"I could have made something empowering."
October 16, 2017 4:24 PM Subscribe
Bennett Foddy, he who made exquisite torture games QWOP (MeFi), CLOP (MeFi) and GIRP (MeFi), released a new game as part of the October Humble Monthly, called Getting Over It. It'll be available on Steam on December 6, but in the meantime you can watch this trailer. It is a surprisingly realistic model of a guy in a cauldron with a pick trying to climb a mountain.
This is, no contest, my favorite game trailer of 2017.
posted by straight at 4:39 PM on October 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by straight at 4:39 PM on October 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
This is, no contest, my favorite game trailer of 2017.
* dusts off hands *
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 4:46 PM on October 16, 2017 [19 favorites]
* dusts off hands *
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 4:46 PM on October 16, 2017 [19 favorites]
(psst: here is a playthrough video it not only shows you the game, but the voiceover -- which is in the game -- explains the origins of the game itself while you play)
posted by JHarris at 5:00 PM on October 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 5:00 PM on October 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
Bennett Foddy's work indeed captures the zeitgeist of 2016-17. The whole world is QWOP.
posted by rikschell at 5:25 PM on October 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by rikschell at 5:25 PM on October 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
The voiceover part sounds like an amazing idea. One thing I like to do is listen to a podcast while performing an extended but non-verbal game task, because I can fully engage with both of them at the same time. Different parts of the brain. An extended spoken essay on the aim of the game + smooth jazz piano seems like it works on the same level.
posted by figurant at 5:29 PM on October 16, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by figurant at 5:29 PM on October 16, 2017 [5 favorites]
Oh, man, he pronounces it "jif." Bennett Foddy is dead to me.
posted by rikschell at 5:37 PM on October 16, 2017 [12 favorites]
posted by rikschell at 5:37 PM on October 16, 2017 [12 favorites]
Endgame spoiler:
Want to see the reward?
[] I solemnly swear that I am not recording or streaming this, as it would spoil the reward for other climbers.
[Yes] [No]
posted by persona at 5:42 PM on October 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
Want to see the reward?
[] I solemnly swear that I am not recording or streaming this, as it would spoil the reward for other climbers.
posted by persona at 5:42 PM on October 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've been playing this (for the last twenty minutes). It's really great and not what I expected.
There are a ton of lovely touches that prevent it from being a one-note joke. The physics feel right and have a lot of granularity, so it's possible to make small, delicate motions that are as meaningful as large ones. The little noises that your character makes are perfect, especially the soft "no." as he falls back. The art has a flat, almost storybook quality.
The thing you have to be constantly mindful of is that your hammer is always an actor in the scene, so you always have to account for it, even after you've made your action. We're so used to ignoring our guns or swords or potions after we've "used" them at the appropriate motion that this fidelity feels refreshing.
You can view the game as being tremendously frustrating, or you can view it as being a vicarious simulation of what it would be like to have tremendous upper body strength!
posted by selfnoise at 5:43 PM on October 16, 2017 [5 favorites]
There are a ton of lovely touches that prevent it from being a one-note joke. The physics feel right and have a lot of granularity, so it's possible to make small, delicate motions that are as meaningful as large ones. The little noises that your character makes are perfect, especially the soft "no." as he falls back. The art has a flat, almost storybook quality.
The thing you have to be constantly mindful of is that your hammer is always an actor in the scene, so you always have to account for it, even after you've made your action. We're so used to ignoring our guns or swords or potions after we've "used" them at the appropriate motion that this fidelity feels refreshing.
You can view the game as being tremendously frustrating, or you can view it as being a vicarious simulation of what it would be like to have tremendous upper body strength!
posted by selfnoise at 5:43 PM on October 16, 2017 [5 favorites]
Oh, man, he pronounces it "jif."
Like a god damn hero.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:49 PM on October 16, 2017 [31 favorites]
Like a god damn hero.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:49 PM on October 16, 2017 [31 favorites]
If he had only gotten Herzog for the VO.
posted by gwint at 6:18 PM on October 16, 2017 [13 favorites]
posted by gwint at 6:18 PM on October 16, 2017 [13 favorites]
Itll always be sexy hiking to me
posted by nixon's meatloaf at 7:03 PM on October 16, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by nixon's meatloaf at 7:03 PM on October 16, 2017 [4 favorites]
I’ve seen this through Polygon’s half-hour stream, which was a delight to watch.
posted by reluctant early bird at 7:04 PM on October 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by reluctant early bird at 7:04 PM on October 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
Is the entire game's voiceover written in that beautiful rhyming verse? Don't tell me, I wanna find out for myself.
posted by straight at 8:40 PM on October 16, 2017
posted by straight at 8:40 PM on October 16, 2017
I watched someone stream this the other day, it was delightful to watch their suffering.
During the climb through the suburban backyard wreckage with the voiceovers going, it made me think an alt title: Jonathan Blow's The Divorce. That or maybe just He Skipped Leg Day.
posted by fleacircus at 11:45 PM on October 16, 2017
During the climb through the suburban backyard wreckage with the voiceovers going, it made me think an alt title: Jonathan Blow's The Divorce. That or maybe just He Skipped Leg Day.
posted by fleacircus at 11:45 PM on October 16, 2017
My worst fears after playing for a couple of hours then turning to the playthrough came to fruition: I'm less than one percent through and it's too easy to return to zero percent for me to invest a lifetime honing the requisite skills... just like the narrative explains about Sexy Hiking!
I love that this is out there, and I thank you for bringing this to our attention! It would have languished in my owned game list unplayed, if not for this post.
It will always remain uncompleted in my books 😔
posted by the letter at 12:31 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
I love that this is out there, and I thank you for bringing this to our attention! It would have languished in my owned game list unplayed, if not for this post.
It will always remain uncompleted in my books 😔
posted by the letter at 12:31 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
That's a sledgehammer, not a pick, I think. I mean, considering this is the most realistic simulation possible of a guy trying to climb a mountain while stuck in a massive iron pot from the waist down, that seems important to get straight.
The Polygon LP is a nice watch, in part because they don't go far enough to spoil much for those who want to play it themselves, and in part because they discuss Foddy's work not just as a designer of wack games but also a teacher of game design.
posted by ardgedee at 5:00 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Polygon LP is a nice watch, in part because they don't go far enough to spoil much for those who want to play it themselves, and in part because they discuss Foddy's work not just as a designer of wack games but also a teacher of game design.
posted by ardgedee at 5:00 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Bennett Foddy, he who made exquisite torture games
.. and briefly played (bass, i think) in Cut Copy's touring band!
posted by thedaniel at 9:17 AM on October 17, 2017
.. and briefly played (bass, i think) in Cut Copy's touring band!
posted by thedaniel at 9:17 AM on October 17, 2017
There are now videos on Youtube of people beating this thing in less than six minutes..
It's not even out yet and it's already been absurdly speedrun.
posted by egypturnash at 10:02 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's not even out yet and it's already been absurdly speedrun.
posted by egypturnash at 10:02 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
They want to burn through it quickly, a quick fix for the fickle
Some tricks for the clicks of the feckless
posted by nubs at 6:02 PM on October 17, 2017
Some tricks for the clicks of the feckless
posted by nubs at 6:02 PM on October 17, 2017
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"surprisingly" "realistic" model
posted by GuyZero at 4:27 PM on October 16, 2017 [8 favorites]