Cookies Must Die Review: Bake My Day

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I've never had any beef with any cookie. Oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, gingerbread, cinnamon—they’ve all been my friends and allies. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I like cookies more than the next man. So imagine my horror when I learned a group of deviant mutant baked goods had taken the city hostage! This is the premise behind Cookies Must Die, an action platformer that's BATTER than most. Yes, I took it there.

Developed by indie game studio Rebel Twins, which has graced us with catchy titles such as Aliens Drive Me Crazy and Daddy Was A Thief. We get another tasty morsel with the award-winning Cookies Must Die.

I hadn't heard much about this game before playing, but the title and cover art alone were enough to draw me in. The kid in me loves cookies and cartoons. When I saw the colorful and playful imagery of my favorite pastries on screen up to no good, I knew this game would be as devious and delicious as devil's food.

Cookies Must Die wastes no time getting you into the action. There isn't any tutorial, but the controls are simple enough to figure out after a minute of gameplay. The action controls are essentially slingshot-based. That is to say, you sling your character from one spot to the next, disarming cookies, juice pops, and other snackage along the way. What's also unique about the control scheme is that you can freeze your character in midair and sling them in different directions. It's a simple enough control scheme, but with the combination of dodging enemy attacks and environmental hazards, the game can become quite challenging. I got my ass kicked several times by a tyrannical cupcake that launched a one-hit-kill cherry right in my direction.

In Cookies Must Die, your goal is to clear stages by freeing hostages and collecting coins. You can only clear a stage once you've gathered the stage key, which will inevitably lead you to a boss. This is where the fun action sequences really come into play. I enjoyed fighting with mega pies that bled purple filling all over and chocolate chip cookies that withered with each hit. The game ups the enjoyment by making a pretty cool variety in levels. I went from a sewer to a city to a train, all in a matter of a few stages.

Cookies Must Die adds to the merriment by offering a cool character customization system. Though it's by no means as intricate as your typical RPG, it was a nice touch being able to customize my character's hit points and attack power. I could also use the coins I collected from each stage to buy new weapons or upgrade the ones I've already collected. This definitely comes in handy in later stages where dying is easier and more frequent.

The thing is, there are no real penalties for death in Cookies Must Die. The coins you collect from each stage aren't lost even after failing a mission. If a level is too hard, it's always possible to die, build up your character, and then try again. There may be players out there that swear death should have some punishment, but as a guy just looking to play a mobile game to relax, this system only made the experience more enjoyable.

I say "character," but in actuality, this cookie box has a few varieties. I started as the game’s poster boy, Jack, a secret agent given special powers via...SCIENCE! There are other characters with stats and abilities of their own that are purchased using the coins collected within levels. Whenever I got bored with Jack, I quickly moved on to Robo Cat, a, well, robotic cat. The roster of additional characters is a nice touch that kept the game fresh for me.

Free-to-play mobile games are notorious for their aggressive and predatory monetization schemes, but Cookies Must Die shows how free-to-play can be balanced and fun. By watching ads, I collected enough coins and gems to build my characters quickly. Importantly, though, the advertisements weren't forced. That is to say, I wasn't required to watch ads for every ten minutes of gameplay or whatever. Instead, I was incentivized to watch them by the promise of cool items, coins, and gems.

Of course, the option to use your real-world money is always present. But I never hit any significant paywall preventing me from moving forward. In fact, in places where I expected to be solicited to pay something, like boss battles, I ended up stumbling across medical stations where I could use my collected coins to heal or watch free ads to continue. And like I mentioned, grinding is always an option for those who refuse to watch ads or spend money.

If I have one criticism, it would be aimed at the weapon collection system. In my time with Cookies Must Die, each gun pretty much felt the same when it comes to moment-to-moment gameplay. Nevertheless, I can only complain so much about sixteen unlockable weapons that don't require you to spend real-world guap and are upgradeable.

In many ways playing this game reminded me of Special Agent CyberDuck in terms of zaniness and character customization. Still, Cookies Must Die breaks the mold with its unique control scheme, slow motion, and incredible cinematics. A Tasty treat and worth every bite!

SCORE: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

PLAY IF YOU LIKE:

• Special Agent CyberDuck. If you read my review, you know how much fun I had playing this one. Cookies Must Die offers similar themes, wackiness and adventure.

• Anthropomorphic food. If you happen to have a thing for movies like Sausage Party, direct-to-video icons like VeggieTales, or TV shows like Bananas in Pajamas, you MAY have a thing for talking food. If so, you'll probably find this game enjoyable.

If you've played Cookies Must Die and want to share your thoughts, let us know in the comments below!

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