Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy is a punishing climbing game, a homage to Jazzuo's 2002 B-Game classic 'Sexy Hiking'. You move the hammer with the mouse, and that's all there is. With practice, you'll be able to jump, swing, climb and fly. Great mysteries and a wonderful reward await the master hikers who reach the top of the mountain. To quote Jazzuo himself: "The hiking action is very similar to way you would do it in real life, remember that and you will do well".
What it feels like
Sustained edge-of-seat pressure where a single misstep is costly and catastrophic; the player is always one error from a devastating fall. The premise — climbing a mountain with only a hammer, guided by developer narration — embraces surreal, deadpan humor at the core mechanic. Moments of desperate scrambling and urgent movement, especially when recovery from mistakes requires rapid reaction.
What it's about
Foddy's narration explores meaning, purpose, and the absurdity of persisting through futile struggle, elevating the mechanic into philosophical territory. The solitary climb up an endless mountain, with only the developer's voice, evokes profound loneliness and the struggle against an indifferent world.
How it plays
Climbing with a hammer is the singular core mechanic — the player must learn to leverage momentum and positioning to ascend an entire mountain. The game demands pixel-perfect control and timing; a single mistake sends the player plummeting back down, requiring grueling precision to progress. Success depends on chaining momentum and inertia through swings, jumps, and slides; mastery means understanding and preserving speed.
How it looks and sounds
The camera follows the player character and hammer from an over-the-shoulder perspective as they climb. The visual style employs deliberately sparse, simple 3D geometry fitting the indie aesthetic and minimalist design.
How it's structured
Explicitly designed for solo play with no multiplayer component; the isolated struggle is central to the experience. While a single ascent can be completed in hours, individual sessions are bite-sized before inevitable death resets progress.
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