Mini Review Ugly Americans

[LegendExeter]

Picked this up randomly while looking for a game for the A-Z Non-Plat Competition, and I wasn't disappointed.

 

I never seen the TV show of what this game is based on, however the dialogue and albeit short story of the game is pretty damn funny.  There are one liners thrown throughout the levels as you fight, as noted in another video review I watched, they get repetitive over time yet not horrible.  The game has 11 stages, and 3 true boss fights, the rest I wouldn't really consider as they are basically mid-tier minions that can appear throughout the level.  In the game you will pick as 1 of 4 characters, like many other games they have different areas of which they are good at.  The girl is exceptionally fast, while the middle aged man is incredibly strong, etc., or can be with maxed stats.  I think 60 is the max level, yet unsure as I didn't need to go past it when I got the 100%.  

 

There is a strategy guide on pstrophies.org so if anyone needs assistance you can go there.  Overall it's not that hard, yet has a moderate difficulty level, the game enemies are man-birds, zombies, and demons.  Most of the time you will be firing while moving around or walking backwards so to avoid being swarmed.  The game features 1 online trophy of beating the game with another player, going through all 11 levels not just the final boss.  This can take around 1.5 hours max, and it's fairly easy.  As a group we died once in the person I played with.

 

I was easily done with the game in about 2 play sessions over 2 days.  Surprisingly the kill trophies didn't take long at all, finding all the different weapons is what will take the longest, yet not that bad.  In each level aside from 4, 8, and 11, there is a secret case file that will randomly appear somewhere on the side of the road when destroying other targets like trash cans.  When you pick it up it can unlock a few things like videos, yet after this each one will start to unlock the few weapons you can't find naturally in the levels.  Before you enter a new level after attaining one of them, go into the DOI and choose the new weapon if you would like.  I don't think you actually have to use them, I think for The Collector trophy you just have to actually get the case files.

 

The demon babies are pretty easy to find, aside from what you find in your first playthrough, after that when you start doing random levels looking for case files you will start to see a lil demon head in a blue circle as an icon around a random level icon.  That means there is a demon baby in that level, you should go play the level and get the baby.  The game doesn't give duplicates for the babies, so it will unlock a new one until you find the 4th one.  So fairly easy there.

 

The game is pretty easy, I recommend the online playthrough first, as then you won't have to do a playthrough by yourself.  I recommend Mark Lilly as your character as he seems middle of the road, not too weak HP like the woman, and not too slow like the middle aged dude.  I think the game is somewhat fun, not groundbreaking, with a funny yet too bad it's too short story.

 

The only thing that I found a downside was simply that I think you shoot to slow regardless of what weapon you use.  Overall a pretty easy and quick shoot 'em up that I would recommend.

 

EDIT - the resuscitate 50 times trophy can be easily done with a 2nd controller, you don't have to do that one online and it will just make it take longer for your partner.

 

The trophy for beating the game without using your special attack is level dependent.  Basically if you beat the game and accidentally hit the button and used your special on levels 2 and 7, then you don't need to beat the whole game again, you can just go and play level 2 and 7 without using your special attack and you will gain the trophy.

Edited July 11, 2022 by LegendExeter

[Helyx]

Was hoping you'd describe the genre of the game and how it holds up to tested titles in the same lane.

[LegendExeter]

20 minutes ago, Helyx said:

Was hoping you'd describe the genre of the game and how it holds up to tested titles in the same lane.

 

Everybody always wants more, more, more!!  lol j/k

 

Well it's genre is listed as Sport, so I dunno if it holds up that well against a Madden NFL, or NBA 2K, yet it's a pretty easy drop in side view 3D shooter.

 

In all seriousness, I can't think of a game that mimics this layout, unless we are just talking 3D shooters in general.  It's not a Call of Duty or Payday with vision from the eyes of the shooter, it's side by side, yet you can run all over the map allowing it to include depth...hence "3D".  I don't know if I would put this even better than Super Contra on SNES, yet it feels like its own breed.  It reminds me of Zombies ate my Neighbors, yet that seemed more polished and more difficult.  This definitely has that indie feel to it, overall low budget with cartoony graphics.

 

It's average to above average, it's not great or groundbreaking though.

[Helyx]

Looks like a side-scrolling twin-stick shooter; kinda interested now.

[LegendExeter]

On 7/11/2022 at 6:54 PM, Helyx said:

Looks like a side-scrolling twin-stick shooter; kinda interested now.

 

Yeah it's actually not too bad.  Pretty good for the price point.

 

Reminded me of Super Smash Bros. from SNES as well I guess, yet its not really a top down shooter.  

 

The challenge is decent yet its a fun co-op game.  Let me know if you get it and need help with online I don't mind going through it once more.

Edited July 13, 2022 by LegendExeter

[Helyx]

45 minutes ago, LegendExeter said:

Reminded me of Super Smash Bros. from SNES

 

You mean Super Smash TV?

[LegendExeter]

1 minute ago, Helyx said:

 

You mean Super Smash TV?

 

Yes dude that is what I meant.  That game was really awesome yet so damn hard at the same time.

 

I will never forget that, it made me think of like The Running Man movie, since it was a gameshow where you died!