The games that can best be described as strange are common for those of us who are dedicated to just about anything. Every genre has them: titles that are a little harder to describe, but basically take a concept and add some strange ingredients to it. I think it often becomes a little more fun and interesting when things aren’t all of a piece, but rather take a real twist. That’s what Gori does, to say the least. Here we play as a cat who makes his way through tons of enemies with the help of his talking hoverboard. It’s essentially a pretty dull hack-and-slash game, but it manages to create something unique with the presentation that frames the entire action. It’s a balancing act that falters several times, but is original in several ways, making a somewhat repetitive game mechanic a little more fun.
Gori is a cat who suddenly finds himself in a situation where humans are extinct and toys and machines are running amok. As a little furball, you have to survive, and that’s easier said than done when all sorts of enemies, especially little pink unicorns, want nothing more than to kill you. The action spectacle is fast-paced without much time to die, with all the carnage mixing with board movement through strange levels. There is also a rather dark sense of humor and a very youthful expression. I think it’s really nice that he doesn’t take himself too seriously at all. It’s quite liberating that it’s so over-the-top in every way, teasing with a few pop culture references here and there.
Cats should know that Cuddly Carnage is special in many ways. Blood splatters, albeit cartoonishly, as your main weapon, the board, splits the heads of unicorns, and boss after boss is as inventive as it is strange. It’s Super Mario, but grown up, which is a bit contradictory given his visual appearance. The cartoonish art style goes along with a comic book theme in the presentation and cutscenes, but it’s still a bit like we’re getting some kind of spiritual sequel to Conker’s Bad Fur Day. There’s a lot of swearing and other things, and although it can be a bit silly at times, like I said, I think it all has its place and fits into the overall atmosphere of the game.
In addition to hitting enemies, there are also a number of platforming moments that, in addition to the purpose of avoiding tracks, also fill your meter to allow for more powerful special attacks. One of the biggest problems, however, is that the controls are quite imprecise. They’re not exactly inaccurate or particularly bad, but coupled with a fairly shaky camera, there are some moments that feel unnecessarily frustrating. At the same time, the controls are quite forgiving, which perhaps compensates for the somewhat unstable situation. Gori has to make his way along a series of rails and to get on them you have to press a button, but it’s a bit like it doesn’t matter where you do it as long as you’re nearby. The same applies to areas where you have to switch between different signs. It’s a bit like colliding with surfaces only works when you’re close to them. It seems more vague than it really is because it’s not really difficult in any way. It’s just not exactly smooth. You could say that the control still doesn’t really work against you, but it could certainly be tighter and there are a few cases where it works against you, although thankfully there aren’t that many.
Like many other things in this game, the graphics and music are special. The cartoon style is appropriate, although a little lacking in detail. However, it’s a pretty fun design in many ways and the simplicity is a plus too. The game has three different graphics settings, from 30 to 120 frames, which works very well, although of course at the expense of resolution. But it’s difficult to play at a lower frame rate when you’re used to smooth chaos. The music is loud and bizarre, but it accompanies Gori’s adventures well. Overall, the presentation is fun without being technically brilliant.
The main focus of the game is of course action. It is a Hack and slash At its core, like the controls, it feels a bit imprecise. Of course, this goes hand in hand with the controls being perceived as such, but the movement has no real weight and I miss a little variety in both the animations and the combos. Most of the time just walking around the field is enough, although some special abilities and new weapons become available as the game progresses. You can also collect money to upgrade them and buy new outfits and other things.
It is a humorous action game that places great emphasis on being fun and unique in its presentation. The mere premise of a friendly kitty on a board plowing his enemies to the ground and taking on crazy bosses on fun tracks are great ingredients in themselves. But the game also offers control and action that doesn’t feel particularly snappy or hectic. It’s more of an idea than an execution, but the idea itself is still entertaining enough to go far. If only the controls and combat, which are of course very important in this type of game, had been much more precise and responsive, it would have deserved an even higher score. However, a unique and crazy fun performance doesn’t happen overnight.