Only Up!: Difference between revisions
→Release: added secondary source (responded to OR concern) |
c/e for DYK nom |
||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|2023 video game}} |
{{Short description|2023 video game}} |
||
{{Italic title}} |
|||
{{Good article}} |
{{Good article}} |
||
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} |
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} |
||
{{Video game infobox |
{{Video game infobox |
||
| title = Only Up! |
| title = Only Up! |
||
Line 9: | Line 7: | ||
| developer = SCKR Games |
| developer = SCKR Games |
||
| publisher = SCKR Games |
| publisher = SCKR Games |
||
| platforms = [[ |
| platforms = [[Windows]] |
||
| released = May 24, 2023 |
| released = May 24, 2023 |
||
| genre = [[ |
| genre = [[Platformer]] |
||
| engine = [[Unreal Engine 5]] |
| engine = [[Unreal Engine 5]] |
||
| modes = [[Single-player]] |
| modes = [[Single-player]] |
||
| border = yes |
|||
}} |
}} |
||
'''''Only Up!''''' is a [[ |
'''''Only Up!''''' is a 2023 [[platformer]] developed and published by SCKR Games. It was released on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] on May 24, 2023, and permanently removed in September of that year following controversy over the [[Copyright infringement|use of copyrighted assets]]. |
||
''Only Up!'' was praised for its difficulty |
''Only Up!'' was praised for its difficulty but criticized for its graphics and level design. It was compared to difficult climbing games such as ''[[Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy]]''. ''Only Up!'' became one of the most popular games on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]] shortly after its release. |
||
== Gameplay == |
== Gameplay == |
||
[[File: |
[[File:Only Up Gamplay.gif|thumb|The game begins with the character in a junkyard.|alt=A boy walks into smoke and enters an elevator, which lifts up.]] |
||
''Only Up!'' begins in a [[Wrecking yard|junkyard]], where the [[player character]], Jackie, must run, climb, jump, and [[Vault (urban movement)|vault]] through assorted objects and platforms. Around the map, there are beds the player can use as trampolines to skip portions of the obstacle course. The player may slow down time to control the character's movements.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Kawase |first=Ayuo |others=Translated by Marco Farinaccia |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Frustrating climbing game ''Only Up!'' grows popular among Japanese streamers |work=Automaton Media |url=https://automaton-media.com/en/news/20230615-19516/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064121/https://automaton-media.com/en/news/20230615-19516/ |archive-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":17" /> There are no [[Checkpoint (video games)|checkpoints]] and the player cannot save their progress.<ref name=":0" /> |
|||
⚫ | |||
== Release ==<!-- There is little to no information about SCKR Games or how they developed the game. I've tried researching... |
|||
⚫ | ''Only Up!'' was created by the solo developer SCKR Games and released via [[Steam (service)|Steam]] on May 24, 2023.<ref name=":18" /> It was partly inspired by the folktale "[[Jack and the Beanstalk]]".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Jarvis |first=Matt |date=June 26, 2023 |title=''Only Up'', a 3D Getting Over It-a-like inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk, is the latest indie sensation to blow up on Twitch |work=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/only-up-a-3d-getting-over-it-a-like-inspired-by-jack-and-the-beanstalk-is-the-latest-indie-sensation-to-blow-up-on-twitch |url-status=live |access-date=July 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704061905/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/only-up-a-3d-getting-over-it-a-like-inspired-by-jack-and-the-beanstalk-is-the-latest-indie-sensation-to-blow-up-on-twitch |archive-date=July 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Fischer |first=Tyler |date=June 30, 2023 |title=''Only Up!'' Back on Steam After Being Mysteriously Removed |work=ComicBook |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/only-up-game-steam-sale/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/only-up-game-steam-sale/ |archive-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref> On June 15, 2023, SCKR Games updated the game to add [[Virtual camera system|camera]] controls like switching between [[First-person (video games)|first-]] and [[Virtual camera system|third-person perspectives]] and centering the camera. The update was criticized for removing "all the fun of watching streamers suffer".<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Vjestica |first=Amber |date=June 19, 2023 |title=''Only up!'' update makes game less maddening. But why are users protesting? |work=Automaton Media |url=https://automaton-media.com/en/news/20230619-19607/ |access-date=August 1, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064138/https://automaton-media.com/en/news/20230619-19607/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
Okay, there's absolutely nothing on development. I'll have to rely on update notes for Steam if that could work. --> |
|||
⚫ | ''Only Up!'' was |
||
=== Removal from Steam === |
=== Removal from Steam === |
||
''Only Up!'' was removed from |
''Only Up!'' was removed from Steam on June 30, 2023, after numerous assets in the game were found to be [[Copyright infringement|copyright violations]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Shepard |first=Kenneth |date=July 3, 2023 |title=''Only Up!'' Pulled From Steam After Becoming a Twitch Sensation |work=[[Kotaku]] |url=https://kotaku.com/only-up-twitch-steam-delisted-pulled-copyright-dispute-1850597603 |url-status=live |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722104731/https://kotaku.com/only-up-twitch-steam-delisted-pulled-copyright-dispute-1850597603 |archive-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref> This notably included "Blanket in the Wind" by Aboulicious, a [[3D modeling|3D model]] of a girl released under a [[Creative Commons NonCommercial license|non-commercial license]].<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 29, 2016 |title=Blanket In The Wind |url=https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/blanket-in-the-wind-af3e37a0868742d3b756e784adc060ae?sscid=61k7_19r9k8&utm_source=shareasale&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=314743_1272560 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/blanket-in-the-wind-af3e37a0868742d3b756e784adc060ae?sscid=61k7_19r9k8&utm_source=shareasale&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=314743_1272560 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |access-date=July 24, 2023 |website=[[Sketchfab]]}}</ref> The game further contained [[sound effect]]s from ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'' and ''[[Minecraft]]''. SCKR Games consequently removed all copyrighted material and relaunched ''Only Up!'' on July 1.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=Wilde |first=Tyler |date=July 1, 2023 |title=''Only Up!'' pulled from Steam, developer says it'll be back (update: and now it is back) |work=[[PC Gamer]] |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/twitch-phenomenon-only-up-pulled-from-steam/ |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://www.pcgamer.com/twitch-phenomenon-only-up-pulled-from-steam/ |url-status=live}}</ref> They also contacted Aboulicious for the creation of a replacement of the .<ref name=":18" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 4, 2023 |title=Elevator for restoring progress/ anime girl coming back soon/ Copyright |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2381590/view/3662038171169003746 |access-date=September 22, 2023 |website=Steam |archive-date=October 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002222320/https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2381590/view/3662038171169003746 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
On September 7, 2023, ''Only Up!'' |
On September 7, 2023, SCKR Games removed ''Only Up!'' from Steam permanently, citing stress.<ref name=":18">{{cite news |last=Yin-Poole |first1=Wesley |title=Viral Hit ''Only Up!'' Pulled From Steam by Creator Due to 'Stress' |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/viral-hit-only-up-pulled-from-steam-by-creator-due-to-stress |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=IGN |date=8 September 2023 |language=en |archive-date=September 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908192127/https://www.ign.com/articles/viral-hit-only-up-pulled-from-steam-by-creator-due-to-stress |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gach |first=Ethan |date=8 September 2023 |title=Twitch Sensation ''Only Up!'' Removed From Steam So Dev Can Find 'Peace Of Mind And Healing' |language=en |work=Kotaku |url=https://kotaku.com/only-up-steam-twitch-removed-indiesolodev-platformer-1850817370 |access-date=8 September 2023 |archive-date=September 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908192126/https://kotaku.com/only-up-steam-twitch-removed-indiesolodev-platformer-1850817370 |url-status=live}}</ref> They said they needed "peace of mind and healing" and sought to move on from the game.<ref name=":17">{{cite news |last=Shanklin |first=Will |date=8 September 2023 |title=Viral indie game ''Only Up!'' delisted from Steam |work=[[Engadget]] |url=https://www.engadget.com/viral-indie-game-only-up-delisted-from-steam-171652546.html |access-date=9 September 2023 |archive-date=September 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230909144516/https://www.engadget.com/viral-indie-game-only-up-delisted-from-steam-171652546.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, SCKR Games announced ''Kith'' as their next game, saying it would be vastly different from ''Only Up!''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jarvis |first=Matt |date=September 8, 2023 |title=''Only Up'' dev yanks Twitch hit from Steam after saying it caused 'a lot of stress' |work=Rock Paper Shotgun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/only-up-dev-yanks-twitch-hit-from-steam-after-saying-it-caused-a-lot-of-stress |access-date=September 9, 2023 |archive-date=September 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908233931/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/only-up-dev-yanks-twitch-hit-from-steam-after-saying-it-caused-a-lot-of-stress |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
=== Promotions of non-fungible tokens === |
=== Promotions of non-fungible tokens === |
||
[[Blockchain game]]s that buy and sell [[non-fungible token]]s (NFTs) had been banned from Steam since October 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=October 16, 2021 |title=Valve bans blockchain, crypto and NFT games from Steam, but Epic is on-board |work=[[Eurogamer]] |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/valve-bans-blockchain-and-nft-games-from-steam-but-epic-is-on-board |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064121/https://www.eurogamer.net/valve-bans-blockchain-and-nft-games-from-steam-but-epic-is-on-board |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Only Up!'' placed images from the Goblintown NFT series on the player character's shirt and as one of the masks found in the starting area.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Brandt |first=Oliver |date=July 4, 2023 |title=''Only Up'': Everything you need to know about the latest hit game on Twitch |work=Video Games on Sports Illustrated |url=https://videogames.si.com/news/only-up-game-twitch-explained |url-status=live |access-date=July 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://videogames.si.com/news/only-up-game-twitch-explained |archive-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=June 21, 2023 |title=Twitch's new sensation is a weird indie climbing game that's also quietly promoting NFTs |work=[[PC Gamer]] |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/twitchs-new-sensation-is-a-weird-indie-climbing-game-thats-also-quietly-promoting-nfts/ |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://www.pcgamer.com/twitchs-new-sensation-is-a-weird-indie-climbing-game-thats-also-quietly-promoting-nfts/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The NFT series later sold clothing based on the game.<ref name=":8" /> As Truth Labs had released Goblintown under a [[Creative Commons license|Creative Commons 0]] license, which allows for commercial use, it is unknown whether SCKR Games had partnered with Truth Labs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hayward |first=Andrew |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Twitch's New Favorite Game ''Only Up'' Is Loaded With Goblintown NFT Art |work=Decrypt |agency=Yahoo Finance |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/twitchs-favorite-game-only-loaded-213153988.html |access-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-date=October 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002222321/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/twitchs-favorite-game-only-loaded-213153988.html |url-status=live}}</ref> |
|||
== Reception == |
== Reception == |
||
=== Initial reception === |
=== Initial reception === |
||
''Only Up!'' garnered popularity shortly after its release. By late June, it was among the most popular games on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]], a [[video game livestreaming]] service, at 85,000 total viewers.<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |last=Marshall |first=Cass |date=June 26, 2023 |title=What is ''Only Up!'', the climbing game blowing up on social media? |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |url=https://www.polygon.com/23774440/only-up-twitch-tiktok-twitter-climbing-game-influencers-social-media-explainer |url-status=live |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://www.polygon.com/23774440/only-up-twitch-tiktok-twitter-climbing-game-influencers-social-media-explainer |archive-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Ostler |first=Anne-Marie |date=June 27, 2023 |title=This punishing climbing game is Twitch's latest masochist craze |work=[[GamesRadar+]] |publisher=[[Yahoo Finance]] |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/punishing-climbing-game-twitchs-latest-162141009.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAK5WKwnY3xzpaNoW2lprXQeBJrkK_jUOnIKYVSc4GJWt0GN8FI6bUZ8Xa-RzvtQDRcYcLVtoT220hL5rOZWugiZheITvGh4bWRQPtXSSLDEkEE6LOr-L9tOnd3Kcdqs13hwIZA8bzP5lQJyHsCSuhyTd7XS552aUSSEebzXuzmYz |url-status=live |access-date=July 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/punishing-climbing-game-twitchs-latest-162141009.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAK5WKwnY3xzpaNoW2lprXQeBJrkK_jUOnIKYVSc4GJWt0GN8FI6bUZ8Xa-RzvtQDRcYcLVtoT220hL5rOZWugiZheITvGh4bWRQPtXSSLDEkEE6LOr-L9tOnd3Kcdqs13hwIZA8bzP5lQJyHsCSuhyTd7XS552aUSSEebzXuzmYz |archive-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref> [[Online streamer|Livestreamers]] and [[Speedrunning|speedrunners]] shared themselves [[rage quit]]ting after falling down and losing progress from the absence of a [[Saved game#Checkpoints|save system]].<ref name=":14" /><ref name=":13">{{Cite news |last=Brusie |first=Chaunie |date=June 30, 2023 |title=What is ''Only Up''? Frustrating Climbing Game is Causing Twitch Streamers to 'Rage Quit' |work=In The Know |url=https://www.intheknow.com/post/only-up-game-explained/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://www.intheknow.com/post/only-up-game-explained/ |archive-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref> |
|||
=== Critical reception ===<!-- Gameplay --> |
=== Critical reception ===<!-- Gameplay --> |
||
Many |
Many reviewers felt that ''Only Up!''{{'}}s gameplay was stressful—which is what made the game [[Viral phenomenon|go viral]]<ref name=":14" />—and that it was similar to the platform game ''[[Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy]]''.<ref name="TechRadar_Review">{{Cite news |last=Gould |first=Elie |date=July 14, 2023 |title=''Only Up!'' Is a terrifying endeavor that left me dizzy, sick, and wanting more |work=[[TechRadar]] |url=https://www.techradar.com/gaming/pc-gaming/only-up-is-a-terrifying-endeavor-that-left-me-dizzy-sick-and-wanting-more |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725053708/https://www.techradar.com/gaming/pc-gaming/only-up-is-a-terrifying-endeavor-that-left-me-dizzy-sick-and-wanting-more |archive-date=July 25, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite news |last=Lyons |first=Ben |date=July 13, 2023 |title=''Only Up!'' |work=Gamereactor |url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/only-up-1284463/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064124/https://www.gamereactor.eu/only-up-1284463/ |archive-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Dexerto_Review">{{Cite news |last=Sabarwal |first=Rishabh |date=June 29, 2023 |title=''Only Up!'' review: The ultimate test of your patience |work=Dexerto |url=https://www.dexerto.com/reviews/only-up-review-2193932/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010112600/https://www.dexerto.com/reviews/only-up-review-2193932/ |archive-date=October 10, 2023}}</ref> Ayuo Kawase of ''Automaton Media'' praised the "high feeling of tension" players felt while in the game.<ref name=":2" /> Writing for ''[[TechRadar]]'', Elie Gould believed that ''Only Up!'' could give the player "a slight adrenaline boost" with the thought that they could lose their progress by making a simple mistake.<ref name="TechRadar_Review" /> Ben Lyons of ''[[Gamereactor]]'' noted the absence of checkpoints and wrote that players must figure out a way to navigate obstacles without falling.<ref name=":11" /> ''Dexerto''{{'}}s Rishabh Sabarwal summarized the "captivating" gameplay, writing that the player, when close to winning, could fall at any moment, thus losing significant progress.<ref name="Dexerto_Review"/> Jason Cartwright of ''TechAU'' praised the gameplay as "very rewarding" for players who manage to surmount the obstacles presented.<ref name=":15">{{Cite news |last=Cartwright |first=Jason |date=June 19, 2023 |title=''Only Up'' is an insanely challenging, but rewarding game if you're up for the challenge |work=TechAU |url=https://techau.com.au/only-up-is-an-insanely-challenging-but-rewarding-game-if-youre-up-for-the-challenge/ |access-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105031014/https://techau.com.au/only-up-is-an-insanely-challenging-but-rewarding-game-if-youre-up-for-the-challenge/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |
||
<!-- Graphics --> |
<!-- Graphics --> |
||
Most critics felt that the [[Computer graphics|graphics]] of ''Only Up!'' were poorly constructed. While Christian Harrison of ''Try Hard Guides'', Gould, and Lyons felt that the obstacles and overall design were not polished,<ref name="TechRadar_Review" /><ref name=":11" /><ref name=":16">{{Cite news |last=Harrison |first=Christian |date=June 30, 2023 |title=Only Up! review – The journey of 10,000 steps |work=Try Hard Guides |url=https://tryhardguides.com/only-up-review/ |access-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://tryhardguides.com/only-up-review/ |url-status=live |
Most critics felt that the [[Computer graphics|graphics]] of ''Only Up!'' were poorly constructed. While Christian Harrison of ''Try Hard Guides'', Gould, and Lyons felt that the obstacles and overall design were not polished,<ref name="TechRadar_Review" /><ref name=":11" /><ref name=":16">{{Cite news |last=Harrison |first=Christian |date=June 30, 2023 |title=Only Up! review – The journey of 10,000 steps |work=Try Hard Guides |url=https://tryhardguides.com/only-up-review/ |access-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064123/https://tryhardguides.com/only-up-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Cartwright praised the "beautiful" graphics and [[lighting]] when using a high-end computer.<ref name=":15" /> Lyons and Sabarwal stated that the hidden [[Easter egg (media)|Easter eggs]] in each section could surprise the player.<ref name=":11" /><ref name="Dexerto_Review" /> Although Kawase wrote that ''Only Up!'' was "poorly optimized",<ref name=":2" /> Harrison noted that the game's graphics settings were set to their maximum.<ref name=":16" /> Harrison considered it a "rushed cash grab".<ref name=":16" /> Gould, Lyons, and Sabarwal expressed similar sentiments and felt that ''Only Up!'' was not unique.<ref name="TechRadar_Review" /><ref name=":11" /><ref name="Dexerto_Review" /> |
||
=== ''OnlyUp Fortnite'' === |
=== ''OnlyUp Fortnite'' === |
||
''OnlyUp Fortnite'' is a custom ''[[Fortnite]]'' map created |
''OnlyUp Fortnite'' is a custom ''[[Fortnite]]'' map created by a user known as ARMY. The adaptation shares most gameplay aspects with its predecessor while adding ''Fortnite'' references.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Ganguly |first=Sharmila |date=June 23, 2023 |title=''Fortnite Only Up'' map code: How to play the viral hit in Fortnite? |work=[[Dot eSports]] |url=https://dotesports.com/fortnite/news/fortnite-only-up-map-code-how-to-play-the-viral-hit-in-fortnite |access-date=July 23, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724064124/https://dotesports.com/fortnite/news/fortnite-only-up-map-code-how-to-play-the-viral-hit-in-fortnite |url-status=live}}</ref> With eight times the player count of the original ''Only Up!'', the ''Fortnite'' version had over 100,000 players in early July 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2023-07-07 |title=''Fortnite''{{'}}s ''Only Up!'' User Map Is Now Way Bigger Than the Original Game |url=https://kotaku.com/fortnite-only-up-steam-game-pc-uefn-epic-popular-1850615732 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727202616/https://kotaku.com/fortnite-only-up-steam-game-pc-uefn-epic-popular-1850615732 |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref> |
||
== See also == |
|||
* ''[[Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy]]'' |
|||
* ''[[Jump King]]'' |
|||
⚫ | |||
{{Notelist}} |
|||
== References == |
== References == |
||
{{Reflist}} |
|||
<references /> |
|||
== External links == |
== External links == |
||
* {{MobyGames|/203769/only-up/}} |
|||
* ''[https://www.mobygames.com/game/203769/only-up/ Only Up!]'' on [[MobyGames]] |
|||
* [https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2381590/view/3654162578753640081 SCKR Games's message on the gam<nowiki/>e's permanent removal] |
|||
[[Category:2023 video games]] |
[[Category:2023 video games]] |
||
Line 72: | Line 58: | ||
[[Category:Indie games]] |
[[Category:Indie games]] |
||
[[Category:Video games developed in South Korea]] |
[[Category:Video games developed in South Korea]] |
||
⚫ | |||
[[Category:Windows games]] |
[[Category:Windows games]] |
||
[[Category:Windows-only games]] |
[[Category:Windows-only games]] |
||
⚫ |
Revision as of 10:02, 14 November 2023
Only Up! | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Developer(s) | SCKR Games |
Publisher(s) | SCKR Games |
Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
Platform(s) | Windows |
Release | May 24, 2023 |
Genre(s) | Platformer |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Only Up! is a 2023 platformer developed and published by SCKR Games. It was released on Steam on May 24, 2023, and permanently removed in September of that year following controversy over the use of copyrighted assets.
Only Up! was praised for its difficulty but criticized for its graphics and level design. It was compared to difficult climbing games such as Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy. Only Up! became one of the most popular games on Twitch shortly after its release.
Gameplay
![A boy walks into smoke and enters an elevator, which lifts up.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Only_Up_Gamplay.gif/220px-Only_Up_Gamplay.gif)
Only Up! begins in a junkyard, where the player character, Jackie, must run, climb, jump, and vault through assorted objects and platforms. Around the map, there are beds the player can use as trampolines to skip portions of the obstacle course. The player may slow down time to control the character's movements.[1][2] There are no checkpoints and the player cannot save their progress.[3]
Release
Only Up! was created by the solo developer SCKR Games and released via Steam on May 24, 2023.[4] It was partly inspired by the folktale "Jack and the Beanstalk".[3][5] On June 15, 2023, SCKR Games updated the game to add camera controls like switching between first- and third-person perspectives and centering the camera. The update was criticized for removing "all the fun of watching streamers suffer".[6]
Removal from Steam
Only Up! was removed from Steam on June 30, 2023, after numerous assets in the game were found to be copyright violations.[7] This notably included "Blanket in the Wind" by Aboulicious, a 3D model of a girl released under a non-commercial license.[7][8] The game further contained sound effects from Final Fantasy VII and Minecraft. SCKR Games consequently removed all copyrighted material and relaunched Only Up! on July 1.[9] They also contacted Aboulicious for the creation of a replacement of the .[4][10]
On September 7, 2023, SCKR Games removed Only Up! from Steam permanently, citing stress.[4][11] They said they needed "peace of mind and healing" and sought to move on from the game.[2] Additionally, SCKR Games announced Kith as their next game, saying it would be vastly different from Only Up!.[12]
Promotions of non-fungible tokens
Blockchain games that buy and sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs) had been banned from Steam since October 2021.[13] Only Up! placed images from the Goblintown NFT series on the player character's shirt and as one of the masks found in the starting area.[9][14][15] The NFT series later sold clothing based on the game.[15] As Truth Labs had released Goblintown under a Creative Commons 0 license, which allows for commercial use, it is unknown whether SCKR Games had partnered with Truth Labs.[16]
Reception
Initial reception
Only Up! garnered popularity shortly after its release. By late June, it was among the most popular games on Twitch, a video game livestreaming service, at 85,000 total viewers.[17][18] Livestreamers and speedrunners shared themselves rage quitting after falling down and losing progress from the absence of a save system.[17][19]
Critical reception
Many reviewers felt that Only Up!'s gameplay was stressful—which is what made the game go viral[17]—and that it was similar to the platform game Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy.[20][21][22] Ayuo Kawase of Automaton Media praised the "high feeling of tension" players felt while in the game.[1] Writing for TechRadar, Elie Gould believed that Only Up! could give the player "a slight adrenaline boost" with the thought that they could lose their progress by making a simple mistake.[20] Ben Lyons of Gamereactor noted the absence of checkpoints and wrote that players must figure out a way to navigate obstacles without falling.[21] Dexerto's Rishabh Sabarwal summarized the "captivating" gameplay, writing that the player, when close to winning, could fall at any moment, thus losing significant progress.[22] Jason Cartwright of TechAU praised the gameplay as "very rewarding" for players who manage to surmount the obstacles presented.[23]
Most critics felt that the graphics of Only Up! were poorly constructed. While Christian Harrison of Try Hard Guides, Gould, and Lyons felt that the obstacles and overall design were not polished,[20][21][24] Cartwright praised the "beautiful" graphics and lighting when using a high-end computer.[23] Lyons and Sabarwal stated that the hidden Easter eggs in each section could surprise the player.[21][22] Although Kawase wrote that Only Up! was "poorly optimized",[1] Harrison noted that the game's graphics settings were set to their maximum.[24] Harrison considered it a "rushed cash grab".[24] Gould, Lyons, and Sabarwal expressed similar sentiments and felt that Only Up! was not unique.[20][21][22]
OnlyUp Fortnite
OnlyUp Fortnite is a custom Fortnite map created by a user known as ARMY. The adaptation shares most gameplay aspects with its predecessor while adding Fortnite references.[25] With eight times the player count of the original Only Up!, the Fortnite version had over 100,000 players in early July 2023.[26]
References
- ^ a b c Kawase, Ayuo (June 15, 2023). "Frustrating climbing game Only Up! grows popular among Japanese streamers". Automaton Media. Translated by Marco Farinaccia. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ a b Shanklin, Will (September 8, 2023). "Viral indie game Only Up! delisted from Steam". Engadget. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Jarvis, Matt (June 26, 2023). "Only Up, a 3D Getting Over It-a-like inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk, is the latest indie sensation to blow up on Twitch". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ a b c Yin-Poole, Wesley (September 8, 2023). "Viral Hit Only Up! Pulled From Steam by Creator Due to 'Stress'". IGN. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ Fischer, Tyler (June 30, 2023). "Only Up! Back on Steam After Being Mysteriously Removed". ComicBook. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ Vjestica, Amber (June 19, 2023). "Only up! update makes game less maddening. But why are users protesting?". Automaton Media. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ a b Shepard, Kenneth (July 3, 2023). "Only Up! Pulled From Steam After Becoming a Twitch Sensation". Kotaku. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ "Blanket In The Wind". Sketchfab. November 29, 2016. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ a b Wilde, Tyler (July 1, 2023). "Only Up! pulled from Steam, developer says it'll be back (update: and now it is back)". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ "Elevator for restoring progress/ anime girl coming back soon/ Copyright". Steam. July 4, 2023. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Gach, Ethan (September 8, 2023). "Twitch Sensation Only Up! Removed From Steam So Dev Can Find 'Peace Of Mind And Healing'". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ Jarvis, Matt (September 8, 2023). "Only Up dev yanks Twitch hit from Steam after saying it caused 'a lot of stress'". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (October 16, 2021). "Valve bans blockchain, crypto and NFT games from Steam, but Epic is on-board". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ Brandt, Oliver (July 4, 2023). "Only Up: Everything you need to know about the latest hit game on Twitch". Video Games on Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ a b Chalk, Andy (June 21, 2023). "Twitch's new sensation is a weird indie climbing game that's also quietly promoting NFTs". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ Hayward, Andrew (June 15, 2023). "Twitch's New Favorite Game Only Up Is Loaded With Goblintown NFT Art". Decrypt. Yahoo Finance. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c Marshall, Cass (June 26, 2023). "What is Only Up!, the climbing game blowing up on social media?". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ Ostler, Anne-Marie (June 27, 2023). "This punishing climbing game is Twitch's latest masochist craze". GamesRadar+. Yahoo Finance. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ Brusie, Chaunie (June 30, 2023). "What is Only Up? Frustrating Climbing Game is Causing Twitch Streamers to 'Rage Quit'". In The Know. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Gould, Elie (July 14, 2023). "Only Up! Is a terrifying endeavor that left me dizzy, sick, and wanting more". TechRadar. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Lyons, Ben (July 13, 2023). "Only Up!". Gamereactor. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Sabarwal, Rishabh (June 29, 2023). "Only Up! review: The ultimate test of your patience". Dexerto. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Cartwright, Jason (June 19, 2023). "Only Up is an insanely challenging, but rewarding game if you're up for the challenge". TechAU. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c Harrison, Christian (June 30, 2023). "Only Up! review – The journey of 10,000 steps". Try Hard Guides. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ Ganguly, Sharmila (June 23, 2023). "Fortnite Only Up map code: How to play the viral hit in Fortnite?". Dot eSports. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ Zwiezen, Zack (July 7, 2023). "Fortnite's Only Up! User Map Is Now Way Bigger Than the Original Game". Kotaku. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.