MeinMMO editor Caro has already gotten a glimpse of a new hack-and-slasher on Steam that presents itself in a completely unique look. But it’s not just the appearance; the setting and especially the small protagonist pack quite a punch – more than the innocent facade might suggest.
I now have my first game to look forward to in 2027. That’s when Cutout will be released on Steam, a dark fairy tale in the form of an action and horror hack-and-slasher.
I have already gotten a first glimpse of the game and have been captivated by the vision of the two-person team at 906 Games: A girl on the run through a dark, completely handmade world, with a uniquely creative and macabre combat mechanic and themes of childish vulnerability mixed with horror and corruption?
From that moment, I understood why our editor-in-chief chose me to introduce Cutout – this sounds like a dream come true!
What I was shown in my introduction to Cutout has made me not only curious. The team indeed dares to tackle brutal body horror as seen in Elden Ring and wraps it in something so innocent that I was deeply impressed after the first viewing. This style mix just works.
To make this more tangible, I would like to introduce Cutout to you in a bit more detail and explain why this game was able to touch me even before release, while also getting me excited for its macabre concept.
Cutout looks like a crafted diorama
Anyone who sees content from Cutout will inevitably notice the distinctive art style. The game combines cut-out and painted 2D and 3D elements to create a world threatened by decay. The environment looks as if it were entirely made from cardboard, paper, and household items. And spoiler: it is.
Through photogrammetry, real everyday objects and artworks have been incorporated into the game. The protagonist Lena and the other characters are all hand-drawn, the environment is designed from cardboard and odds and ends, and even the lighting is provided by shadows of cut-out shapes.
This appearance not only gives Cutout an authentic and distinctive style – it also fits perfectly with the story and the world the team wants to convey to the players. And the themes hold more than one might expect from the almost childish art style.
Wishes, fears, and how to deal with them
In line with the appearance of the game, Cutout deals with a mix of themes from the childish desire for belonging, but also with corruption, one’s own identity, and systematic cruelty – light fare, indeed!
Lena is viewed as a curse by her village and cast out, hoping to find the power through a mighty scepter to somehow be accepted … but not without a price.
Depending on the decisions one makes and how one behaves during the game, it will have an impact on the ending. While a playthrough offers about 7 to 8 hours of gameplay, this aspect is supposed to provide the incentive to replay Cutout multiple times and take different paths.
Lena can run away from dangers and thus try to avoid entire situations. However, she can also choose to fight back. And the developers revealed a gameplay mechanic that completely caught me off guard after getting to know the little paper doll – in the best and actually bloodiest sense.
“Cut and Paste” – No, this is not a typo
When the team introduced me to their combat mechanic, I couldn’t help but think: Lena could be the daughter of the grotesque Elden Ring boss “Godrick, the Grafted”.
For those who don’t know Godrick: He is an unavoidable boss who transplants various limbs from other humans and creatures onto his own body out of his madness to draw power from them.
Yes. Lena can do that too. 1 to 1 even.
With the combat mechanic titled “Cut and Paste,” Lena cuts off her opponents’ limbs to rob and learn their core abilities, movements, and combat options. Thanks to the paper art style, this otherwise bloodthirsty tactic is downplayed, which not only makes me chuckle but also provides, in its own way, the possibility for different “builds.”
Here, much like with the story and appearance, a wonderful style mix between innocence and brutal horror is created, which is simply fun.
This game touches me already
No matter which aspect of the game: Cutout aims to take the theme of childhood that everyone can identify with and turn it into an adventure that promotes courage and resilience. Childhood is not always beautiful and easy. Sometimes it is dark, cruel, and not a pleasant memory. And still, one can help a paper girl escape the cruelty awaiting her at home.
The childish vulnerability and the drive to assert oneself and to be accepted despite the creepy world are themes that move me deeply. It not only makes me curious – no, I am even grateful that someone is bringing this project to life.
The world feels fragile, dangerous, unsettling, and yet so coherent that I am very much looking forward to diving into Cutout next year.
What do you think so far of Cutout? Do you find the art style as nice as I do? Feel free to let us know in the comments! Besides Godrik from Elden Ring, Cutout also reminds me a bit of the Little Nightmares series, which I consider one of my absolute favorite games and would recommend to everyone: Steam tip for under 20 €: Little Nightmares – Cozy horror for atmosphere lovers
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