Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

Stylish street art, but lacks substance. [Apr 2006, p.90]

As it stands, Getting Up is a game I like more for its potential than its execution, and that's a shame [Apr 2006, p.114]

By enlisting graffiti legends such as Futura and Shepard Fairey and hip-hop artists like P. Diddy and Talib Kweli, Getting Up presents itself as an immersive experience for those new to graffiti culture. This is where Getting Up shines: It is a game that can provide what no other game has before (no, we won't compare it to "Jet Set Radio").

I appreciate what this game is trying to do. Unfortunately, it can’t quite get the fundamental controls to work well enough.

Game play is like "Jet Grind Radio," minus the roller skates. Worse still, the game's camera wheels around like Flava Flav after quaffing too much Dom P.

As it is, "Getting Up" has some fun and holds a few surprises but may not be everyone's cup of tea.

It's a surprisingly entertaining, well-designed game that stays interesting from start to finish, and if nothing else it'll give you a whole new perspective on those rat bastards who keep tagging your house.

Taken purely as a game, Getting Up works. But whoa, its message is a mess. [May 2006, p.49]

Ever try tagging a moving subway train while dodging obstacles overhead and on the side, all while searching in vain for the designated spot? Not easy.

It's designed for console, so the mouse and keyboard controls are horrendous and the disparate gameplay elements don't add up to a whole hill of black-eyed beans.

Deserves to be banned over here as well. This is wack, even for toys. [Apr 2006, p.91]