Struggling

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 410 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • music
Struggling Game Cover
Struggling is a bizarre, hilarious and thoroughly entertaining adventure that makes the most of its relatively simple graphics and gameplay
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"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
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 410 reviews
humor65 positive mentions
stability8 negative mentions
  • 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 well-crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • Despite its challenging controls, players find a rewarding sense of accomplishment when overcoming obstacles together.
  • The controls can be frustratingly inconsistent, leading to moments where players feel stuck or unable to progress.
  • The game is primarily designed for local co-op, and the online play experience can be laggy and unreliable.
  • Some players find the difficulty level to be excessively punishing, which may detract from the enjoyment of the game.
  • humor69 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its absurdity and originality, with many players highlighting the hilarious moments that arise from its intentionally janky controls and unexpected story twists. Reviewers note that the game is particularly enjoyable in multiplayer, where friends can share in the laughter over comical failures and quirky design elements. While some mention that the humor may not resonate with everyone, the overall consensus is that it provides a uniquely entertaining experience filled with funny and gross touches.

    • “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.”
    • “That's really all I have to say, it's amazing and hilarious and you and your friend will be dying of laughter from it all.”
    • “Enormous amount of 'jokes' that are not funny unless you are there with a buddy and you burst into tears of laughter.”
    • “Not in a gruesome or transgressive way, just in a way that’s unenjoyable thanks to frustrating controls and its unfunny execution.”
    • “[frustrating, blandly gross, not funny, controls cause more groans than giggles]”
  • gameplay45 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 atmosphere, though some note a lack of cohesion as new mechanics are introduced later in the game. Overall, the combination of fun controls, exotic challenges, and a quirky art style contributes to a memorable and entertaining experience, despite some criticisms regarding the visual design.

    • “The game keeps it interesting by introducing new mechanics such as detachable arms and time slow abilities.”
    • “The way in which this game approaches co-op gameplay is really genius.”
    • “This game has so many exotic challenges and new mechanics that you don't get bored of the character controller.”
    • “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.”
  • music45 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its quality and emotional impact, particularly during boss fights. The soundtrack is described as "god tier" and among the best of the year, complementing the game's surreal art style and enhancing the overall experience. Additionally, the sound effects and music contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, making it a standout feature for players.

    • “Leandre Monette is a musical genius on par with Danny Baranowski, and for good reason.”
    • “As for the soundtrack, I'm not gonna lie, this is probably one of the best this year.”
    • “The music is great and the concept for the fight is so fun.”
    • “There are two characters in the OST art that don't appear in-game, I really want to know why.”
    • “I relaxed for 5 minutes to this music long enough to realize that I was going to be okay.”
    • “Imagine QWOP or Octodad mixed with Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons taking place in an episode of Rick & Morty and book-ended with a killer soundtrack.”
  • graphics31 mentions

    The game's graphics have been widely praised for their unique and surreal art style, which effectively complements the gameplay mechanics and enhances the overall experience. Reviewers noted the visuals as well-crafted and reminiscent of classic internet flash games, with a mix of humor and gruesomeness that adds to the game's charm. While some elements may feel rough around the edges, the combination of striking visuals, engaging level design, and a fitting soundtrack creates a memorable and entertaining atmosphere.

    • “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.”
    • “The visuals and level designs are fantastic, and the music is the icing on the blood-soaked cake.”
    • “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.”
    • “Struggling is a bizarre, hilarious, and thoroughly entertaining adventure that makes the most of its relatively simple graphics and gameplay.”
    • “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.”
  • story22 mentions

    The game's story is described as entertaining and engaging, with unexpected and humorous twists, though some players found the ending unsatisfying and questioned character significance. While the narrative may not be the primary focus for everyone, it complements the game's strong art and music, contributing to a memorable experience that players are willing to revisit multiple times. Overall, the story is seen as a mix of brilliance and shortcomings, with a moral about perseverance woven throughout.

    • “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?”
    • “Longer story: I bought this game simply because of the art; it's so disturbing.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game has been noted for its numerous glitches, which some players find amusing, while others consider them frustrating, particularly with the final boss being described as buggy and rage-inducing. However, developers are actively addressing these issues, with fixes already implemented for the final boss. Overall, while stability is a concern, the game's fun factor seems to mitigate some of the negative experiences.

    • “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.”
    • “There are a lot of glitches, but they are all funny.”
  • atmosphere6 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 blend of heroic backstory with unsettling elements, which contribute to a consistently strong and engaging 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 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.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game offers high replayability due to the presence of approximately 50 collectible hats in secret areas and multiple strategies to complete challenges. However, some players feel that once all achievements are collected, the replay value diminishes significantly.

    • “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.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as selecting a level forces them to restart from the beginning, complicating the collection of missed items and achievements. This design choice detracts from the overall experience, making progress feel more laborious.

    • “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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

63% average critic score

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