Struggling

About

"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."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 388 reviews

humor62 positive mentions

stability5 negative mentions

Unique and creative co-op gameplay that leads to hilarious moments.
Challenging physics-based mechanics that require teamwork and coordination.
Quirky art style and engaging soundtrack enhance the overall experience.

Controls can be frustratingly imprecise, leading to moments of rage.
Some players may find the theme and humor off-putting or disturbing.
Limited online co-op options can hinder the experience for those without local partners.

humor
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
5%
The game's humor is widely praised for its quirky, eccentric style and engaging story, providing a mix of hilarious and gross moments that keep players entertained. Many reviews highlight the fun of playing cooperatively, where the intentionally janky controls lead to unexpected and laugh-out-loud situations. Overall, the humor is described as original and consistently funny, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The game's quirky art style and eccentric humor add to its charm, creating a truly wacky gaming experience.”
- “This game is some next level weird sh*t but absolutely hilarious!”
- “The humor in this game is the best; my friend and I were laughing our asses off till the very end.”
- “The humor falls flat, making the experience more frustrating than enjoyable.”
- “The jokes feel forced and fail to land, leaving a sense of disappointment.”
- “Instead of being funny, the attempts at humor come off as awkward and unoriginal.”
gameplay
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
64%
6%
The gameplay is characterized by its fun and innovative co-op mechanics, with a strong emphasis on physics-based challenges and puzzle-solving that keeps players engaged. While the introduction of new abilities and mechanics adds variety, some players find the thematic elements and art style off-putting. Overall, the game offers a unique and entertaining experience, particularly when played with a friend, despite occasional frustrations with controls and pacing.
- “Crazy mechanics, top tier gameplay, and so much fun with two players.”
- “There are some great puzzle mechanics that are introduced throughout the game, and some really fun boss battles.”
- “Whenever you've completed a particularly tricky section, you are rewarded with a few levels of new gameplay and brilliant boss fights that were a joy to figure out, all the while listening to the incredibly catchy soundtrack that weaves its way into the very levels themselves!”
- “The gameplay is mostly revolved around your partner and you fumbling to get to the next area.”
- “Occasionally there will be something different to mix up the gameplay, but they always end too soon before you have to play the normal segments again.”
- “However, in practice, I found the gameplay to be really lacking a lot of the time.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
37%
8%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy and immersive quality, particularly during boss fights. The soundtrack is described as exceptional, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the game's unique art style and mechanics. Overall, the combination of creative sound design and memorable tunes contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the indie market.
- “The art, sound effects, and music are all pretty great.”
- “Amazing soundtrack, best dating sim and most amazing boss fights.”
- “Whenever you've completed a particularly tricky section you are rewarded with a few levels of new gameplay and brilliant boss fights that were a joy to figure out, all the while listening to the incredibly catchy soundtrack that weaves its way into the very levels themselves!”
- “For instance, the music includes sounds like gargling, warbling, and other noises you can make with your mouth that wouldn't be used for musical purposes.”
- “Only at certain points will the corresponding song come in.”
- “- background music pops often”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
58%
9%
The game's graphics are characterized by a unique and surreal art style that blends quirky humor with grotesque aesthetics, creating a memorable and engaging atmosphere. While many players appreciate the polished visuals and creative design, opinions are divided, with some finding the art style appealing and others considering it off-putting. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's charm and immersive experience, complemented by a strong soundtrack.
- “The game's quirky art style and eccentric humor add to its charm, creating a truly wacky gaming experience.”
- “The artwork, sounds, and general atmosphere are grotesque in the best way possible.”
- “The game's surreal art style, engaging storyline, and atmospheric sound design make it a memorable and enjoyable experience for those who are up for the challenge.”
- “From awful voice acting to an awful art style, it's just plain garbage.”
- “My one and only complaint is that the art style is kind of hit or miss.”
- “I'm in the latter category because outside of its distinct art style there wasn't anything special about the game to me.”
story
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
9%
The game's story is described as humorous, engaging, and filled with unexpected twists, making it memorable despite some players noting a lack of depth or clarity in the plot. While the art and sound design enhance the experience, opinions vary on the overall satisfaction of the narrative, with some finding it brilliant and others feeling it lacks coherence. Overall, the story adds a unique layer to the gameplay, though it may not resonate with everyone.
- “The game's surreal art style, engaging storyline, and atmospheric sound design make it a memorable and enjoyable experience for those who are up for the challenge.”
- “Oddly enough, the game opens with a somewhat rambling story about extraordinary humans performing mighty deeds that helped the people of the time live better lives.”
- “Also, the story went to fully unexpected and hilarious places.”
- “I don't remember there being much story in the game.”
- “There are no storytelling elements, but you can somewhat get an idea with the surroundings and such.”
- “Do not expect [struggling] to have a comprehensible plot from start to finish.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a grotesque yet captivating blend of surreal artwork, engaging storytelling, and immersive sound design, creating a memorable experience. Players appreciate the intense emotional struggle conveyed through the gameplay and settings, which aligns with the developers' intentions. Overall, the unsettling and heroic ambiance contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The artwork, sounds, and general atmosphere are grotesque in the best way possible.”
- “The game's surreal art style, engaging storyline, and atmospheric sound design make it a memorable and enjoyable experience for those who are up for the challenge.”
- “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.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with players noting numerous glitches that, while frustrating, often add a humorous element to the experience. Some users have reported issues with specific features, such as unlocking campaigns and the final boss being particularly buggy, but updates are being implemented to address these concerns. Overall, while stability issues exist, they do not significantly detract from the enjoyment of 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.”
- “Fun game, but there are a lot of glitches.”
- “8/10 because the end boss is buggy, buggy, buggy.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the need to restart levels from the beginning when attempting to collect missed items or achievements. While some sequences are engaging, the overall experience is marred by excessive repetition and monotony.
- “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.”
- “SG is somehow boring, tedious, and frustrating all at once.”
- “There were some interesting sequences in this game, but the sections between each portion were just too tedious. I understand that this is baked into the name of the game, but it was just too much.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking after achieving all accomplishments, 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.”
- “Replayability is severely lacking after the initial playthrough.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game demonstrates strong optimization, running smoothly at 60 frames per second on high settings with a mid-range setup (i5 8300h, GTX 1060, 16GB RAM) at 1920x1080 resolution, indicating efficient performance across various hardware configurations.
- “As for the performance, the game was tested with an i5 8300H, GTX 1060 6GB, and 16GB RAM, running at the highest settings at 60 frames per second, at 1920x1080 resolution, without any problems.”
- “The game struggles with optimization, leading to frequent frame drops even on high-end hardware.”
- “Despite having a powerful setup, the performance is inconsistent, making the gameplay experience frustrating.”
- “The optimization issues are evident, as the game often runs poorly on systems that should handle it easily.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that the game evokes intense emotional responses, ranging from physical and emotional exhaustion to discomfort, particularly in cooperative play scenarios. This suggests a powerful impact on players' feelings, highlighting the game's ability to provoke strong reactions.
- “I've never been so physically and emotionally drained from anger in my life.”
- “No game has ever made me feel as uncomfortable as I felt playing this co-op with my partner.”