Cookie Cutter Review
What would you do if your lover (and indeed your creator, because you’re a robot) was kidnapped by a bunch of diabolic ne’er-do-wells? Well, if you’re an android called Cherry, the answer would be to go on a murderous, visceral, gore-coated, revenge-powered rescue, that’s what.
Cookie Cutter, it must be said, is a sublimely gorgeous game. Unbelievably gory, sure, but gorgeous nonetheless. This is due primarily to the outstanding hand-drawn 2D visuals, they are utterly sumptuous. Bold, punchy, memorable character design and bright, vivid, weird, environments both thrill in equal measures. The animation is something else entirely, and with Cherry’s deisgn alone there is so much detail to delight in. As Cherry heaves herself up onto a ledge, huffs and puffs in her distinctive run, or whips an Akira-style motorbike out of nowhere to eviscerate her foes; this is some benchmark animation.
Visuals aside, the game itself is your standard Metroidvania. And, for the most part, Cookie Cutter does a very good Samus Aran impression. Each labyrinthine level is crammed full of secret rooms and pathways that can only be unlocked through finding and correctly applying one of the numerous abilities. These are drip-fed to the player at a satisfying rate, just as every good Metroidvania should. There are traps and tricky platforming sections to navigate, hordes of minions to dominate, and – of course – enormous bosses to battle. So far, so good.
Where Cookie Cutter comes undone is in terms of responsiveness and control. For all her athletic animation, Cherry handles like a soapy brick in a bathtub. Many platforming sections are brutally hard and require precise timing, so tapping a button, only for Cherry to jump far too late or not at all,
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