Only up! update makes game less maddening. But why are users protesting? 

SCKR Games released the latest update for Only Up! on June 15. The update includes adjustments of the core controls of the game which, in effect, lowers the difficulty level of the game. Even though the touchy controls were making the game frustratingly tricky, a portion of users are surprisingly not excited about the update. The reason for this seems to lie in the fun of suffering and watching others do as well. 

https://youtu.be/CQ18FVRaQjc

Only Up! is a 3D action game available for PC (Steam), in which the player plays as the teenager Jackie, who lives in the ghetto and aims to climb up above the clouds.  

The gameplay involves using platforms or other structures to climb up as high as possible. That’s all. However, advancing in the game is tricky as moving along the narrow footings requires careful maneuvering, and falling down means having to climb all over again from where you landed. Since its release, this game has exploded in popularity, becoming the favorite game of streamers in particular. Many popular Japanese streamers have been playing Only Up!, contributing to its popularity. 

The June 15 update includes significant adjustments to the controls. The biggest change is that mid-fall controls have become easier. As mentioned above, after falling in this game, you have to start climbing up again from where you landed, so where you manage to land is crucial for progressing in the game. The update apparently makes mid-fall controls 30% easier than before, so the severity of falls is expected to decrease. The ability of the character to grab onto objects has also been increased by 20%. 

Additionally, pressing the C key will now allow you to toggle first-person perspective mode. The first-person mode may or may not be helpful when clearing tricky spots. Other camera-related settings include centering (number 1 key) and shifting (number 2 key) the camera. 

The contents of the update mentioned up till now are sure to make playing more comfortable, falling less traumatic and re-climbing less grueling, so users naturally welcomed the news, gaining confidence to re-challenge (or newly challenge) the game. However, a significant portion of players were not happy at all with the idea of the game becoming easier, claiming that the frustrating difficulty is what made the game fun in the first place. 

Tweet translation: What’s the point of easing up on the difficulty in a game like this? It’s like making extra spicy ramen noodles without the spice…
Tweet translation: If you make it easier it’s just going to become a manual labor game…there won’t be any drama…you should have just fixed the clipping bugs 

Another strong argument cited by users was that the game becoming easier will take away the fun of watching streamers suffer when they fall and all their effort goes to naught. Apparently, too difficult is the perfect difficulty to enjoy watching a stream. 

Tweet translation: I just remembered a short I watched last night of someone screaming in agony after falling from that orange spot and burst out laughing

The update also resulted in people expressing new-found admiration for the tenacious individuals who cleared Only Up! when it was at its hardest. 

 
Only Up! is available for PC (Steam). 

Amber V
Amber V

Novice Editor-in-Chief since October 2023.

She grew up playing Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein with her dad, and is now enamored with obscure Japanese video games and internet culture. Currently devoted to growing Automaton West to the size of its Japanese sister-site, while making sure to keep news concise and developer stories deep and stimulating.

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