Marc Ecko had a dream -- the dream of a fun video game. That dream soon ultimately turned into a nightmare with Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, a graffiti-based action game from Atari and developer The Collective. Subject to numerous lengthy delays, Getting Up is finally here, but it's nothing to hold your breath over. One might think a last minute three-month pushback would result in extra development polish time. But, in fact, it's quite the contrary. Frequent glitches and game engine freak-outs contribute to an overall less-than-mediocre graffiti/fighting/platforming hybrid.
Getting Up is Hard to DoDespite its end result, Getting Up had promise. With the cultish Jet Set Radio (Dreamcast/Xbox) paving its tagging path, and Ecko's worldwide popularity to back it, Getting Up had enough to, at the very least, spark interest in a graffiti-based game. And Ecko's first-hand involvement in the project was a definite plus. But it takes much more than a good track record and celebrity contribution to create a niche title.
And that is ultimately where Getting Up goes wrong. Instead of providing a unique artistic experience along the lines of Capcom's upcoming Okami, at the end of the day, Getting Up feels like a worn out action game. Focusing the majority of gameplay attention on the actual art of writing, rather than on a hackneyed up-from-the-streets story, would have been a good start. And, regrettably for Ecko, development just couldn't work the kinks out of the shoddy Getting Up game engine. Frame rate consistently dips to horrific lows, and many in-game objects and actions break frequently during gameplay.
For example, in a subway boss battle, we threw the leather belt-slinging (no, seriously) boss up against the window of a subway train, shattering the glass and indenting the frame. And when the battle ended, the train drove off without the window, and it remained suspended in mid-air! My camp counselor told me ghosts were real!
To further specify, the game is downright clunky. Fighting maneuvers and other movements are jerky, and jumps and damage results are entirely unrealistic. The game requires a decent amount of platforming with Prince of Persia style wall climbs and dangerous jumps that lead to out-of-reach spots. Although this seems like a fun concept, the restrictive camera and unresponsive controls make reaching these hits a lot less thrilling than chasing after Farah through the streets of Babylon
Getting Up is Hard to DoDespite its end result, Getting Up had promise. With the cultish Jet Set Radio (Dreamcast/Xbox) paving its tagging path, and Ecko's worldwide popularity to back it, Getting Up had enough to, at the very least, spark interest in a graffiti-based game. And Ecko's first-hand involvement in the project was a definite plus. But it takes much more than a good track record and celebrity contribution to create a niche title.
And that is ultimately where Getting Up goes wrong. Instead of providing a unique artistic experience along the lines of Capcom's upcoming Okami, at the end of the day, Getting Up feels like a worn out action game. Focusing the majority of gameplay attention on the actual art of writing, rather than on a hackneyed up-from-the-streets story, would have been a good start. And, regrettably for Ecko, development just couldn't work the kinks out of the shoddy Getting Up game engine. Frame rate consistently dips to horrific lows, and many in-game objects and actions break frequently during gameplay.
For example, in a subway boss battle, we threw the leather belt-slinging (no, seriously) boss up against the window of a subway train, shattering the glass and indenting the frame. And when the battle ended, the train drove off without the window, and it remained suspended in mid-air! My camp counselor told me ghosts were real!
To further specify, the game is downright clunky. Fighting maneuvers and other movements are jerky, and jumps and damage results are entirely unrealistic. The game requires a decent amount of platforming with Prince of Persia style wall climbs and dangerous jumps that lead to out-of-reach spots. Although this seems like a fun concept, the restrictive camera and unresponsive controls make reaching these hits a lot less thrilling than chasing after Farah through the streets of Babylon
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