Genesis Noir is a visually gorgeous interactive experience that combines noir mystery, jazz, art, and the creation of the universe. Play as a powerful entity of creation caught in a love triangle, trying to save his lover, Miss Mass, from being shot in an occurrence we know as the Big Bang.

Official Description:

A noir adventure spanning time and space.

You play as No Man, a watch peddler caught in a love triangle with other cosmic beings, Miss Mass and Golden Boy. When your affair turns into a bitter confrontation, you will witness a gunshot fired by a jealous god—otherwise known as The Big Bang. Jump into the expanding universe and search for a way to prevent or destroy creation and save your love.

More Info:

You can get more info and buy the game on Steam or the official website!

Long Review:

This is less of a game and more of an interactive visual delight. Visually, this is stunning and unique and so fun, and that is truly the highlight of the game. There’s also a lovely combo of chill music and lively jazz. There’s barely any words or dialogue. The gameplay is nothing more than some clicking or dragging or occasionally solving something that can barely be described as a puzzle, but it’s fun in an exploratory way, and it also allows you to sort of mess around with the art and the environment in interesting ways, beyond just what you have to do to progress forward. Sometimes I would just vibe to music or visuals I was creating for a bit. There are also a lot of little cut scenes to just watch and enjoy.

The story is pretty conceptual, if I’m using that term right. It uses a sort of noir romance and murder as a framework for the creation of the universe. (It’s not exactly a spoiler, since the fun is in exploring and seeing it all, but you can skip this paragraph if you want to go in without knowing anything.) I finally understood, somewhat near the end, that it’s about the main character learning about and gathering what he needs in order to create a black hole so that he can save his lover from being shot. However, that gunshot is the Big Bang, and if he stops it, there will be no creation of civilization as we know it. There are two endings, depending on your choice. There’s a lot between the gunshot and the end, all about the cosmos and the creation of life and civilization and the passage of time, and it’s super full of metaphor, and I definitely didn’t understand all of it. But it felt powerful, and I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Something to be aware of, the game auto saves, but it only does so at certain points. It seems to save on loading screens. I also sometimes saw a little flower in the corner that was maybe meant to signify a save, but after accidentally losing progress once, I didn’t want to risk it.

It took me 6 hours to finish, though I did a lot of dillydallying, just enjoying the interactive aspect.

Overall, the creation of the universe, noir mystery, stylistic art, jazzy music, and interactive elements all come together in this game to form a beautiful and unique experience!

*Source/Cost: I played this on Utomik with a monthly subscription.*

Short Review:

– Visually stunning and unique
– Combo of chill music and lively jazz
– Light on actual gameplay
– Lots of fun interactivity though
– Conceptual story that uses noir romance & murder as a framework for the creation of the universe
– A beautiful and unique interactive experience!

Accessibility:

(May not include everything)
– Not accessible for blind / visually impaired players and screen reader users.
– Warning for flashing lights, bright lights, and moving lights.
– Warning for a shifting gray background, though that can be turned off in the options.