Review - Gori: Cuddly Carnage

Developer: Angry Demon Studios

Publisher: Wired Productions

Available On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

Reviewed On: PlayStation 5

HERE KITTY, KITTY!

It’s quite rare that you get to refer to a protagonist as a pussy and it not be derogatory, but this is one such instance. Gori: Cuddly Carnage immediately caught my attention from the reveal trailer. It wouldn’t be the kitty cat in the starring role that did it, although he is a cutie patootie. No, it’s thanks to how bloody violent it is - unicorns were being sliced to pieces with a God damn hoverboard. The concept tickled my taint, but sadly, it would then go quiet for months. The day that it finally re-emerged was the day my hype reignited. I suppose in that sense, it’s fair to say that this title left a mark.

Gori: Cuddly Carnage answers the question - what if a feline had a weapon?

Well, the answer is chaos, but a chaos with the intent of being dumb fun. When I dabbled in the demo, that was at the forefront of the experience. I was having a blast, nudging me to anticipate the full release. I have it now and have dedicated twenty hours so far, and in that time, I’ve made a pair of comparisons - join me in discussing them.

SOMEONE GET THE SOAP!

Before I begin, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room. Gori: Cuddly Carnage could be a tribute to the classic Conker’s Bad Fur Day. I’ve never had a chance to mess with it, however, but from what I’ve seen, the vulgar language flows like a river. That’s exactly what we’re getting in this script. The dialogue in Gori has a stupidity to it. It’s mostly banter with quips and some typically nonsensical bullshit. Yet buried in the midst of the relentless F-bombs, there a plot. Of course, it isn’t of much depth but there’s a start and finish, and between that, there’s also a small sliver of sincerity to this story.

Don’t get me wrong; it won’t bring players to tears. It did get me to feel sorry for Gori, though, for what he has to endure - while simplistic, it’s strangely sweet.

Naturally, that’s quickly reeled in by the personalities of these characters. They’re rather one-dimensional, but there’s a commitment to that one. It excels due to how it’s acutely focused on that trait, exaggerating it to another degree. For instance, during the demo, we meet Chip, our ship, who’s in a perpetual depression. No, he doesn’t eventually grow into a happy-go-lucky version of himself because he’s chronically sad. I get the lack of variation may seem dull but I believe that’s the charm.

SHOOT, I CAN’T GET IN!

That Conker’s Bad Fur Day DNA persists well into the gameplay loop with Collect-a-thon elements. Sure, it isn’t a prominent aspect in Gori: Cuddly Carnage, but it’s there. Scattered around each level are three parts of a key. Once they’ve been assembled, it’ll unlock a door in the hub area, revealing goodies. I didn’t find it too tough to do, either, because those fragments are found in obvious spots. If there’s an accessible corner that’s tucked away, chances are that it’s a prime place to look. It’s a nifty wrinkle to an otherwise linear path, but it does halt the fast pace as I had to stop to scan my surroundings.

My biggest disappointment is the rewards. After I enter into the rooms, I obtain a fresh hoodie for Gori to wear. It speaks to my inner fashionista, but it feels underwhelming, too. There’s already a shop that has loads of cosmetics for sell - from the eye colour to his breed. It feels intentional that clothing is separated, almost as if Angry Demon Studios couldn’t think of a replacement. They will have a jukebox and normally, that would be hype. The OST is superb, but it blares through in-game speakers, giving it a muffled effect. It neuters the impact of the tracks due to that weird execution.

SLICE AND DICE, GORI!

Anyone familiar with me will know that I’m hopelessly obsessed with Lollipop Chainsaw. I absolutely adore the brutality. It puts me into a glass case of euphoric bliss. With that said, Gori: Cuddly Carnage manages to capture a similar magic. I was giggling as I zoomed across the screen, causing explosions of blood in my wake. Granted, it’s button-mashing 101 as I’m tapping for combos. The repetitiveness is there but thanks to how snappy it is, I never felt the tedium you’d expect to set in. One facet that I’m giddy for is like Sonic the Hedgehog, Gori has a homing strike - he can hone in on enemies. It’s ridiculously joyful and has me going for the platinum trophy.

Another similarity to Lollipop Chainsaw is how linked to Arcade sensibilities Gori: Cuddly Carnage is. We’re trying for the high score to get that coveted gold star performance. A shortlist of objectives to achieve that is given before the round - score a specific number or be victorious in a set period. I had a goal to aspire to, and that’s why I felt as engaged as I did. I had to fully concentrate on what I was doing to maintain a streak multiplier. If I’m feeling spicy, increasing how tough it is will turn the nasty unicorns into killing machines. I needed to be alert and aware of my health depleting to empty.

WAIT, GORI CAN FLY!?

When it concerns the controls, I can confirm that yes, they’re intuitive, but they’re also quite sensitive. I had a handful of accidental deaths because I’d overshoot a jump. My heavy thumb tapped the button and Gori would overstate it, launching much higher than I was intending. Luckily, a generous checkpoint system did save my bacon loads, keeping the progression lost to a minimum. I reckon it’s the reason frustration wasn’t a factor. I have a feeling that learning how to adapt to the leaping mechanic also aided in that, even if it isn’t foolproof.

OUCH, MY EYES!

Gori: Cuddly Carnage has a fidelity that compliments the theme to a tee. I mean, it literally looks as though a unicorn caked the whole map with a neon mess of vomit. To be honest, the vibrancy does bother me at points. I had to dim the brightness, saturation, and the like because it was giving me headaches. Once I did that, I was relishing in the glitter and confetti that flew into the air as I cut my foes to teeny tiny chunks of flesh. The boss designs are gnarly also, particularly the spider Jack-in-the-Box - there’s serious creativity on display.

SPIN ME ROUND, BABY!

I’m rarely bothered by frame rate. Yes, that might be due to my taste in gaming. A turn-based affair won’t need the peanut butter smoothness. It’s why I’m fine with the Nintendo Switch. The portability is king and as a result, I tended to exclusively cover titles for the hybrid. The novelty of having extensive romps, such as The Witcher, on the go superseded the technical hiccups. Then I got a Portal and my world broadened. Gori: Cuddly Carnage allows you to choose whether you want quality or performance. Well, for the love of all that is holy, pick the latter. Trust me, just choose it and savour it.

DID YOU MEOW AT ME!?

I’ve essentially already told you my first impressions on the songs but if there was any doubt, I love them. Outside of combat, it’s primarily ambiance, but when I’m knee-deep in the thralls of battle, the heavy guitar and drums kick in. My adrenaline starts pumping as I unleash hell. If we’re talking voice-acting, it’s perfect, but I don’t mean in a flawless way. It’s campy but has a mix of sweetness to it. I thought it fit beautifully in Gori: Cuddly Carnage. What had me chuffed above it all, however, were the meows and the purring - it’s so damn adorable.

AND THE FURRY VERDICT IS…

Gori: Cuddly Carnage had a mission, and the mission was to be dumb fun. Thanks to those arcade touches and frenetic action, it was a success. Back when I was in college, I remember devouring Lollipop Chainsaw. I beat it, only to replay it instantly, and in doing so, my delight remained immense. My purpose for this story is to illustrate how I was enveloped in orgasmic bliss. I gained a satisfaction in gunning for the best score in an area. Granted, Gori won’t be redefining the genre, but it does handily manage to capture the essence of a video game. Despite the faults, it’s entertaining and you should buy it.

GORI: CUDDLY CARNAGE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

A code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.