[READER CAUTION: THIS GAME HAS EXTREME AMOUNTS OF GORE AND PROFANITY]
I’m someone who loves all things cute!
But I also enjoy my fair share of horror as well, and this combination often creates a fascinating and often thought-provoking contrast. I have played games that have had a mixture of both styles, but they don’t usually provoke much excitement. The ones I come across tend to be very monotonous, repetitive and all around boring…
When I heard about Gori I was, “Wait a sec, you mean to tell me there’s a game out there that’s filled with gore, cutesy animals, AND I get to play as a CAT!? Count me in!”
Gori: Cuddly Carnage is a hack and slash action-adventure game based in a future where humanity has been wiped out by cute, mutated, blood-thirsty toys. The story is centered around Gori, a prototype synthetic pet cat and his companions, created by Doctor Y. The protagonists fight to survive and stop the “Adorable Army”, led by corrupted toys like unicorns that need it .
It features a blend of platforming and combat while incorporating elements of horror and violence, despite the cute and cuddly aesthetic.
Small warning though, the game is incredibly raw and vulgar, especially when the characters interact with one another. I cannot recall a game where my jaw has literally dropped to the ground that many times due to its dialogue alone. Although there is a way to filter the profanity in-game, I wouldn’t dream of removing it.
The moment I loaded up the game I was instantly enamored with the comic book style artwork. I could tell that this was not going to be your ordinary hack and slash game. And as I started playing and messing up with the mechanics I found myself really enjoying the gameplay, especially during the execution moves as time slowed down so that you could fully enjoy the GUTS, BLOOD, and FLYING BODY PARTS of all the infected unicorns you maim… with style.
But that’s not all Gori has to offer!
I was completely captivated by the story that was not only chilling, but also deeply tragic. If the story/cutscenes do not put a complete hold on your heart, then I am fully convinced you have no heart…Just Kidding! But seriously, the cutscenes contain beautiful artwork paired with incredible voice acting; it’s enough to give you goosebumps!
As for the levels? They’re amazing!
They are dark and eerie, but incredibly vibrant at the same time which is quite the achievement. And every time you’re done with one, you get to go back to your ship to select another level, but that’s not all it does.
The ship contains special rooms you can access if you locate the three key pieces in each level. These rooms have ‘Trophies’ from each level, as well as photos of Gori’s memories and even the ability to revisit the comic book cutscenes. There are also 8 main levels each with their own bosses at the end that you can select, as well as an additional 14 mini levels dedicated to overcoming specific challenges to rescue some of the uninfected unicorn toys.
And to navigate through all of this mayhem, you have your trusty hoverboard that not only lets you do tricks and grind, but also helps you deal with enemies, by shooting, slicing or pummeling them with its enhancements.
Gori’s hoverboard comes fully equipped with blades, a hammer and a rocket launcher. Personally, I do not have the best aim when it comes to shooting at a distance, but of course, the game developers thought ahead and added what they call ‘Aim Time’ which allows gamers a few seconds of slowed movement to allow for a flawless shot! This ‘Aim Time’ can be increased when time is purchased in any of the available vending machines.
Speaking of vending machines, if you’re a customization junkie, these terminals allow you to use in-game currency to purchase everything from weapon upgrades to increased attributes, and of course skins! And I got absolutely obsessed with these machines and spent quite some time using them to decide what to buy next, as you can buy skins for the hoverboard and different outfits for Gori, as well fur patterns and even change eye colors!
It’s usually difficult for me to pick a favorite game, but Gori made that very simple for me. As it stands, Gori: Cuddly Carnage is one of my all-time favorite games! That is not to say that the game is without faults, it does have a few kinks that can be ironed out. The checkpoint placement is a bit unreliable, and can set the player back a bit too far sometimes, forcing them to re-do a lot of more than they should have to.
The lock-on targeting system is also not the best, and can cause complications when trying to stay locked on the more powerful enemies, ultimately leading to your death. Some of the bosses can also be a bit tedious, leading to a more frustrating experience rather than a fun one. But it’s honestly something quite minor that doesn’t take away from the overall experience of the game.
Gori: Cuddly Carnage is not a game for everyone, as it is more on the mature side with its foul language and bloody fight scenes, but if you are anything like me and you love horror, profanity, gore, carnage AND all things cute, this game is for you!
It is a beautifully executed game with a great story that creates an experience like no other. OH, shame on me! I almost forgot to mention, if you are a completionist, the game is highly replayable, as you will want to keep earning in-game currency from battles just to be able to purchase all of the fun vending machine upgrades and gear! I myself plan to go right back into it on its most difficult setting, ‘CUDDLY CARNAGE’.
You also get a second surprise ending once you have finished saving all of the uninfected unicorns that seems to hint at the potential for a continuation in their story. Will there be a part two to the series? I guess I’ll have to bite my nails in anticipation to find out!
You can bet your last penny that if there is, I will jump on that quicker than you can say, “Psss Psss, HERE KITTY KITTY”!
PAW-sitives
💚 Replayability is great as each level can be tackled multiple times.
💚 Battle Mechanics are fun and expressive.
💚 Incredible Artwork in both cutscenes and gameplay.
💚 A ton of customization options.
💚 Unapologetically gory and foul.
💚 Captivating Storyline with characters that matter.
Negatives
❌ Checkpoint placement is not always great, which means a lot of repetition.
❌ Boss Fights can be tedious.
❌ Lock-on Targeting is often screwing you up at the worst time.
36yr old mom of 3! I am what you call a SUPERMOM, as I manage to maintain a 4.0GPA in my online schooling towards my associate’s degree in science for medical billing and coding, while absolutely crushing it at this mom thing! I am also a twitch streamer and content creator, and I also run my own discord community for fellow gamers and streamers alike! I love cats, baking, art and singing!
Written by
Edited by
Kevin Fernandes
3 Comments
Indie Lewis
Amazing review Kitty!
SuTheKitty
Paw-some Review Kitty!
Been recommended this game for awhile now and from the review I can see why!
I might have to get on the Carnage Train soon XD
Indie Kitty
I recommend this game to absolutely everyone !!! It is an amazing game, and if you like cats it makes the experience even more enjoyable!