Evil Genome

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 102 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Evil Genome Game Cover
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"Evil Genome" is a 3D Metroidvania-style game set in the 23rd century wasteland. As a member of the TLS organization, players must investigate and eliminate rebellious colonies. The game features single-player gameplay, strategic combat, and character development, with both ground and aerial skills to use against enemy forces. For assistance, contact [email protected].

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 102 reviews
gameplay8 positive mentions
story8 negative mentions
  • The game features pretty 2D graphics and a fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Combat mechanics are enjoyable and provide a good level of customization through the skill tree.
  • The protagonist is visually appealing and the game has a charming aesthetic despite its flaws.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs, including clunky controls, poor hit detection, and frustrating loading times.
  • The English translation is extremely poor, leading to confusing dialogue and awkward conversations.
  • There are significant optimization issues, causing performance problems even on capable hardware.
  • story54 mentions

    The story in the game is widely criticized for being poorly executed, with many reviewers noting significant issues with translation quality, coherence, and depth. While some find the potential for an interesting narrative, the overall consensus is that the story is convoluted, difficult to follow, and often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics. Players are generally advised to focus on the gameplay rather than the narrative, as the story lacks clarity and is riddled with clichés and inconsistencies.

    • “The game is fun, animations are solid, and the story is not that bad, making you keep playing to get those sweet upgrades for your character.”
    • “The story is... quite nice.”
    • “So for all of you guys who are really into story and stuff like that, go easy on this game.”
    • “The story is pretty much all over the place, like the bugs, translation issues, resolution scaling, audio bugs, some enemy model physiques, clunky and imprecise movement.”
    • “Explanations for core mechanics are poor or missing, and the storyline is contrived and hard to follow.”
    • “Also, the story doesn't make any sense because the translation is terrible.”
  • gameplay42 mentions

    The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring a fun combat loop with unique mechanics and customization options that enhance the experience, particularly in a metroidvania context. However, players note significant issues such as janky mechanics, poor audio feedback, and a lack of clarity in core mechanics, which detracts from exploration and overall enjoyment. While the game has its flaws, many agree that the engaging combat and price-to-value ratio make it worth playing despite its shortcomings.

    • “The gameplay/combat loop is fun, especially if you grind or hack your way up the levels to unlock all the special abilities.”
    • “What's nice is there are still surprises in store even if you hack all your skill points to the max, as several pieces of gear include completely unique gameplay-altering effects, like adding a shadow-clone after a dash attack that attacks 3 more times, or causing your basic ranged shots to penetrate enemies and ignore some armor.”
    • “Its metroidvania light, which helps, but at its core, the gameplay is just fun.”
    • “The game is very janky, the dubbing is very bad (outside from the main character), the translation is worse, the combat is half-baked and doesn't offer enough audio or mechanical feedback. The Metroidvania aspects are not implemented well, making exploration not worth it since the upgrades are locked behind gear and a skill tree. The game looks good and the music is fine.”
    • “I congratulate the developers for the work they did since there's a lot of care put into the game, but the end result is a mix of ideas and mechanics that really needed to be polished further.”
    • “Explanations for core mechanics are poor or missing, and the storyline is contrived and hard to follow.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their aesthetic appeal and solid 2D art style, with many noting it as one of the better-looking 2.5D games. However, there are significant concerns regarding optimization, particularly for mid-range PCs, leading to issues like lag and poor UI scaling at higher resolutions. While the character animations are well-executed, some players feel the overall graphical quality is hindered by outdated elements and bugs.

    • “The art style and how the animations look are solid, and it's one of the better looking 2.5D games I've seen, which is why I decided to give it a try.”
    • “Graphically, it looks pretty dang great.”
    • “Graphics for a 'metroidvania' are pretty good.”
    • “There's also graphics issues if you play it at 3840x2160 where the load screen and other overlays were clearly designed for a smaller screen.”
    • “Graphics are decent, although I don't like the worn-out look; no anti-aliasing, which looks horrible.”
    • “This game looks pretty cool, is very long to beat, and there is a lot to do if you are a fan of metroidvania. However, the story is not very well developed, and there are a lot of glitches and bugs. The graphics need improvement, as some people experience lag, skips, or freezes.”
  • optimization14 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users reporting issues such as lag and crashes, particularly on mid-range PCs like the Nvidia GTX 750 Ti. While the graphics are praised, players feel that the particle effects and overall performance need substantial improvement. However, there is some hope as the developers are actively working on optimization updates.

    • “The graphics are good but need better optimization.”
    • “It's too crashy and unoptimized to recommend yet... on the other hand, the dev is actively working on it at the time of this review and if improved could be a decent addition to the all too scarce Metroidvanias out there.”
    • “Probably some more optimization and tweaks needed.”
    • “Graphics are great, but I feel the particles and rendering look weak and need better optimization for mid-range PCs. Sometimes my NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti experiences skips and lag, especially when playing in borders.”
    • “It's too crashy and unoptimized to recommend yet. On the other hand, the developer is actively working on it, and if improvements are made, it could be a decent addition to the all too scarce Metroidvanias out there.”
    • “The optimization is horrible.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many reviewers noting that the soundtrack is solid and contributes positively to the overall aesthetic. While it may not be particularly memorable, there are no significant complaints about it, and the title screen music is specifically highlighted as enjoyable. Overall, the music stands out as one of the stronger aspects of the game despite its other shortcomings.

    • “On the plus side, the soundtrack is generally solid.”
    • “Good aesthetic and soundtrack too.”
    • “Sound, effect, and music: those sound good, effects too, and the music is pretty solid and very good; there's no way I hate it, I think I like all.”
    • “The soundtrack wasn't too notable, but no complaints there either.”
    • “The soundtrack wasn't too notable, but no complaints there either.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs, glitches, and faulty movement reported by players. While it offers a lengthy and engaging experience for metroidvania fans, many users have experienced lag, freezing, and other technical problems that detract from the overall gameplay.

    • “You play against UI, bugs, faulty movement, glitches, and the boss with some nasty attacks at the same time.”
    • “This game is incredibly buggy.”
    • “This game looks pretty cool, is very long to beat, and there is a lot to do if you are a fan of metroidvania. However, be careful as the story is not very well developed, and there are a lot of glitches and bugs. The graphics need improvement, and some people have issues with lag, skipping, or freezing.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its poor translation and over-the-top voice acting, reminiscent of the campy charm found in 90s games. While the English dialogue is often unintelligible and cringe-worthy, many players find it amusingly bad, evoking nostalgia and laughter rather than frustration. Overall, the humor is a mixed bag, appealing to those who appreciate its unintentional comedic value.

    • “The voice acting is terrible in English, but it's that fun terrible like in the 90s and early 00s where all the voices were over the top or phoned in. It was funny because you could tell no one gave the voice actors any motivation or direction, so for me, growing up in the 80s and 90s, it is amazing.”
    • “The game shows its non-English roots as the dialogue and voice acting are incredibly poor. I personally found it so bad that I enjoyed listening to it, as it made me laugh.”
    • “But here, the translation ranges from hilariously bad to almost game-breaking unintelligible.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for its poor voice implementation, which contributes to the main character's lack of emotional depth, making them appear unfeeling and disconnected from the narrative.

  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging environment, complemented by a well-designed skill and loot system that allows for meaningful upgrades. Additionally, players appreciate the presence of a likeable main character, which enhances the overall experience.

    • “The atmosphere is immersive and captivating, drawing you into the game's world.”
    • “The environment is beautifully crafted, creating a rich and engaging atmosphere.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its stunning visuals and haunting soundtrack.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players generally feel that there is minimal grinding required in the game, making for a more streamlined and enjoyable experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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