SAW Genesis has a razorsharp edge over its competition and it can only get better

Dead by Daylight may not have been the origin of asymmetrical survival horrors, but it certainly made them popular. SAW Genesis, however, has the edge over its competitors thanks to one feature the others don’t have.

Many have tried and failed to catch the same lightning in a bottle that made Dead By Daylight so celebrated, and it’ll soon join its peers on the big-screen with a live-action film.

There have been some successes like the recently released Halloween game, but there have also been some failures like Friday The 13th: The Game. Later this year, SAW Genesis is going to throw its hat into the ring, so the question now is what does it have to not only stand out, but outlast its competitors?

SAW Genesis stays true to its IP by giving players a choice - and consequences

When I first saw (sorry) the game in action at Summer Game Fest, I wasn’t blown away but I was intrigued. Gamers were told that those who play this twisted game will find themselves in traps that inspire John Kramer years later, though the rules remain the same: play or die.

It was only at Gamescom that I saw the price to play first-hand. Like the infamous films, those that get caught in a trap must scar, or sacrifice, part of their body to escape.

You can instead wait for a teammate to save you, and it’s here that I must apologise to those I played with because I never had any intention of coming to anyone’s rescue.

My selfishness cost me, however, as the only other escape from such a trap is self-mutilation, which is more than just a cosmetic blemish and causes a hit to your health bar.

Losing a leg significantly slows you down, meaning puzzles that require speed become a nightmare. Losing a hand is just as bad, as it makes you practically incapable of fighting off enemies, which can appear at your captor’s command.

Nobody in my session lost an eye thankfully, but I was told this would obscure part of your vision. Traversal throughout the maze-like arenas was tricky enough, especially with all of the traps scattered throughout. Having to do that whilst visually impaired simply adds a new level of challenge you’re best off avoiding if possible.

This is where SAW Genesis really shines, and it’s the game’s best bet of sticking around after launch.

It’s like playing a multiplayer Telltale game. Either save your friends at the risk of your own life or let them fend for themselves, knowing the consequences could come back to bite you later on.

My only concern is the limitations of this mechanic, because if anything, I think it could be too limited. I’d love to see the pool of punishments and consequences expanded.

You could have a trap that removes your survivor’s tongue so their in-game speech no longer functions, or you could get really spicy and have two players entrapped, forcing them to deal damage to each other in order to remain unscathed.

SAW Genesis has a lot of potential. The ongoing playtest seems to have gone down well and with some post-launch support, Broken Mirror Games, Anshar Studios and Bloober Team could be onto a winner.