In American Hero – Unrated, players assume the role of former military intelligence operative Jack Devon (Timothy Bottoms). Devon is tasked by his former partner with locating a missing biologist (and former love interest), Laura (Musetta Vander), the developer of an antidote to a deadly virus created by germ warfare specialist Karl Von Kruger. Kruger has initiated the spread of the virus through the Los Angeles water supply, aiming to seize control of the USA. Jack must now intervene to stop him, facing a rapidly closing window of opportunity.
American Hero – Unrated presents a more compelling narrative than gameplay experience. Originating as a project for the Atari Jaguar, it employs fully recorded video scenes with limited player interaction, a common approach within its genre. Gameplay primarily involves binary choices: yes or no, up or down, right or left. American Hero – Unrated, initially slated for a 1997 release, faced cancellation. The creator then explored releasing it as a film, recording additional sequences to achieve feature-length duration. However, during film editing, a significant portion of the material was lost, leading to the project’s second shutdown. Nearly 25 years later, the project was revived. Utilizing modern technology and new voice work from original actor Timothy Bottoms, the developers successfully completed American Hero – Unrated, which premiered in 2021.
American Hero – Unrated distinguishes itself from similar titles of its time with its mature content. It features nudity, violence, and gore. The nudity approaches levels of pornography, and the initial warning text is justified; this game is decidedly not intended for all audiences.
One may question the target demographic for this title, given its significant shortcomings. The acting performances are notably poor, matched by the subpar quality of the video sequences. The game mechanics are rudimentary, resulting in what amounts to little more than an interactive film. One particularly frustrating sequence involves escaping the villain’s base. Navigating the corridors offers no clear direction, necessitating rote memorization of the correct path. This process proved excessively time-consuming, and the repetitive nature of the sequence exacerbated the tedium.
American Hero – Unrated is challenging to evaluate as a game in the traditional sense. However, it holds a certain fascination as a relic of gaming history, despite its clumsiness, absurdity, and general lack of polish.
In conclusion, assigning a rating proves difficult. However, the game’s value as a glimpse into a forgotten era of gaming elevates its appeal. Consequently, the rating for American Hero – Unrated is adjusted upward by two points.
Ziggurat Games provided a review code for this title. The provision of materials does not influence our editorial assessments.
