When the reviews started pouring out for Gori: Cuddly Carnage, I was gutted that I may have missed out as I couldn't enter my PS5 review code whilst on holiday. Thankfully, that was swiftly resolved, and within a couple of days of downloading it, I watched the credits roll on this entertaining hack 'n slash.
Developed by Angry Demon Studio and published by Wired Productions, it presents as a flagship/launch day title to promote the new hardware capabilities. The visuals are mind-blowing, whether you opt for performance or puddle-reflecting ray-trace preferences or not, and the feel with the DualSense is just as good - like when you first experience the HD Rumble in 1-2-Switch or the haptic feedback from Wreckfest.
My take on Gori: Cuddly Carnage is slightly different to the rest. First of all, the cat didn't appeal to me any more than Stray, and I think it's closer to Hell Pie more than any other title, though there's a hint of Trickstyle on the Dreamcast, and the ground-breaking animated series, Reboot. Yeah, we're going all out on references today. What will be said is this is a brilliant game.
Gori: Cuddy Carnage PS5 Review - The Toys Are Back In Town
It's the near future, and toys, specifically the Adorable Army, have destroyed humanity. These advanced synthetic beings have morphed from cute 'n cuddly unicorns to razor-wielding maniacs (though still unicorns). The professor responsible for these abominations also created Gori, and through the comic panel cutscenes, we learn of the two's relationship and uncover the former's disappearance.
Gori sets out to rescue them and destroy the army in the process. Though Gori is an advanced feline, they can't talk, so their companions - a hoverboard named F.R.A.N.K. and depressed ship A.I. CH1-P do all the talking. F.R.A.N.K. is the star of the show based on their skills, not their use of language. They swear like a trooper, and should you get the option to remove their profanity filter, don't. It's not offensive; it's just excessive.
In Gori: Cuddly Carnage, Gori rides into town on F.R.A.N.K., slashing through all variations of unicorn synthetics. These mutate into flying enemies, gun-wielding, exploding popcorn-based killers, giants and more. The bottom line is you'll be hacking through waves of them in a Devil May Cry manner, seeking a sometimes elusive top score of PPP. There are only two attack buttons and a ranged attack, though the boost function can modify them.
Give Me Fuel, Give Me Fire
Tapping the light attack will unleash a flurry of horizontal attacks, while the heavier move will smash through shields and flying enemies with finesse. The boost in question is used for navigating the eight stages (which take around an hour to complete each, give or take) and escaping lasers, floods, and bosses through chase sequences. Combined with attacks, they deal more damage, albeit by sacrificing F.R.A.N.K.'s fuel.
Fuel is restored through kills, wall rides and grinding - and effortless at times. Easily one of Gori: Cuddly Carnage's highlights is how natural the controls feel, both with the platforming action and the combat. Those seeking a challenge might find the latter weak and more of a button masher. I loved it as it was well-balanced, except for some later levels that pushed a bit too much.
In Gori's quest to find the professor, they must retrieve some essential items to tackle the army. There are only four items to collect, but outside of this, each level has hidden keys to unlock more goodies, cash machines for permanent upgrades, and bonus stages, which are effectively point-scoring rounds where you rescue a 'normal' unicorn, tackling hordes with uninterrupted attacks.
Let's Be F.R.A.N.K.
Those upgrades include improved attacks, a ranged move that fires rockets at enemies, though typically required for triggering doors and whatnot. Cosmetic options, including changing Gori and F.R.A.N.K.'s appearance and the missiles you fire, are also available. Once done with the main story, Gori: Cuddly Carnage warrants repeat playthroughs to 100% the rest and get the extended ending.
Gori: Cuddly Carnage is a fast-paced, entertaining game. The only beefs with it would be a couple of crashes where I could not progress, though the checkpoint system is forgiving and doesn't hinder things too much. F.R.A.N.K.'s language was mostly annoying, though his heart/CPU is in the right place, and gameplay can be a bit hectic when there are no visible objectives. It isn't maddening, but there's the odd bit of not knowing what to do/where to go.
Gori: Cuddly Carnage Review Summary
Undoubtedly, this should be featured on the PSN home page to showcase the platform. Sure, it's not an exclusive, but it fits so well on the PS5, and the integration with the DualSense (cat purrs and all) makes for an entertaining experience. While the combat can be somewhat simplistic at times, the fluidity of the platforming sure as hell carries the weight. Gori: Cuddly Carnage is a thoroughly enjoyable game from start to finish.
