Genopanic [Review]
You might think Genopanic is a Metroidvania, but it’s not.
Genopanic. Credit: Mobirate / ParasGames
Mobirate and ParasGames’ Genopanic is a fun sci-fi action platformer. It’s got excellent 16-bit style pixel graphics with modern particle effects and feels great to play. While it’s got some of the trappings of the Metroidvania genre, Genopanic is designed as a linear experience.
The unnamed protagonist of Genopanic is a delivery robot. You arrive at a research station to find it in chaos as experimental Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) have escaped. You’re tasked with gathering them all and finding a way off the station.
Genopanic. Credit: Mobirate / ParasGames
The game’s levels are all interconnected and it features a map reminiscent of a Metroidvania game, but the world is designed such that you’re always guided to the next place you need to be. You can backtrack, but it’s not necessary; if you saw a barrier you couldn’t break earlier and have acquired the gear needed to do it, you’ll soon end up back there by simply continuing to play. LAIK, your virtual companion, will talk to you frequently and give you unsolicited, very obvious hints about what to do next.
The game plays as if it was Metroid with Mega Man platforming physics. Movement and jumping feel great, especially after you find the dash, jetpack, and double jump. Platforming is very precise and usually not difficult, save for some sections that were frustrating because of hazards that are one-hit kills.
Genopanic. Credit: Mobirate / ParasGames
Shooting and using the weapons feels satisfying, with crunchy effects on enemy hits and deaths. Combat isn’t challenging. All enemies die in a few hits and bosses all have simple, predictable patterns. Most weapons use energy that will refill if you stop shooting. If you’re running on empty, the laser cutter sword is always available.
The game’s atmosphere is as if Metroid was being channeled through Mega Man. The game takes place on a space station where everyone is dead or is a zombie, but the visuals maintain a clean, cute and sometimes goofy quality to them. The game is colorful and all the sprite animations are satisfyingly bouncy.
I finished Genopanic in a little under five hours. I rescued all the GMOs. The game has four endings; I assume which you get depends on how many you rescue. If you get frustrated easily by getting lost in an average Metroidvania, I recommend Genopanic for a more streamlined experience.
Genopanic is available now for PC on Steam.
Overall Score: 8/10
Played on: Steam Deck
