Call of Cookie Review

Thanks to Plants vs. Zombies, many iOS device owners already know the power of anthropomorphic food. Call of Cookie takes it a step further by putting players in charge of armies of sugary sweets instead of bland old vegetables. It may not be that action-packed, but the strategizing is still plenty exciting.

Apparently based on a French comic book, Call of Cookie feels like one of the weirdest anime series Japan never produced. Set in a high school for superheroes, players assume the role of a horse-headed student who becomes friends with a wolf man and a devil girl. In the past, classmates would fight each other directly, but now they squash beef by battling their dessert monsters called “Freakies.” Nothing makes much sense, but Freakies are colorful, well-animated, and have delightful names like “Cookiller” and “Bat Taste” so who cares?

During the timed matches themselves, Freakies take turns clobbering each other with no input from the player. Instead, the strategy comes from choosing the right team and putting them in the right positions. The game uses a Fire Emblem-style weapon triangle system where archers beat flyers, flyers beat soldiers, and soldiers beat archers. Since units generally attack what’s closest to them, it’s best to put Freakies opposite from their natural prey. As more Freakies with more complex abilities are introduced, crafting the most effective team becomes increasingly satisfying. Bold players can earn even more coins by vanquishing an opponent with an army half their size, proving that brains trump brawn.

Players can tackle the campaign with nearly 50 missions or choose to take their team online against others. Outside of matches, they can also use their earnings to purchase cookie cutters to bolster their ranks. When baking new Freakies, players need to add the right ingredients to the dough. However, recipes are costly and randomly adding the wrong ingredient by guessing just wastes valuable loot. Fortunately, even failed “Fumbled Freakies” have their use. These poor, misshapen creatures will distract enemies and soak up damage in battle. It’s nice that everything has its place in this meticulously constructed world.

Although players do not have much to do during the actual battles in Call of Cookie, the systems they need to manage to ensure domination in those battles makes up for it. Victory truly is sweet.

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