Gori: Cuddly Carnage

Genre: Action

Players: 1

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Review:

Gori: Cuddly Carnage is an Action game released in 2024 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where cutesy robotic toys have risen up against the human race, and a robotic toy cat named Gori and his allies fight against them as they search for their missing creator.

Gori is one of those games that combines cutesy elements with extreme violence for shock value – despite being toys, everything seems to have plenty of blood and guts, the neon-filled post-apocalyptic landscapes are adorned with plenty of brightly-colored paint, and the cute animal toys you fight are warped into grotesque monstrosities. Any notion that this game is using its “toy” plot elements to aim for a more tame ESRB rating will quickly catch on to exactly what’s going on when they see just how frequently their mouthy hoverboard swears, albeit bleeped out.

This hoverboard, which carries a similar personality to Borderlands franchise’s Claptrap character, is both your main method of traversal in the game, as well as your main form of attack, slicing into enemies using zebra-striped blades housed within it, and later with add-ons such as a heavy flail that can break through enemy shields. Often you’ll need to charge these attacks using a dash with limited energy, with this energy recharging when you use normal attacks or grind on rails. Players can also use an extra-bloody finishing move on enemies to regain health.

As ludicrous and over-the-top as this game is, it’s also really fun tearing through groups of enemies at a time or jumping from one to another like a combo. There’s a wonderful visceral thrill that makes this game’s combat and movement an absolute delight… well, save for two exceptions.

First, the platforming here leaves something to be desired, as you often have to make precise jumps from rail grind to wall ride to rail grind, and it’s not easy to judge your jumps to make sure you land at the right spot you need to. Also, enemies with projectile attacks really drag on the game’s otherwise-great combat, as you’re not really given great options to counter these enemies, especially when you’re surrounded by them.

A part of the problem here is the game’s terrible camera, which is too close to your character and can make it far too easy for enemies to sneak up on you or shoot you from your blind spots. This is definitely one of those games where you kinda’ feel like you need to be babysitting the camera all the time.

Getting back to the presentation, this game uses 3D visuals that are mostly pretty good, though the bright colors and sizable number of characters can make scenes seem pretty noisy and hard to parse at times. Also, in the Nintendo Switch version of the game, the fur shader used for the feline main character is spotty and doesn’t look very good. This is all joined by the constant voiced quips by characters and backed by an energetic soundtrack with a mix of electric guitar and drums and some chiptune as well, with a some good examples including The Adventure Begins, Intruder Alert, Full Retro, Ride the Wave, and a real highlight being the game’s Saturday Morning Cartoon-esque Main Theme.

Overall, while I don’t think it’s for everyone, I think there is a lot to love in Gori: Cuddly Carnage. The action in this game is delightfully frenetic, and the game is absolutely bursting with style and personality. I do wish the camera was better, I wish the platforming was better, I wish the game gave players better options for confronting foes with projectile attacks, and I think some players will likely find the over-the-top presentation grating instead of appealing, but those who aren’t put off by all of this will find Gori to be an excellent Action game.

tl;dr – Gori: Cuddly Carnage is an Action game where players fight hordes of cute/grotesque robotic toy enemies as a toy cat on a hoverboard. The presentation is over-the-top and hyper-violent, the visuals strikingly garish, and the action is fast-paced and frenetic. There are a few frustrating issues like a bad camera, and this game definitely won’t be for everyone, but those not put off by its loud and eccentric nature will find this to be a wonderful Action game.

Grade: B

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2024 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Action Game

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