SAW: Genesis - Gameplay Video Takes You Through the Asymmetrical Horror

Not for the faint of heart: In its “Game Features Overview” video, Bloober Team shows how the “interaction” between the plaintiff and the defendant will work in SAW: Genesis. Pure horror. But there’s more to it than that.

What exactly is SAW: Genesis?

SAW: Genesis is a first-person multiplayer horror game in a 3v1 format, set in the bleak post-World War I era—decades before Jigsaw’s first game, which you may know from the movie adaptation. Developed by Broken Mirror Games and Anshar Studios, it will soon be released in Early Access for PC under the Bloober Team umbrella (Observer: System Redux).

Judge or defendant? The choice is yours. As the judge and Jigsaw’s predecessor, you control the action from the shadows: using traps, poisons, and an accomplice—physically vulnerable, but tactically superior. As one of three defendants, you’ll fight as a team to survive on procedurally generated maps, solve puzzles, and try to escape the deadly labyrinth. Why is the “Judge” playing this game with you? First, it’s fun for everyone involved, even if you might have to go to extreme lengths every now and then to survive the ordeal. Second, the Judge is processing his experiences from World War I and giving the defendants a chance to redeem themselves—with countless traps and instruments of torture that clearly date back to the 1920s. It’s practically a win-win situation for everyone!

What makes it special: Decisions made in the rehabilitation traps have lasting consequences. If you sacrifice an arm, you continue to fight and solve puzzles with limited mobility. If you lose a leg, you’re more easily cornered. No match plays out the same way, and no mistake goes without consequences. A great premise for a 3v1 game, then.