Game Review: UglyDolls: An Imperfect Adventure (Xbox One)

I hope you or your child enjoys fetch quests because 90% of UglyDolls: An Imperfect Adventure is this. Not only that, it’s the same fetch quests over and over again to the point of madness. Madness induced by the monotony of it all. Even a young child will find this experience incredibly boring once they’ve got over the colourful visuals.

Based off a series of plush toys of the same name and a computer-animated musical comedy film released in 2019. This is a franchise few over the age of 10 will know about, and for good reason as the film was panned and this game…well, it’s not good.

Now it is important to remember that this is a game aimed squarely at a younger audience. With that in mind, the simplicity of gameplay can be forgiven to some degree. However, just because your game is aimed at kids doesn’t excuse laziness.

Set in the town of Uglyville, where a load imperfect toys live out their days having been rejected for sale. Players can choose to control either Moxy or Ox, or as both in two-player mode. Perfect for a parent and their child.

Explore the small, 3D world of Uglyville with the goal to get rid of a bunch of robots that have overtaken the town. There is a story wrapped up in some narration but it’s petty basic and if you didn’t know anything about UglyDolls beforehand this won’t change that.

Not that it really matters anyway, as once the quests begin you’ll quickly realise it’s the same thing over and over again. Collect items for a character and or/find a character first who will then task you with finding more items and/or another character. It’s as bland as it sounds and even the ‘crafting’ system can’t enhance gameplay to enjoyable levels.

This system, where you can craft items to reach unreachable areas require a certain amount of set items to craft. Which means you’ll spend way too much time unlocking chests to find them, it becomes such a chore. Especially in the game’s final chapter where it takes things too far.

Visually, the wow factor of the open-world with its patchwork floor and brightly coloured buildings diminishes very quickly. After just a little bit of exploration, it becomes painfully clear that everything looks exactly the same.

Finally if all of this wasn’t enough to put you off, the game is only about 3-4 hours long. Which is 3 hours too long when you consider it is fetch quest after fetch quest after fetch quest.

Being made for children is no excuse for such a lazy, uninspired and ugly offering.