Cat slash fever
Sometimes I just want a brain-dead action game that is full of ridiculous themes and outlandish concepts. Gori: Cuddly Carnage fits that bill. This game never apologizes for what it is. I can pay no better compliment to this game than to say it reminds me of the 360 days when over-the-top carnage was a bullet point on the back of the box. Gori is a game that strives to let the player have fun at every moment. It doesn’t require pinpoint combat or platforming, and instead focuses on just being a stupid good time.
So, let’s discuss the plot, and I swear, I am not making this up. You play as Gori, who is a normal house cat. Then their owner gets kidnapped by a giant teddy bear in a jack in the box and some demented unicorns. Then Gori picks up his trusty hoverboard, which is a sentient AI that serves as sort of a tutorial as it barks orders at you, to shred unicorns while upgrading Gori’s abilities along the way. Yeah, it is bonkers.
MSRP: $21.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $21.99
I love the ridiculousness of this game, and it extends to the presentation. Little things like enemy intros with witty dialogue, the fact that there is an upgrade to remove the profanity filter, and just the sheer carnage that happens is so over-the-top I could never take it seriously. Instead, I just proceeded to have fun. There isn’t much to the combat or platforming, but that never mattered. I just wanted new upgrades, new threads, and to see what the next level had in store.
Gori can upgrade his hoverboard and weapons over time. As I progressed new enemies would appear that required a new device to take down. This adds a little depth to the combat, but it never becomes overwhelming. Instead, the game just allowed me to experiment and have fun. Watching unicorns sliced into pieces never got old. The boss fights are ridiculous, not just in design, but also in their mechanics.
The stages are equally bizarre. For example, early on there is a game that Gori gets stuck in. You have to complete tedious tasks over and over and the game even pokes fun at it. The bright colors and simplistic traversal make focusing on what makes the game fun. Never once was I worried about the platforming, or even dying most of the time. Instead, I focused on getting those sick kills so I could see what was in store for me next. It is so stupid, and it works.
There are eight stages total, and each one has an unlockable arena where players can live out their sadistic fantasies as they mow down hundreds of enemies in bloody fashion. This isn’t a long game, in fact my first playthrough was only around seven hours. It never wears out its welcome and it gives the minimal mechanics just enough time to simmer.
Visually the game is tight. The frame rate is rock solid, and the lavish colors really make this game pop on a proper TV set. It is a visual feast and feels really well-made. The sound is also great with some hilarious voice overs and some thumping music that is great to murder unicorns too. I was shocked at how well put together this game is mechanically. It just feels great to play and look at.
Gori is a simple and stupid game, and I love it. I miss titles like this. Sometimes I just want to turn my brain off and kill a bunch of enemies. I feel like so few developers understand that above all, games are supposed to be fun. There is no deep narrative here, no lavish open world, just a handful of hours of carnage, and I couldn’t be happier.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
