Genesis Noir

Genesis Noir may not be for everyone. You’ll need patience for it – and if you like games that hold your hand, it’s likely not for you. But stick with it, and you’ll find an extraordinary and rare title unlike anything else you’ve played. It’s beautiful, clever, and very tricky in places – but you’ll be thinking about it long after you’ve turned it off.

Despite its august premise, the real genius of Genesis Noir is in its art direction. Even then, it's a better animated movie than it is a game.

The best way to summarize Genesis Noir is that it is an art piece that is only possible in its medium. It is a beautiful experience full of emotional connections, and that is told genuinely and with such intelligence that it is deeply relatable. It is a profound experience and one wholly unique to the industry.

For those of us who like a lot of ‘game’ in their video games, they may also be left wanting. This is more an experience, albeit and incredibly interactive one, with little hand holding or objectives given. In terms of gameplay though, there’s not much here. If you don’t think video games can be art, you may find yourself bemused and likely uninterested in short order.

By zipping through the creation of life itself, you might just find answers to why someone has been shot and how to stop it. Though some puzzles and controls can get pretty frustrating, the adventure itself is the draw, and with Genesis Noir, it’s a beautiful trip through primordial creation worth taking. If you’re eager to see what kind of stylish, inventive ways developers are finding to tell stories in games, this hard-boiled trip is worth the ticket.

Stirring, artistic, and emotionally resonant, Genesis Noir is quite a unique experience. The puzzles can be tedious, but the game makes up for it with gorgeous art direction and sterling creativity.

But experiencing Genesis Noir only works as well as it does because it’s a game. It’s a form of media that’s still shifting and growing. We’re watching it evolve at a rapid pace and seeing the intermediary moments that future history books on the subject will try to preserve. Genesis Noir isn’t just interested in beginnings and endings. It’s about all the moments in between — clumsiness and all — that make this confounding cosmic journey we’re on worthwhile. 8/10.

Feral Cat Den transforms the epic history of the universe into a noir adventure.

Genesis Noir is a very curious game, and mostly in a good way. The cosmic nature of its narrative is tied down interestingly in its humanized elements and the animation and music do a good job of giving every moment life and charm, even if it can sometimes get confusing. It’s not a long game, and some of its stretches are a bit too simplistic for their own good, but Genesis Noir also features a lot of creativity in prominent portions of its puzzles and progression. If you enjoy a good point-and-click adventure and don’t mind a game that just wants a moment to share its bombastic narrative of c...

Saxophones and singularities come together in a one-of-a-kind game experience. Genesis Noir takes you on a mind-blowing cosmic cruise through time and space in order to save the love of your life - and maybe your own. Will this starry adventure win you over?