Ugly is a game that's hard to pin down. Equal measures 2D platformer and introspective puzzle adventure, developer Team Ugly takes us on a journey through a scorned nobleman's past as he tries to make sense of his present. Flavors of Dorian Gray and Alice in Wonderland are peppered throughout, as our unfortunate-looking protagonist navigates a derelict series of chambers.
You can tell that the close confines of his castle used to be beautiful. It seems that way, anyway, but now, with all the doors locked and the windows and mirrors smashed, all that's left is a husk. To find the truth of it, he must venture forth and confront his monsters – without and within.
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Reflections play a large part in Ugly. Mirrors feature as an ongoing metaphor, representing the protagonist's internal and external sense of self, but it's also used as a game mechanic. Using a single shard of mirror, the protagonist is able to reflect himself either vertically or horizontally to complete puzzles and make his way through the labyrinthine chambers of this largely abandoned palace. All that remains are vestiges and memories, found by placing your mirror shard in exactly the right spot so that both hero and reflection are in front of crudely-drawn outlines on certain walls.
These memories are no walk in the park, showing an angry father screeching at his child to put on a mask and hide his face from the world. Each memory unlocks a requisite achievement, with similarly sobering names: I like your loneliness. I will make you a REAL prince. Not my son. These harrowing moments can only be escaped by holding down the B button on your Xbox controller, and lingering on them too long was enough to make me anxious at times.
There's little to no on-screen text to guide you through it. A brief tutorial teaches you how to use the mirror shard to solve puzzles, and to reset the chamber if you mess up, you can take a swig from a nondescript bottle at any time by pressing Y. It's presumably alcohol, with the ugly protagonist fading from vision before showing up in the fetal position back at the chamber entrance, groggy but ready to keep going. This is a not-so subtle hint as to what might have happened to this nobleman, back in a time he's long forgotten.
I'm not the most skilled at platforming games, but Ugly is much more than that. It's more puzzle than it is combat, as you traverse each smaller chamber in search of a key to unlock others. There are three main halls in the castle, each containing a wealth of these smaller locked doors, and after unlocking all of them, you enter into a boss battle.
Hidden depths
Each boss battle represents a point in the nobleman's life, a part of himself made manifest as a monster, tormenting him every waking moment.
The first boss battle I stumble upon feels jarring at first, having not faced a single enemy up until this point. A mummy-like monster wrapped in top-to-toe bandages laughs maniacally, lashing out with loose bandages to knock me down as I race to jump up on the three pins that hold it in place. The monster itself destroys the pins by raining down a powerful punch attack from above, so the idea is to bait it into attacking you before neatly jumping out of the way. Thankfully there's no fall damage, but remembering to make use of my mirror shard while dodging these attacks can get stressful.
After unlocking all three main chambers and battling each one's big boss, the hero's past is finally made clear. I spend most of the game thinking that the little boy in the memories, berated by his father and hidden from the world, is a younger version of my character. The truth is far more disconcerting, and though I won't spoil it for you, it's a stark realization that makes the puzzle pieces fall into place. Each boss battle represents a point in the nobleman's life, a part of himself made manifest as a monster, tormenting him every waking moment.
Sad, scary, and overwhelmingly emotional, Ugly brings to life many well-worn adages with surprising heart: still waters run deep, while beauty itself is far more shallow. If you're looking for a platformer that will give your mind something meaningful to chew over – and if you're not sensitive to stories involving alcoholism and familial unrest – Ugly is a beautiful, succinct indie gem that asks you to see beyond the mirror's glance and find forgiveness in your shame.
Ugly is out now on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Switch. Check out some upcoming indie games to add to your wishlist, from This Bed We Made to Plucky Squire.
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