A Videogame With Cosmic Ambitions
Tags: Gaming, Videogames, Indie Game, Feature, Interview

A Videogame With Cosmic Ambitions

In conversation with Feral Cat Den, the developers behind Genesis Noir

Creating a video game is almost analogous to creating a universe, but instead of atoms and other quantum particles, game developers have to make do with pixels, polygons, and a whole range of 0s and 1s. Game developers Evan Anthony and Jeremy Abel are from Feral Cat Den, and even as a small indie studio they couldn’t help but dream big. It wasn’t enough to just create a video game universe, instead in Genesis Noir they wanted to recreate and retell the universe itself. All by using the big bang power of noir-era jazz music.

Conceiving a video game with such cosmic ambitions is no easy feat, but like most imaginative ideas, it emerges out of the most simple and profound moments. Evan recalls the early stages of the game’s development, and how it all started with the literary inspiration received from a seminal science fiction author.

“The idea for Genesis Noir came as I walked across the Williamsburg Bridge here in New York. I had just read Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino, and was infatuated by its merger of scientific theory, abstraction, and heartfelt characters. Each short story in the collection begins with a brief scientific theory, which then frames the story that follows, and I loved the rhythm of fiction and non-fiction. My imagination was on overdrive.”

Italo Calvino (1923–1985) was a genre transcending writer. Primarily a journalist by trade, he went on to write stories and essays largely of a surrealist tone, and yet driven by scientific thought and reason. Transforming this unique literary style into a video game was part of the initial inspiration for Genesis Noir, both in its narrative approach and overall game design.



“Reflecting on the book along with a great view of the skyscrapers, trains, and bustle of New York City, the thought of the Big Bang being an urban noir struck me. It seemed a very natural concept that could be inspired by Cosmicomics, but with its own tone and inspirations.”

Wikimedia Commons

In bringing this inspiration to life, it’s always a challenge to transform abstract ideas into something that can have substance in a video game setting. Genesis Noir is a fictional and metaphysical account of the Big Bang, using noir-inspired motifs and storytelling devices.

“The noir tropes, story beats, and characters have not diverged too far off from the initial concept. Fleshing out the concept, however, revealed lots of details that we didn’t envision. Due to the narrative taking place before, during, and after the Big Bang, there’s really an unlimited number of forms the game could take.”

With the endless possibilities the game could have taken both in its premise and design, Genesis Noir eventually did forge its unique identity as game, whilst still remaining abstract in the execution of its semi-structured game design.



“From the initial concept, the game could be taken in a very abstract or a more structured direction. In the end we were drawn to lean more towards a structured direction. As we researched and developed our concepts, we kept discovering connections and interrelations that we wanted to explore. Thus, Genesis Noir is inspired by the unconnected stories of Cosmicomics, but our protagonist has a central goal of stopping the Big Bang more akin to a film noir hero.”

In Genesis Noir players follow the cosmic journey of No Man, an interstellar deity of sorts who is willing to do anything to save their love, even if it means putting a stop to the very expansion of the universe itself. The story unfolds in a surreal yet interconnected narrative style.

“The narrative of Genesis Noir is serialized, as No Man searches different parts of the Big Bang for clues on how to undo it. No Man enters a level and, much like Cosmicomics, we begin the story with a short bit of non-fiction which conveys a scientific theory. This structure lets us quickly establish the setting in the history of the Big Bang, but also impart a tone and foreshadow of events. We really love the playful rhythm between fiction and non-fiction in Cosmicomics, and hope to capture some of that energy in our game.”

Although Italo Calvino and Cosmicomics are the heart and soul underlying the very genesis of Genesis Noir, Evan cites a range of other influences, all collectively contributing towards bringing their ambitious vision to realization.

“A great joy of working on this project is that it’s been an opportunity to research so many interesting scientists, historians, authors, and artists: John Coletrain, Blue Note, Sun Ra, William Blake, Ram Dass, Wabi Sabi, Martin Rees, Sean Carrol, Leonard Suskind, The Third Man, Phillip Marlowe, Alphaville, Vectorpark, Amanita Design, and even LA Noire (Rockstar Games)… too many to mention!”

The visual style of Genesis Noir appears incredibly rich and detailed by any standard, but the secret lies in the innate simplicity of it all. A mix of 2D and 3D, the graphical style of the game creates a powerful visual illusion. Evan and Jeremy were able to use their prior experience in design and animation to make this unique style possible.

“Our background is in web/installation design and motion graphics animation. Projects like Umbro Blackout by Buck emphasis graphic design and creative transitions. We wanted to make a game that likewise changed perspectives and settings to create delightful surprise, especially since our story is set in space at scales from subatomic to interstellar.”

The rich and yet simplistic graphical style lends itself naturally to the noir themes of Genesis Noir, with the idea of creating an evoking presentation that could immediately captivate the player, and sweep them into the visual narrative of the game.

“The black and white mix of hand drawn and 3D is also a very efficient visual language for a small team. Simple characters enable us to create limited yet expressive animation. Simple lighting and forms enable us to combine 2D and 3D props to create interesting environments. We’re able to economize at times, but also to add flourishes at others.”

Genesis Noir is largely a narrative-based adventure with both 2D and 3D adventure elements, with the core gameplay largely being rhythm action and fueled by jazz music. Evan explains how all the different gameplay styles come together to evoke the cosmic nature of the various themes explored in the game.

“The gameplay is a mix of simple puzzles, rhythm, environmental exploration, and tactile toys, all with an emphasis on discovering how to interact rather than a test of skills. Playing as No Man, a god who is searching the universe for a way to stop the Big Bang before it strikes his love, the gameplay will hopefully convey the feeling of having to find your way in unfamiliar territory.”

The visual style and the contrasting gameplay systems all come together to deliver the metaphysically rich narrative of Genesis Noir, all to evoke a sense of cosmic wonder in players. This is all achieved without relying upon any form of character dialogue. Evan explains this theatrical storytelling approach, and how its delivery works better without using written dialogue.



“Genesis Noir does not focus on a particular moment or setting. One level may be on the primordial Earth and end on a dead-end. Another between skyscrapers and making a new friend. Or another journeying through history to find a curious object. Because we jump around, our stories can be short and theatrical rather than a very focused character study. But telling a story without dialogue can definitely be tricky. There’s a greater requirement on animated character performances and scene design. Writing dialogue is also hard work though, and so I believe the effort ends up being equivalent in the end.”

Genesis Noir is currently in development for PC and Xbox One by Feral Cat Den, with Australian-based indie label Fellow Traveller taking care of the publishing. You can follow the game’s development journey on Twitter @GenesisNoirGame.

Written by Jahanzeb Khan for Vista Magazine.

Interview edited for clarity.