Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

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Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Developer(s)The Collective, Inc.
Publisher(s)Atari
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, PC, Xbox, Mobile phone
ReleaseUS: February 14, 2006
EU: February 24, 2006
Genre(s)Third-person Action Adventure
Mode(s)Single player

Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is a video game released on February 14, 2006. It was developed by Marc Ecko and Atari. There were two editions of the game, one being a limited edition containing the soundtrack and having a cardboard outer cover and the other being the normal release.

The game focuses on an amateur graffiti artist known as Trane who uses graffiti and tagging as a way to protest against the corrupt Dystopic city of New Radius, in a future world where freedom of expression is suppressed by a tyrannical, Orwellian city government. The "Contents Under Pressure" title obviously refers to the warning found on most aerosol spray paint cans.

The musical score for the game was produced by underground hip hop artist RJD2.

Characters

Note that some of the following in-game characters are actual well known street artists/graffiti artists.

Trane
Trane, aka Coltrane Crowley, is the main character of Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure and is voiced by prominent Hip-Hop artist Talib Kweli. He begins the game as a self-centered amateur in the New Radius graffiti community, but as he progresses through the game he becomes swept up in the struggle against the corrupt Mayor Sung and his personal police force, the CCK. Even as a legend he continues to write illegally.On one of the levels, he describes thinking to hit Tina. Which means wanting to have sex with Tina
Cope2
Best described as a "Bronx bomber and destroyer", Cope2 has been present since 1983.
Futura
Now a professional artist, Futura has been around since the 1970s.
Obey
Known for his stickers of André the Giant, Obey is a graphic designer from Rhode Island.
Seen
Born in the Bronx, he was featured in the documentary Style Wars and his tag is known worldwide.
T-KID.
Another great graffiti legend, T-Kid teaches Trane how to create aerosol murals.
Smith
After his brother "Sane" died in the 80s, Smith keeps his name alive. Smith is one of the biggest subway bombers around. He teaches you sneaking skills in the game.
White Mike
A massive albino, White Mike is a member of Trane's Still Free Crew. Though Trane fights him early in the game and steals his paint, "Renegade" White Mike later joins the protagonist due to a mutual friendship with Kry-1.
Kry-1
Kry One Comes up with the name for Tranes SFC (Still Free Crew). Trane reps for him after they found the crew. Although he never actually tags he does come up with some sleek designs.
Gabe
The leader of the crew VANR (Vandals Of New Radius). He's scared of heights, so he usually has his henchmen tag graffiti that he designs. Early on, Gabe "vamps" Trane, beating him within an inch of his life and stealing all of his gear besides his blackbook. Following this, Trane designs some comedic tags to mock Gabe. Later on, the two are grudginly forced to combine their efforts to combat a greater evil, though their rivalry persists. He is later on presumably killed by a fall after a fight with Trane, being left to fall after revealing that he has told the CCK where Decoy lived.
Mayor Sung
The mayor that sends the message that art is a crime, and tries to make the town look better. Even though he is Trane's enemy, he wants to know more about him and ultimately get him shut down. Sung is the leader of the CCK, the anti-graffiti death squad. Sung also killed Trane's dad on 9/06 some years back, a fact that Trane spends much of the game trying to expose.
Tina
Known as the model of the game, and Gabe's girl, she has a thing for Trane.
Spleen
Gabe's Bodyguard, ends up killed or caught by the CCK.
Cuda
Stake's bouncer.
Dip
Gabe's main ally. Always wears expensive clothes, and becomes upset when they're damaged. He uses his belt as a combination whip/brass knuckles when fighting.
Decoy
One of New Radiuses most wanted artists, he is wanted for his extensive knowledge of Miguel Sungs crimes of 9/06. His pieces are of the military art style which probably hints at his service in the army as a Sergeant and also resemble Banksy's stencils. He is first met at the pool yard after Gabe beats Trane with his crew. His death was the result of Gabe's idiocy.

Inaccurate Stuff

Throughout the game, many inaccurate things happen. Someitmes when you spray on a surface using freeform tags it somewhat rises a few millimetres off of the surface or when you change the colour of a throw-up on the wall from the default colour, the spray can's spray goes into the colour of the default colour not the one which was chosen. It also, sometimes, for example, when you have a black and white piece, it goes over the white and strangley goes over the black as well in white. Also, Spraying the piece gives colour and only defines the piece to look sharper.

Official Mixtape

Prior to the release of the official soundtrack, and the videogame itself, Marc Ecko, Talib Kweli, and DJ Exclusive put together an official Mixtape to help promote the up-coming video game.

Soundtrack

The following are some of the confirmed songs for the game's soundtrack

In August 2006 Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure won the MTV Video Music Award for best Video Game Soundtrack.

Controversy in Australia

Wikinews has related news:

The Australian ABC News channel has reported that Getting Up has now been refused classification in Australia after its initial "MA15+" rating was overturned after appeals by Queensland's Local Government Association, effectively banning its release in the country. The Federal Classification Review Board, responsible for reviewing the game and concluding to refused classification of the game (under a majority 3 to 2 decision), cited that the game promotes, and provides instruction for illegal graffiti and real-life graffiti artists.[1] Marc Ecko stated that he was extremely disappointed with this legal move.

Some people have pointed out that the banning of this game is inconsistent with previous classifications. The game Need for Speed: Most Wanted was released at a similar time and focuses around illegal street racing, but received a G rating.[2]. See also Moral panic.

The full review board report, including case-by-case analysis of contentious material, may be found here: [1].

Marc Ecko's Response to Critical Reception

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure was almost universally panned by critics who most commonly cited poor controls and a lack of polish as the game's major faults. However it did achieve notable praise in the UK for its originality, scoring 87% in Gamesmaster magazine, 8.7 on gamespot.co.uk and overall, according to the site, achieved an average a 7.1 out of 10 from its affiliated websites.

Penny Arcade criticized the game, calling it "God's punishment for an evil world."[3]

In an interview in the New York Metro,[4] Marc Ecko blasted these critics, citing system limitations and video gamers' "predisposition to have a bug up their ass for anything urban", as well as stating that the PS2's hardware had "limitations that people just can’t understand".

Later in the interview; however, Marc admitted that the game had issues with "some of the technical things" and that the game was "not as precise as I would have liked to see," also criticizing the people comparing the gameplay to Prince of Persia.

Awards

  • GameSpot's Best Licensed Music Award 2006

See also

References

  1. ^ Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure refused classification upon review, Australian Government Classification Review Board, 2006-02-15
  2. ^ Censors cop a spray, Sydney Morning Herald, 2006-02-23
  3. ^ Lies and More Lies, Penny-Arcade, 2006-02-17
  4. ^ Marc Ecko: From fashion to videogames by Robert Summa, 2006-02-27.

External links

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