The 'Too Much Water' meme originated from a 2014 review of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire published by IGN. In the review, the writer gave the game a 7.8/10 score, listing 'too much water' as one of the primary negatives due to the heavy reliance on Surfing routes in the Hoenn region. The gaming community quickly turned this specific criticism into a viral joke, using it to mock questionable review logic or overly critical takes. Today, the phrase serves as a shorthand for any disproportionate criticism or a way to satirize the 7.8 score whenever water features prominently in any piece of media or real-life situation.