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 that, in its core, can measure up to 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 a little clearer, I’d like to start by introducing Cutout in a bit more detail and explain why this game has already resonated with me even before its release—and why its macabre concept already has me eagerly anticipating it.
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 was 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.
Desires, 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 – lighthearted stuff, indeed!
Lena is viewed as a curse by her village and has been cast out. She hopes that a powerful scepter will grant her the strength to somehow be accepted after all… but not without a price.
Depending on the decisions you make and how you behave during the game, this will affect the ending. While a single playthrough offers about 7 to 8 hours of gameplay, this very aspect is intended to encourage players to play through Cutout multiple times and explore different paths.
Lena can run away from danger and thus try to avoid entire situations. However, she can also decide to fight back. And in doing so, the developers revealed a gameplay mechanic that completely caught me off guard after getting to know the little paper doll—in the best and, in fact, most bloodthirsty sense of the word.
“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 “Godrick, the Grafted”.
For those who don’t know Godrick: He is an unavoidable boss in Elden Ring 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.
Using the combat mechanic called “Cut and Paste,” Lena cuts off her opponents’ limbs to strip them of their core abilities, movements, and combat options—and then learn them herself. Thanks to the paper art style, this otherwise bloodthirsty tactic is a bit toned down inits gruesomeness, which not only makes me chuckle but also opens up the possibility for different “builds” in its own unique way.
Here, much like with the story and the visuals, a wonderful blend of innocence and brutal horror is created—and it’s just plain fun.
This game is already getting to me
No matter which aspect of the game you look at: Cutout has set out to take the theme of childhood—something everyone can truly relate to—and turn it into an adventure that fosters courage and perseverance. Childhood isn’t always beautiful and easy. Sometimes it’s dark, cruel, and not a pleasant memory. And yet, you get to help a paper girl escape the cruelty waiting for her at home.
A child’s vulnerability and the urge to hold one’s own and be accepted in a scary world are themes that really move me. It doesn’t just make me curious—no, I’m actually grateful that someone is bringing this project to life.
The world seems fragile, dangerous, and unsettling, yet so coherent in itself that I’m really looking forward to immersing myself in Cutout next year.
What do you think of Cutout so far? Do you like the art style as much as I do? Feel free to let us know in the comments! Besides Godrick 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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