places.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with players noting numerous glitches that, while frustrating, often add a humorous element to the experience. The final boss has been particularly criticized for being buggy and rage-inducing, but developers are actively working on fixes to improve gameplay. Overall, while stability issues exist, they are being addressed, and many players still find enjoyment in the game.
“The gameplay was pure suffering; there were some glitches since I played the demo prior, e.g., could not unlock the first death or deathless campaign.”
“The final boss that people have been calling buggy and rage-inducing is being reworked sometime in the next week to make it much less random and less punishing.”
“8/10 because the end boss is buggy, buggy, buggy.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as intense and immersive, effectively conveying a sense of struggle through its gameplay mechanics and setting. Players appreciate the unique art style and the heroic backstory, which contribute to a consistently strong and unsettling ambiance throughout the experience.
“The atmosphere is crazy; you feel the struggle in every movement, gameplay mechanism, and setting the game creates for you. In my opinion, that was the intention of the developers.”
“I love the art style and the heroic atmosphere backstory. The game itself started on a strong level and remained there.”
“The atmosphere is so weird and unsettling; I love it.”
“The atmosphere is crazy; you feel the struggle in every movement, gameplay mechanism, and setting the game sets for you, and in my opinion, that was the intention of the developers.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking after achieving all goals, others appreciate the numerous collectible hats and diverse challenge completion methods that encourage multiple playthroughs.
“The game is very replayable since there are about 50 hats to collect in secret areas, and each challenge has many ways to be beaten.”
“The game doesn't have much replay value once you have collected all the achievements.”
“After completing the main story, there isn't much incentive to play again.”
“The lack of varied endings makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as starting over from the beginning of a level when selecting it makes collecting missed items and achieving goals more cumbersome.
“Though this game isn't perfect by any means, the downsides are that if you select a level, you start over from the beginning, making collecting hats you missed and getting other achievements more tedious.”
Critic Reviews
Struggling review
If you love a challenge, Struggling provides it in spades. The visuals and level designs are fantastic, and the music is the icing on the blood-soaked cake.
80%Struggling Review
Struggling is a bizarre, hilarious and thoroughly entertaining adventure that makes the most of its relatively simple graphics and gameplay
85%Struggling Review
Struggling isn't the first game whose main gimmick is a protagonist who's deliberately difficult to control. Whereas other games do this for comedy effect, though, here it only serves to frustrate. It's difficult enough in single-player, but as a co-op experience you're far more likely to want to slap your friend in the face before you'll high-five them. Success does feel like an accomplishment, but the end rarely justifies the means, making this strictly a game for masochists.
50%
