Hey kids, do you like violence? Not just violence, but murdering, while tearing apart cuddly toys that have become something more…grotesque? Well strap in and get a splatter guard ready as we enter Gori: Cuddly Carnage.
Gori is set in a world where humanity has been destroyed and its only saviour is a cute cuddly kitty called Gori. He won’t be doing this alone as Gori will be companied by F.R.A.N.K, a smart-mouthed and wisecracking hoverboard (that doubles as a traversal tool and weapon), along with CH1-P and rather a morose and depressed A.I system. With this rag-tag team assembled, they will fight back against the Adorable Army who have been created by ‘Cool-Toyz Inc’ and stop them from conquering the galaxy, whilst also rescuing Professor Y, their missing creator and only human who showed Gori and his friends love.
Aesthetically, Gori: Cuddly Carnage is a bright-coloured neon-filled wild ride, with locales being extremely varied with fantastically unique set pieces to do battle in, traverse and even find a few collectables along the way. From the locations to character designs everything is extremely crisp and high quality, and when the enemies get…. let’s say more ‘fleshy’ and gooey this level of detail remains.
The soundtrack itself slays with high-octane beats that get you pumped and ready for action. Much to my surprise Gori is also completely voice-acted, well except for the titular Gori. Since he is a kitty cat all his ‘voice lines’ are meows, cat chirps, whimpers and purrs. One of my favourite sounds trigger if you leave the controller alone, Gori will lie down on F.R.A.N.K the hover-board to have a little snooze while he purrs happily (and if you are playing on PS5 the purrs come out the controller speakers). Despite having the aesthetic of a kids’ game this is far FAR from it, with the story being a dark affair, adult language, fleshy body horror and copious levels of gore aplenty.
When I first saw images of Gori and little gameplay I assumed it was going to be an Air-Blade style game (which was like a Tony Hawk game but with hoverboards and an actual linear story). I could not have been more wrong. While yes you ride a hoverboard as your traversal and platforming F.R.A.N.K is also your weapon to slice, dice, smash and explode all who stand in your path.
Firstly, the traversal and movement are silky smooth even when moving at high speeds and pulling off a grind into a wall ride. Secondly, the combat is just as amazing, every attack combo hits the mark perfectly along with each style of attack feeling how it should land. Slicing is fast and visceral with blunt attacks feeling weighty and crushing. It also wouldn’t be an action game without some devastating finishers thrown into the mix, with all the above becoming a cocktail of neon and blood-soaked carnage for all.
I have enjoyed every moment of Gori: Cuddly Carnage with its varied levels and multiple challenges to fight through and conquer. It’s been one hell of a ride.
While it doesn’t have many main story stages, the challenges of getting the gold stars in them and grabbing all the collectables give good reasons to go back and play on higher difficulties for that full completion. Oh, I forgot to mention, Gori: Cuddly Carnage is only £16! With how pretty and well-put-together it is, I am still surprised it’s launching at such a low price.
Gori: Cuddly Carnage is a high-quality and enjoyable game. Don’t even wait for a sale as it’s more than worth the full price tag.
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Developer: Angry Demon Studio
Publishers: Wired Productions, CouchPlay Interactive (Greater China)
Had a feeling you’d enjoy this! Still wasn’t expecting the 10/10