Is the truth really out there? Possibly, but one thing’s for sure:
there is something very different, you could even call it weird, about H + A’s
comic adventure, U.F.O.s.

It’s the 1970s. You, a bizarre purple-sausage-alien
named Gnap, crash in the Ozarks, a deserted portion of earth where chickens and
pigs run free and butt cracks are the latest fashion craze. Your ship is in need
of repair so you take off to find spare parts that can be used. An advertisement
for a cereal blows in your face, but what really gets your attention is the prize
included: a weird light bulb-like object that is just what you need to fix up
your UFO.

Before you set off, you come upon a platypus in need of help.
You quickly save him, and in return, he follows you along your quest and helps
you when you need help.

U.F.O.s is full of comedy a la Ren and Stimpy.
Since you are an alien, you talk with your head and make a weird gushy sound that
always makes me laugh out loud. Even when clicking on a helpless chicken, you
are amazed to find out that the chicken will poke you in the eye! Comedy like
this is littered throughout the game, so just when things are seeming a little
slow, there is always something to cause a little giggle, chuckle, or uncontrollable
laughter.

An inventory transmitter is used to zap up items you may need
along the way, and a small icon is placed in the top right corner for you to click
to access all inventory items as well game options (save, restore, quit, etc.).
Inventory objects are kept to a minimum, so you usually don’t have to carry more
than eight items at a time.

I was very impressed with the graphics. Although
the animation is of the basic 2D type, the game uses 3D backgrounds which look
absolutely astounding and fit the theme perfectly. Characters are all outrageous
and exaggerated. From purple space aliens to fat hick-town bikers to old ladies
trying to cross the street; everything’s here and funny as hell!

Gameplay
is simple. There are four cursor modes: Hand, Eyeball, Mouth and Platypus. The
hand is used to pick things up or generally interact with something; the eyeball
is used to look at an object or person; the mouth is used to talk with someone;
and the platypus is used in your aid to distract someone or to do something you
don’t want to do (as long as the game will allow you to). It’s a basic point-and-click
adventure with a twist.

I found the action sequences in the game to be quite
enjoyable! The first one you come upon is an easy drive to the biker town where
you must avoid certain objects and run over others, and the game ends with a wild
tongue fight for gum. These sequences may be hard to understand at first, but
you always have a second try at things and they are easy to learn once you fool
around with them.

I found the music in the game to be enjoyable but not
all that plentiful. There is a cute little tune played each time you gain an inventory
item along with an incredibly drawn still shot of the character holding the inventory
and tiny stars shining about the screen. At various other parts of the game, such
as the circus, there is background music and sound effects. Most of the voice
acting is performed by members of the design team, but surprisingly, it fit in
very well and they were not too bad.

A big complaint I have with U.F.O.s
is that it is just too short. There’s basically only one path to the end,
and it is always the same ending. The game is played in only five small locations,
and I completed the entire game in under two hours. However, I had more fun with
U.F.O.s than I had with Curse of Monkey Island or Leisure Suit
Larry, which take much longer to complete. In a sense, it is worth a replay
or two just to be sure you’ve clicked on everything and laughed at everything
there is to laugh at, because it is always funny the second time around.

So
many little features abound the game, it’s just so hard to believe. The designers
paid attention to every little detail, and never did I once think that they had
rushed this game out. The story is short yet complete, and there are no bugs,
which is what we would like to expect when we find a game, but quite often never
see it.

H + A has created a fun, albeit short, unique game here that most
new adventure gamers will appreciate. Anyone who wants a great laugh should pick
up U.F.O.s immediately or else you won’t know what you’re missing.

Final
Grade: A-