Project Genom
- October 11, 2016
- NeuronHaze
- 7h median play time
Project Genom is an Alpha stage open-world sci-fi MMORPG set on a renewed world with new characters, enemies, NPCs, and artificial intelligence. The game features a hundred square kilometers of explorable terrain, 10 instances, customization options, and initial character skills upgrades, with frequent updates planned leading to its full release. Please note that the game is still in its Alpha stage, so many mechanics are yet to be introduced.
Reviews
- The game has a lot of potential and interesting concepts.
- Graphics are decent for an early access title, showcasing the capabilities of Unreal Engine 4.
- The community is helpful and engaged, providing support for new players.
- The game is riddled with bugs, crashes, and lag, making it nearly unplayable.
- Voice acting is poor and often feels lifeless, detracting from the overall experience.
- Many quests lack clear directions, leading to confusion and frustration for players.
- story163 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story and quest system are criticized for being poorly implemented, with many quests lacking clear markers or guidance, leading to frustration and confusion among players. While there is potential for an engaging narrative, the overwhelming number of fetch quests and lack of direction detract from the overall experience, making it difficult for players to stay invested in the storyline. Many users express hope for improvements in future updates, particularly regarding quest tracking and navigation.
“I know what to expect when in alpha or beta or early release and give the dev teams much leeway; I don’t expect perfect graphics, voice acting or even tons of content, but I do expect the foundations of the game to be promising. The mechanics, story, and uniqueness are in place for a great gaming experience in due course.”
“If you think you will enjoy this game, and like to help mold/shape it then you should definitely give it a go - quests are not just go kill x amount, and you are not hand-held for most of them, you have to go search and discover, and this may not work for all kinds of people, but it does go to show the true atmosphere of the game that is already apparent.”
“This game does have content: a fairly large map to explore, plenty of quests to keep you busy, stylish and unique weapons and armor that you can feel good about grinding credits for... and we haven't even seen everything that the developers are almost ready to roll out, yet.”
“The quests are garbage; I can't even figure out where to go.”
“Your journal just states the mission or quest without any clues as to where to go.”
“Half or more of the quests do not mark anything on the map, leaving the player to wander around the starting area over and over again, ad nauseum.”
- graphics86 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the beautiful visuals and art style, particularly noting the potential for improvement as the game develops. However, some users report performance issues, such as lag and low-quality graphics on less powerful systems, and express disappointment that the in-game graphics do not match the promotional materials. While the game is still in alpha, many believe that with further optimization and updates, the graphics could become a standout feature.
“It has beautiful visuals and there seems plenty to do even in alpha.”
“When you first load the game, you’re greeted by nice graphics, okay character customization, and nice details in the sci-fi world presented.”
“The art style, atmosphere, and setting are all fantastic.”
“I've had to turn my graphics all the way down. I know this game will run better on a higher quality computer, but even on low graphics, the game just runs... slow.”
“Graphics aren't even half of what they are in the preview! Feels like a very early pre-alpha.”
“The trailer for this game is quite misleading; currently, it's nowhere near what is displayed in the trailer and from what I've played so far just seems like Defiance with better graphics (in places).”
- gameplay82 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Project Genom is a mixed bag, with many players noting significant issues such as bugs, lag, and incomplete features that hinder the overall experience. While some appreciate the graphics and potential of the mechanics, the lack of content, repetitive quests, and frustrating controls have led to disappointment, especially given its early access status. Overall, players recommend waiting for further development before fully engaging with the game, as it currently feels rough and unpolished.
“It has everything going for it: the setting, plot, gameplay, and character customization.”
“I really like the concept, atmosphere, and gameplay.”
“The gameplay, the basics, are solid enough.”
“Project Genom has stopped receiving updates and what's left of the game is a hot mess of incomplete game features, buggy mechanics, and downright broken as a whole (couldn't even play it without crashing or horrible FPS drops).”
“Laggy from the very beginning, with 4 hours max of playable content (4 hours of fetch or find quests), with no RPG mechanics at all and it still costs money when devs are missing for almost half a year by now.”
“The gameplay does not make me want to play and the enemies are better programmed for what it is, lots of grinding and fetching you expect from all average MMO grind spam games.”
- stability31 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- -3 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The stability of Project Genom is widely criticized, with players reporting frequent crashes, severe lag, and numerous bugs that hinder gameplay. Many users note that the game feels unfinished and is plagued by issues such as freezing during critical moments, making it nearly unplayable at times. While some express hope for future improvements, the current state is described as a "buggy mess" that requires significant polishing and community support to reach its potential.
“The community and the devs develop the content on the test servers, then once finished, slam the main servers with the perfected, nearly bug-free content.”
“The game runs smoothly with minimal bugs, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
“I appreciate how the developers prioritize stability, ensuring that updates enhance the gameplay without introducing new issues.”
“Project Genom has stopped receiving updates and what's left of the game is a hot mess of incomplete game features, buggy mechanics, and downright broken as a whole (couldn't even play it without crashing or horrible FPS drops).”
“Since it's in alpha, it's got loads of glitches; it's kind of playable but there's practically nothing from what you see in the trailer.”
“Still very buggy, stuck on loading screens, mobs spawn like no tomorrow, and can't even connect sometimes to the game server.”
- monetization16 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized, with many users labeling it as a "cash grab" due to its lack of content and updates. Players express frustration over the game's perceived abandonment and the developers' focus on profit rather than quality, leading to skepticism about its value and future development. While a few users find enjoyment in its current state, the overall sentiment leans heavily towards disappointment and distrust regarding its monetization practices.
“If a game is good, the majority of the community will think it's good and support the developers by buying the game, making in-game purchases, and encouraging their friends to play.”
“The game was empty, bland, with virtually nothing to do, and in the end, wound up being little more than a cash grab.”
“I tried to give it time but with no updates in a very long time, it now feels like a big cash grab.”
“This game is a cash grab game for now until they start getting some of the stuff they said to be in the game.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While some players report poor performance with low frame rates and long load times, others note improvements and satisfactory performance even on lower-end hardware. The developers have made strides in optimization, particularly in early access, but further enhancements are still needed for a more consistent experience.
“After only a few days they've done a lot to improve performance.”
“I've played worse games that have been released, honestly - and I will also say the game is pretty well optimized for early access.”
“I really love where this game is going right now, graphics and performance are great for me.”
“I really like this type of game, but the optimization and all that... this is barely playable.”
“Poor optimization (looks like it's capped at 50 fps) - no settings influence on frame rate.”
“I am not sure if it is just optimization, but initial load up takes a long time.”
- music13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its calm and fitting nature that changes with different areas, while others find it repetitive and overly loud, lacking options to adjust the volume. Many users noted that the soundtrack can become irritating over time, and the absence of sound options detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the music is described as decent and subtle, it can be intrusive for those who prefer to listen to other audio while gaming.
“The game has a decent soundtrack.”
“Calm and fitting music to play to, changes with areas.”
“Sound isn't bad, music nice and not too 'in your face' - subtle.”
“First of all, I can't even get out of the first area because it keeps freezing the screen, but the music and gameplay are still ongoing. My screen keeps freezing every 5-10 seconds for about 10-20 seconds!”
“No sound options, meaning the same annoying music is always playing (you can turn it off by moving game files though).”
“The background music plays loudly and there is no way to turn down or turn off the music.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its intentionally bad voice acting, which many players find amusing, and the inclusion of quirky physics that enhance exploration. Players appreciate the comedic elements in character interactions and item descriptions, as well as humorous references and fan service throughout the game. However, some jokes may be lost in translation, and the overall comedic experience can be enhanced by the game's technical quirks, such as lag and unexpected character movements.
“Slogging back and forth on quests can get tedious as it does in any MMO, but there is already a mount included in the alpha that has hilarious physics and makes exploring much better.”
“Get this game if it's on a really good special purely for the hilariously bad voice acting.”
“The voice acting is also hilarious... it's like a low-budget made-for-TV movie level of bad.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring long hours to achieve minimal progress, reminiscent of other grind-heavy MMOs like EVE Online. While the game offers a large map and engaging quests, the necessity of grinding for character and equipment levels detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading some to feel that the content isn't sufficient to justify the time investment. However, the inclusion of mounts and unique items adds a layer of fun to the exploration, suggesting potential for improvement as the game develops.
“The gameplay does not make me want to play, and the enemies are better programmed for what it is; lots of grinding and fetching you expect from all average MMO grind spam games.”
“If you need to spend 9 hours grinding to enjoy 1 hour of gameplay, your content obviously isn't enough to keep people playing on its own.”
“It's extremely grindy (like, 100 mobs+ per level, grindy).”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique sci-fi setting, polished art style, and immersive gameplay that encourages exploration and discovery. Reviewers appreciate the depth and engagement of the quests, which contribute to a compelling overall experience, even in its early access state. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating environment that resonates with players.
“The art style, atmosphere, and setting are all fantastic.”
“If you think you will enjoy this game, and like to help mold/shape it then you should definitely give it a go - quests are not just go kill x amount, and you are not hand-held for most of them, you have to go search and discover, and this may not work for all kinds of people, but it does go to show the true atmosphere of the game that is already apparent.”
“- a unique sci-fi atmosphere”
“If you think you will enjoy this game, and like to help mold/shape it then you should definitely give it a go - quests are not just go kill a certain amount, and you are not hand-held for most of them. You have to search and discover, and this may not work for all kinds of people, but it does show the true atmosphere of the game that is already apparent.”
“Tldr: it is early access/alpha, there are lots of things not in, but the game itself is polished enough for early access/alpha to give an atmosphere and feel for the game, and enough content to keep you happy if you want it. If the game seems like something you might enjoy when all the features mentioned are in, then there's no harm in getting it now to try.”
“The controls, the atmosphere, combat, it all feels like me.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development system is praised for its engaging design, enabling players to level up quickly and efficiently, which enhances the overall gameplay experience.
“An interesting character development system that allows for fast and efficient leveling.”
“The character development is incredibly deep, offering a variety of paths and choices that truly impact the story.”
“I love how the character development feels organic, with each decision shaping the protagonist's personality and abilities.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express mixed feelings about the emotional impact of the game, with some finding it enjoyable and immersive, while others feel that certain elements may hinder their overall experience.