With the Metroidvania genre as crowded as it is, it certainly helps to have a few gimmicks to stand out. Cookie Cutter isn’t short on personality and style, and you won’t have to look far for a sprinkling of fresh ideas either. These don’t immediately come to light, however – even during the opening its clear that a customary double-jump and air-dash are going to be added to the move roster before long. Would a Metroidvania still be a Metroidvania without these two manoeuvres? Probably, yes, but let’s not sully Cookie Cutter’s good name just yet.
In Cookie Cutter, the machines are revolting. No really – our robotic heroine Cherry cusses like a drunken sailor and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. The vulgarity dial is turned up further by buckets of gore and rather suggestive imagery, including an enemy resembling a giant wang, and a sidekick with a name that rhymes with something rude.
Cherry is out to overthrow a sinister robotics corporation, with this journey taking us through factories, production lines, refineries, and a crystal mine. While these may not sound like the most exciting of locations, each is different from the last, featuring a new assortment of enemies to learn the attack patterns of, as well as new hazards such as spinning sawblades and electrified floors. Hazards aren’t merely there to be avoided as they can be used to Cherry’s advantage too. One well-timed throw into something sharp ‘n pointy can kill an enemy instantly.
Indeed, combat is of the raucous and chaotic variety. Cherry deals out a quick succession of kicks and punches, able to juggle multiple enemies in the air at once. Attacks can be evaded with a dodge or parried just before a blow is about to land – indicated by a blue flash. ‘Enders’ can be performed too, resulting in Cherry ripping out organs like a Mortal Kombat combatant.
The use of special moves is governed by a void gauge, charged by doling out melee attacks, including a ground pound and a projectile – both of which are also used to open new areas. Then comes the prospect of new weapons, with the first being an electric guitar Cherry thrashes around.
Initially, combat is tricky, to the point where it’s almost vital to perry every attack. After a few hours of gaining new weapons and moves, it de-evolves into more of a button basher; depending on the enemy type and amount thereof. It’s possible to grab and throw a bunch of enemies into a corner and wail on them for a good ten seconds, replenishing the void gauge in the process. In the absence of health pick-ups, Cherry can heal herself, but this leaves her vulnerable for a few seconds, often calling for a dash to safety.
Bosses and wave-based combat rooms are used to induce variety – with one boss battle irritatingly far from a checkpoint – and these generally take a couple of attempts to beat. Towards the end, I found myself evading enemies often as they don’t dish out XP but rather freely flowing ‘Bits’ that can be used to buy new perks. Only a couple of perks can be equipped at once, such as faster healing, which adds scope for experimentation.
Featuring a similar cartoony visual style to the recent Ebenezer and The Invisible World, I was worried about how the animation sequences would impact the responsiveness of the controls. Things are slightly choppy after performing an ender, but overall the animation is fluid, and platforming jumping is mostly stress free. The world map also makes progression relatively straightforward, indicating the current objective and its location, along with showing doors yet to be opened.
There are some difficulty spikes to contend with though, some of which relate to the camera zooming so far out that it’s hard to anticipate enemy’s attacks and get those essential perries in. The amount of projectile-flinging enemies eventually becomes overwhelming too, and after around ten hours of play, the map becomes daunting in size. Metroidvania newcomers may find themselves in over their heads, especially when it’s vital to check the map every couple of minutes to prevent going off course.
For those well-versed in the genre, Cookie Cutter is a sweet package. A combination of stylish visuals, guts ‘n gore, meaty combat, and a lengthy playtime for a 100% run. It doesn’t crumble much under scrutiny, making it an easy recommendation to anyone hankering for something more risqué and raucous than the competition.
Subcult Joint LTD’s Cookie Cutter is out now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series. Published by Rogue Games.