Developed and produced by Elegant Horse Studios, Driving is Hard is a physics-based, rage-inducing platformer similar to ‘Getting Over It’ but with driving.
Inspiration is a strong word. Callipygous is also a strong word! However, we are not here to talk about firm buttcheeks. We are talking about a hard driving game named Driving is hard.
From design and narration, I have never seen a game copy another so obviously yet still come out as genuine and hilarious.
Let’s talk about it
Driving is Genuinely Hard
From the very beginning, driving is hard gives you an idea of what we are getting into. The mere difficulty options are Easy or Hard. The only main difference between them: one has checkpoints and the other does not.
Just like ‘Getting Over It,’ the goal of Driving is Hard is to reach the top of a weirdly constructed, seemingly man-made mountain. All the while trying to master a very clunky and downright annoying gameplay system. Albeit that’s by design, it is still a pain.
Even though I keep mentioning ‘Getting Over It,’ I must say that not all things are the same. One minor yet decisive difference, you’ll agree, is the mode of transport. In ‘Getting Over It,’ you are a man in a cauldron with a sledgehammer. In Driving is Hard, you are a man in a bathtub with wheels.
You must be wondering, how does that play?
Well, annoying and at points, frustrating. However, this is by design and is worth giving it a chance.
Collectables are the New Black!
Here’s all that you get at the start: You are in a plain old bathtub, with plain wheels and what looks like a bored man inside. Whether you play on easy or hard, you are gonna travel upwards. Eventually, at some points, you will come across these checkpoints for rest. You can still fall off or fail here, but you may take the time to rest regardless.
In these rest areas, you will find a small garage-like structure. Standing above it, you get the ability to update your vehicle. The game doesn’t tell you this, but to my knowledge, these updates are pretty much useless. They are mostly for cosmetics.
As you progress through the game, you can find many collectible objects in various places, from hidden in boxes, to placed behind a large parkour course. These items help you unlock more items for cosmetics in the shops, like tires, parachutes, clothing for your guy, tub shape, size and location of the exhaust, etc.. All of this is useless nonsense that would leave you wanting more. Some might argue it’s pointless, but I found it fun.
Another for the Masochists
Driving is Hard is a true test of patience and skill, wrapped in a chaotic, physics-based package. If you’re a fan of games that embrace frustration as a core mechanic and enjoy feeling like you’re stuck in an endless loop of failure, then this game might just be your new favorite challenge.
While its humor and bizarre mechanics make it stand out from the crowd, it’s also a game that doesn’t apologize for its difficulty.
The updates and collectibles add to the charm, no matter how pointless they may seem.
Ultimately, Driving is Hard is a game that will test your limits and perhaps make you question why you keep trying. But for those who enjoy that kind of masochistic fun, the rewards, both in terms of gameplay and absurdity, are worth the struggle. So, buckle up (or don’t, it’s hard either way) and give it a go, but be prepared for the ride of your life.
