Getting Over It Review - A Masterpiece of Frustration

The game’s design pushes players to their limits in the most humorous way possible. 

Getting Over It is a game that’s incredibly difficult to describe. On the surface, you could say it’s a 2D side-scroller where players take control of a naked man in a pot forced to maneuver around using only a hammer. However, the game is so much deeper than that.

Getting Over It is a fantastic lesson in frustration and perseverance. Those who’ve attempted the game likely won’t be surprised to learn that it was created by the same evil genius behind QWOP, Bennett Foddy.

Yes, we’re talking about the same infuriating browser game where you're tasked with guiding a clumsy, loose-limbed jogger to victory using only your Q, W, O, and P keys.

I played a lot of QWOP back in the day. Typically, it was a game I played with a group of friends in my college’s lounge area. We’d gather around and see who could move the helpless QWOP man the farthest. There was no real incentive for winning, yet we competed as though large sums of money were on the line.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the strange sense of elation after moving my QWOP runner just a few feet farther than everyone else. Getting Over It offers the same joy, and so much more. For every inch I'm able to move naked pot man, my heart swells with pride.

Even if it takes me 15 minutes to get up a single hill, finding myself at the top makes the struggle worth it somehow.

While games like Cuphead and Dark Souls are notorious for their difficulty, games like QWOP and Getting Over It occupy their own niche genre. They’re not just designed to be challenging, they’re designed to push you to your absolute breaking point.

You can be a pro at Cuphead and still find yourself crying out in agony when naked pot man's hammer misses its mark. 

I’m not sure why it’s so much fun to torture yourself with games like QWOP and Getting Over It. You know going in that it’s going to be a grueling uphill battle (literally), but you persist just the same.

I guess the reward is knowing you survived without throwing your mouse and keyboard out the window. That, and bragging rights if you decide to play with friends.

Getting Over It is pure, rage-inducing fun that continues to pull you back in despite your better judgment. The narration, the times where you think you’re going to slip only to catch yourself at the last moment, and the seemingly endless strength of naked pot man make this game an absolute gem.

If you’re brave enough, I highly recommend experiencing Getting Over It for yourself. Just be sure to keep a spare keyboard and mouse handy, though!

Review

95%

Pros

  • One of the most infuriatingly difficult games available.
  • Naked pot man's memorable character design.
  • Hilarious narration.

Cons

  • The game's difficulty may result in you damaging your PC peripherals.

Morgan is a writer, indie game lover, and socially awkward coffee addict. Need something? Morgan can be reached at morgan.shaver@allgamers.com or if you like, you can say hello using GIFs on Twitter.

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