Genesis Noir Gameplay Preview - What is going on in this game
2Developed by Feral Cat Den, published by Fellow Traveller - March 26, 2021 (Xbox 1, Switch, PC)
*MSRP: $14.99 - https://store.steampowered.com/app/735290/Genesis_Noir/
►Blog Coverage: https://duckyobrien.com/2021/03/26/genesis-noir-gameplay-preview-what-is-going-on-in-this-game/
►Twitch Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/964684733
Genesis Noir is a very interesting game and it's a very unique game but not necessarily in a good way, honestly speaking. For starters, the art style and music are both equally incredible.
The art looks incredible in motion and is a pretty unique style I don't see often used. As for the music, the game incorporates a lot of jazz and boy does it sound fantastic. That rest of the game, such as the narrative and game mechanics, are divisive and some may love it while others may not.
Let us start with the narrative. It is quite possibly one of the most confusing narratives I have ever seen. There doesn't seem to be any solid thread connecting the events happening from start to finish. Things just happen and while the scenes look and sound incredible, you don't really know exactly what is happening or more importantly why.
Everything is a metaphor for the big bang theory but the complete lack of developing the characters left me quite unattached to them and uninterested. There doesn't seem to be any narrative logic as well. I quite understand that this is loosely a story about a man trying to stop the murder of his love but everything is disconnected and a non sequitur.
For example, in one of the cut scenes the Golden Boy grows giant once you make some apples fall on his head. He pulls out a watch, creates a black hole, throws the watch in there, and then you find a symbol and the scene ends. In another scene, the Golden Boy is playing a saxophone solo while you applaud him. He ends it by looking into the water at his own reflection, a single tear is shed, and then he shoves a giant cigar on top of you. Sure the symbolism is there but it doesn't make for a good narrative.
Secondly, the game play mechanics feel very disjointed as well. As you travel across the landscape, you're never clear as to what the goal is. You will also run into some mini games, each of which are unique and there is really no overall rule set or design to follow. This makes completing them quite confusing since the requirements are random and don't follow any sort of overall design. The game does not give any feedback or instructions as to how you are supposed to complete these mini games, so they become an exercise in frustration.
Overall, Genesis Noir is an incredibly unique game. It looks and sounds fantastic and is quite possibly one of the most unique games I have ever played. Unfortunately I find the game play and overall narrative structure to be lacking and takes away from the experience instead of adding to it. Others may enjoy it and find it moving but this is not a game I can recommend to others easily.
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