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Game
Game2023
Ugly
Developer Team Ugly
Unravel the dark secrets hidden throughout this stirring puzzle platformer about a tormented nobleman confronting the traumas of his past. Use an innovative mirror mechanic to solve challenging puzzle rooms and defeat towering bosses as you strive to piece together the ugly truth. From the Steam store page
314 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 6, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
93
LovedLoved
172 positive · 13 negative
95% range 88–96%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 172 | 13 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 5 | 6 | 115 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
245 of 260 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
93% recommend · 172 yes, 13 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 185 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Overwhelmingly Positive (621 of 651 positive).
Many highlight its beautiful art, music, and deep story tied to gameplay. [1][2][3] Some reviewers criticize later sections for frustrating difficulty and precision platforming. [4][5][6]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
Okay, after playing 7 hours of semi-fun puzzles, I had to rage quit trying to complete the fire boss level. This games states in its own words to play calmly. There is absolutely nothing calm about any of the boss levels. This game requires very good reflexes and at 50+ years old, this just isn't something I am cut out for anymore. I have no idea who the target market is for this game. Is it a "calm" puzzle game …
- [9]
The fact that Ugly has <100 reviews as of the publishing of this one is absolutely embarrassing. Not embarrassing for the devs, mind you, but embarrassing for the many, many fans of puzzle games out there who are overlooking one of the most spectacular examples of its genre. Ugly isn't just good - it's amazing. And while the pieces of a great game are all here - excellent, creative visuals, a moody, beautiful …
- [12]
This here is a masterpiece. You remember playing Braid for the first time? I would place this right next to, or maybe even above that experience. Its puzzles might be easier (totally subjective), but they're no less creative. Its story and lore feel more fleshed out and mature. Never before have I seen gameplay mechanics and story tied together so well. It's juicy in the way FromSoftware's games are. There's so much …
- [16]
My mom told me I could be anything when I grow up so I decided to be UGLY. Jokes aside this is a smooth puzzle platformer, its literally Braid tier goodness. The fact it isn't getting hype like Braid makes me very sad for gaming. If you like puzzle platformers you will not regret getting this game!
- [1]
A beautiful game that on the surface seems simple and casual, but actually has its depth and difficulty; which I really liked. There are many good things to say about it. You might think the basic mechanic is just: go to a room, solve the puzzle, and get the key to move to the next room. However, each section has a specific mechanic, and every room applies it differently from the previous ones. These are strongly …
Summarised from 34 of the 221 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
93% of the 185 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Ugly. The complaint that keeps coming up: frustrating boss fights and precision platforming. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
60 of 314 · most liked firstGame Devs Reveal All Their Ugly Placeholder Assets Made Without AI Who needs AI when you can make ugly and very charming placeholder assets like this? kotaku.com/crimson-dese...
neutral · AI labelView post →i fear we are headed towards a place where i attend the final titans game at Nissan Stadium for Ugly Reasons
neutral · AI labelView post →Reminder: Leandro Paredes #5 pushing Jude Bellingham in the England game. And the other 100 fouls Argentina did. Ugly is their skill.
neutral · AI labelView post →Nobody in the history of ever has agreed on how to play this game so this bout to get UGLY ugly lol
neutral · AI labelView post →It might *actually* be good riddance for Sophie Cunningham. Unrestricted free agent, and her August-September were UGLY. 15 games, 20.7 minutes per game, 39.7% from the field, 4.7 points per game, 2.1 rebounds per game. 3 playoff games: 24.7 minutes, 6-of-14 FG, 7.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg.
neutral · AI labelView post →THIS GAME IS SO GOOD JUST FOR THIS. THE UGLY LAUGH I HAD. my man isn’t shit
positive · AI labelView post →The fact that Ugly has <100 reviews as of the publishing of this one is absolutely embarrassing. Not embarrassing for the devs, mind you, but embarrassing for the many, many fans of puzzle games out there who are overlooking one of the most spectacular examples of its genre. Ugly isn't just good - it's amazing. And while the pieces of a great game are all here - excellent, creative visuals, a moody, beautiful soundtrack, and an interesting story, those are all just the cherry on top. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →let the record show that I was the first guy to do the whistle motif from The Good the Bad and the Ugly in a video game. that's probably not true but let the record show it anyway
neutral · AI labelView post →Okay, after playing 7 hours of semi-fun puzzles, I had to rage quit trying to complete the fire boss level. This games states in its own words to play calmly. There is absolutely nothing calm about any of the boss levels. This game requires very good reflexes and at 50+ years old, this just isn't something I am cut out for anymore. I have no idea who the target market is for this game. Is it a "calm" puzzle game intermixed with some intense platforming? This combination seems to be a very…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ugly, ugly game
neutral · AI labelView post →The Rams after the interception started the drive at the Chargers' 19 gained 8 yards and settled for a field goal. Ugly game brewing so far. Rams 3, Chargers 0, 5:42 1Q.
neutral · AI labelView post →Bill Maher’s Ugly Genocide Denial On Full Display [15min Video].
neutral · AI labelView post →Ugly, ugly game.
neutral · AI labelView post →This here is a masterpiece. You remember playing Braid for the first time? I would place this right next to, or maybe even above that experience. Its puzzles might be easier (totally subjective), but they're no less creative. Its story and lore feel more fleshed out and mature. Never before have I seen gameplay mechanics and story tied together so well. It's juicy in the way FromSoftware's games are. There's so much to think about and piece together. So yeah, if you've played Braid and liked…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ugly game, cold night, lots of Albion in the home end. Good win. UTA. #bhafc
neutral · AI labelView post →A disaster of a game for the Habs. One of the worst blown games I've ever seen. They just said that this was the latest 4 goal comeback in NHL history. Ugly ass game.
neutral · AI labelView post →A beautiful game that on the surface seems simple and casual, but actually has its depth and difficulty; which I really liked. There are many good things to say about it. You might think the basic mechanic is just: go to a room, solve the puzzle, and get the key to move to the next room. However, each section has a specific mechanic, and every room applies it differently from the previous ones. These are strongly tied to the story, which is something I love in games. Each mechanic and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ugly! Disgusting! Looking for a Indie Survival Horror Game with a Chamrful Low Poly Pixelated Art Style? One with Engaging Gameplay, Tons of Characters from Goofy Mascot Horror to Eldrich Horror and much more? Download Silent Mansion For FREE on Itch Io! #indiegames #indiegame
neutral · AI labelView post →"Look at us, guys! We're a fast food company making a... Video game?? Wow!!! So zany!!! Come buy our burgers!!!" Ugly
neutral · AI labelView post →remembering that i need to actually recruit units on at least one route for them to join up later in the game means that my dietrich route is about to turn into House Lamine and the Ugly Fucks
neutral · AI labelView post →The game initially has great potential and is actually fun, but by the time part 2 comes around, the developers have gone completely overboard. Instead of offering a pleasant challenge, there are now too many frustrating elements that severely disrupt the gameplay. Puzzles that could have been clever are turned into tedious exercises due to unnecessary complexity and unfair mechanics. I love puzzle platformers like The Talos Principle or Portal, but this one lacks the balance between challenge…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A lot to like here.The puzzle solving is fairly unique and leads to some really interesting gameplay. The art style is also quite interesting and has a scary nightmare vibe to it. But the puzzles could have used some real QC. Any game that has a "kill me" button because the developers couldn't stop the player from getting into situations where they would be stuck reeks of bad design. There is one area in particular where you're trying to navigate through totally black rooms. I have no idea if…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#PlayingJapan Playtesting Part 1 went so well, what a joy! Half of the class brought their MVP (Minimum Viable Product) Prototypes to play in groups. “Ugly” & cheap design encouraged. Acorns for meeples r my fave. Many diff mechanics & themes like the salaryman grind, anime studio, Yokai, & samurai.
positive · AI labelView post →So... Deja vu from the Eastern Conference Final. Ugly. Join @jhacheyradio.bsky.social and me in a few moments to break it down. Game Over Montreal starts shortly: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwKd...
neutral · AI labelView post →The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly If I could, I'd give this game a Mixed review. 3 out of 5 stars. Something like that. There were some parts that I really, really enjoyed, and there were also some parts that made me want to stop playing and run outside yelling. Most of my complaints are with the latter half of the game, but I will be discussing full-game spoilers, and I do recommend the game, so I'd recommend going and playing it to see if you like it. Okay, so first let's go over the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ugly is clearly a labor of love. Its visuals are beautiful, with detailed animations and loads of detail. Its music does a great job at setting the tone of the game. And the story? Incredibly fleshed out (and disturbing) despite being wordless. But... I did not enjoy my time with Ugly. I struggled with the controls throughout the entire game. There are only a few actions that you can do (jump, place/retract mirror, swap, and restart) but I constantly mistook the placing/retracting mirror and…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ugly name beautiful game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ugly game but at least an ugly win. Will absolutely take it. The other results were also great for us. #WatfordFC #EFLChampionship
neutral · AI labelView post →Masterfully crafted puzzle game that tells a compelling story through every facet from gameplay to gorgeous visuals and sound. Later parts, especially getting the true ending with bonus puzzles require a lot of control dexterity and timing, though. A masterpiece nonetheless!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ugly is a very good 2D platformer with a strong dark atmosphere and theming. + Great atmosphere + Good graphics * 6.5 h playthrough, 100 % * Level reset is not snappy but takes a moment; on launch the game suggests to take your time; it's not a snappy, fast platformer, even for level resets and repeating tries * The game has some but not thorough guidance; not everything was obvious to me * Indirect story-telling - can be a bit confusing * Occasionally requires precision or precision timing…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →AVOID | LACKING | MAYBE | WORTHWHILE | COMPELLING | UNMISSABLE Ugly is a 2D puzzle platformer. There are two parts (technically three, but one isn't really relevant) to this game - the first is like 90% puzzle and 10% platformer and the second is closer to 60% platformer and 40% puzzle. In general, this game displays a high amount of polish and thought throughout. The puzzles become increasingly more difficult and the game introduces new skills/limitations in how you can interact with the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Those bastards lied to me, this isn’t Ugly, it’s beautiful. So yeah, this is a hidden gem for puzzle platformers, worth giving it a try but I will say what made me stop playing it. First of all, the main mechanic of the game is a mirror mechanic which allows the character to place a point where he will be mirrored allowing him to pass through walls, of course you can switch between mirror self and main self at almost any point IF the mirror self allows it. There are variations of usage of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My mom told me I could be anything when I grow up so I decided to be UGLY. Jokes aside this is a smooth puzzle platformer, its literally Braid tier goodness. The fact it isn't getting hype like Braid makes me very sad for gaming. If you like puzzle platformers you will not regret getting this game!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fantastic puzzle game, the mirror mechanic and swapping between your clone feels pretty unique and aids the game instead of feeling like a one note gimmick that not much puzzles are built with in mind. Interesting little story mostly focused on the background of the main character and told fully without any words it seems and a lovely relaxing soundtrack.Game seems to generally do a pretty good job at adding new mechanic or obstacles for each puzzle world in the game. Lovely art style too,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It’s funny the game is called Ugly because it’s such a beauty, it’s close to perfection when you see a footage of the game. The graphics have so much detail, attention and personal touch put into the environments. I love to zoom in often just to see the cupboards, the kid drawings made and toys scattered for instance. You also have many situations where you move past objects and they animate in delightful ways. It’s not just the graphics, the soundtrack is also fantastic and the same holds true…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →4/10 + puzzles - the rest of the game
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ugly game but a win is a win
neutral · AI labelView post →Yeah sometimes I get people who think I'm against the idea of like REWARDING PLAYERS FOR THINGS or w/e and like NO, but you can do all this stuff in ways that fit your game and AREN'T UGLY! god I hate seeing those popups in cutscenes
neutral · AI labelView post →It’s an UGLY game.
negative · AI labelView post →So far Seahawks and Chargers have combined for 190 yards in penalties. Ugly, ugly game from both teams.
neutral · AI labelView post →Ugly is a powerful puzzle platformer game. It reminds me a lot of Braid, but with an even creepier and tragic story. The game uses a mirror mechanic, where you set up a glass shard and an immaterial "copy" of yourself is created, and you can switch back and forth to it if there is enough space. The game has interesting level-based mechanics that all come together in the last levels to deliver the true challenge. I am not particularly good at puzzle games, so Ugly beat me several times with…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great visuals, really nice accompanying OST, the gameplay start simple but ramps over time and the same could be said about the narrative of this game. Game might be called Ugly but it hides a beautiful underrated gem underneath. Definitely reccommend anyone to give it a try
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got the recommendation off a youtube channel saying it was the best indie of 2023, and even on sale this waste a waste of money. Mechanics are much like Braid, it's not as dark a story as other games on the market, and you can predict the story. Feels like a PS3 digital only game with all those limitations and not as deep or fun.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →like to be fair having the Ugly trait/neg beauty modifiers in this game does gimp your social so bad and gives you a huge penalty to relationships with basically everyone who isn't Kind or blind but it's also not "will become a meat monster if you use psy-stun"
neutral · AI labelView post →Ugly end to the game there. Hell of a slog and win for the #Lions, bringing the Vikings their first loss. But honestly I’m just hoping Jack Campbell is ok #Onepride
neutral · AI labelView post →Not a great game (even taking into account some of the score effects) but I’ll take the two points. Ugly points in the bank are still points in the bank
neutral · AI labelView post →I love a violent UNO GAME.. Draw 4 You Ugly Mf ‼️🤣😅😂
neutral · AI labelView post →Ugly game between #USMNT and Canada. So many fouls, it couldn't get going. USA with a perfect 4 wins during the FIFA window.
neutral · AI labelView post →- At parts it's more precision platformer than puzzle platformer + Great pacing of introduction and exploration of puzzle mechanics + Really nice animation + A dark and interesting story
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Crazy underrated game. Artistically, it's absolutely outstanding. The graphics and animations are gorgeous, the music is beautiful and thoroughly fitting, the narrative is intriguing and moving. And many such titles that heavily rely on art go down the walking simulator route, but Ugly is a proper puzzle game, and for the most part, for the better. Even if there's only one core ability, mirroring yourself, there's a good variety of additional mechanics that make puzzles more varied and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very well made puzzle game with a very good and deep story that will make you hooked, I really appreciate the amount of details in this game and how every room is so unique and different. Team ugly I will be waiting for your great next game :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →On a back to back game against both Florida teams that are Cup Contenders, getting 2 points is pretty good. Ugly 1st period, but they did show up and made it a game that Vas had to stand on head at times. Not a bad loss, but still sucks.
neutral · AI labelView post →Ugly start to the second half and it's suddenly a two-point game. Sixers letting this depleted Pacers team hang around.
neutral · AI labelView post →This is every bit as shit a game of football as I expected. Ugly stuff. #lufc
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is far from over but it’s been a great showing by the Penguins Depleted lineup. Ugly string of losses. Stanley Cup contender in the building But adversity can bring a team together
neutral · AI labelView post →Ugly wins are part of the game in long seasons. Take the three points and skip the rage baiting podcasters this week.
neutral · AI labelView post →Story is Ugly Art is Ugly Gameplay is Ugly Puzzles are Ugly The Ending is Ugly I do not recommend this game👎, and you are Beautiful. ------------------------------------------------------------- I po ɹǝɔoɯɯǝup ʇɥᴉs ƃɐɯǝ👎' ɐup ʎon ɐɹǝ ∩ƃʃʎ. ┴ɥǝ Eupᴉuƃ ᴉs Bǝɐnʇᴉɟnl bnzzlǝs ɐɹǝ Bǝɐnʇᴉɟnl פɐɯǝdlɐʎ ᴉs Bǝɐnʇᴉɟnl ∀ɹʇ ᴉs Bǝɐnʇᴉɟnl Sʇoɹʎ ᴉs Bǝɐnʇᴉɟnl
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Contrary to the title, Ugly is a very beautiful game in both mechanics and storytelling. I'm not the best at puzzle games, nor are they often my first picks but this was pleasant, albeit somewhat linear experience. 100%ing the game wasn't that difficult, but I will admit there are certainly parts (the main gimmick of part 2 and one of the bosses) that felt difficult not because of a skill difference but because they were just rather rough, at least to me. Overall, I'd say it's a very good game,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The puzzles are all nice short challenges that make me crave more. The story is AMAZING and is best seen blind going in. The visuals are perfect, no flaws in sight. The music is nice and mostly somber, would love to have the soundtrack on hand. The game runs well and any bugs were likely just my low-end Laptop's fault. Overall a 10/10 game!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is fantastic. Think Braid 2 but mirrors instead of time travel, and a considerably darker plot.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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