SAW
A new title in the SAW IP is on the way to us, with the announcement of SAW: Genesis taking us into The Great War
Even though the film side of things seems to be in a weird limbo, the video game side of things got a little bit of a surprise with SAW: Genesis getting announced. A new and interesting entry into the IP with Anshar Studios and Bloober Team coming together to bring it all to the PC. Not the exact set of teams I was expecting, yet still the teams that I have a feeling have a good chance of doing it correctly. Even if SAW: Genesis does seem to take a weird turn right out of the gate when it comes to the setting. Not that they moved out of a nameless, brooding city, but that the game will set just after the time of The Great War. That would be World War I for those who might have thought this was some different war that the game might be referencing.
If the setting for SAW: Genesis does not throw you off, then let us get into the nitty-gritty of it with the other fact that it will be a three-versus-one title. The one being the Judge, who happens to be the early architect of Jigsaw's work after surviving The Great War. The three are called the Accursed and are just random people who did not appreciate life. That is where the matches kick in, with the Judge running things behind the scenes, while still present for the Accursed to possibly confront. The Accursed just need to survive or be saved from the various traps and situations that they are placed in. All feeling like they were pulled from the SAW films, even if Jigsaw would not have been around to offer up all of the traps, we are about to see in the game.
SAW: Genesis — Reveal
Set in the grim aftermath of World War I, SAW: Genesis allows you to play on either side of a 3v1 confrontation in intense matches that take place on procedurally generated maps.
Step into the role of the Judge, an early architect of Jigsaw’s philosophy, manipulating the trial and its prisoners from behind the scenes. Or play as one of three Accused looking to escape the deadly labyrinth through teamwork and sacrifice.
I Want to Play a Game - Rise as the Judge
Shaped by their experiences in The Great War, the Judge is dedicated to rehabilitating humanity through pain and sacrifice.
Customize your approach with perks and traps, then seek to control the match from the shadows. Unlike other asymmetrical multiplayer games, the Judge is physically vulnerable and cannot overpower the Accused through sheer force alone.
Build your strategy around your character’s distinct advantages, such as:
- Exclusive access to hidden corridors + a noise-detection map
- Hallucinogenic gas and paralyzing toxins that distract and immobilize the Accused
- An Accomplice that can be summoned to drag the Accused into Rehabilitation Traps
Your goal is to rehabilitate the Accused, making them choose between life and limb rather than killing them. Live or die. They make their choice.
Welcome to Your Rebirth - Become the Accused
The three Accused find themselves in a trap-filled environment, where only collaboration and their will to live can give them a chance at survival.
Coordinate with teammates to complete challenges, scavenge items, and collect keys before time runs out. Each match drops you into a procedurally generated map where routes shift, plans break, and every mistake gives the Judge a greater advantage.
Your greatest threat isn’t just the traps that could be around every corner – it’s the pressure you face as time runs out. As your will decreases, progress becomes more difficult, and eventually you become vulnerable to becoming ensnared in one of the Judge’s intricately engineered rehabilitation traps, forcing you to decide between:
- Sacrificing a body part to escape
- Relying on your teammates to rescue you in time
These choices have permanent consequences for the match. Damage your arm, and it will be harder to complete puzzles and fight back. Injure a leg, and you’ll move slower, becoming easier to corner.
Survival is possible, but you may not survive intact.
Think you will walk away, untested?
SAW: Genesis is built for short, intense matches where no two trials play out the same. Over the course of the game, you’ll experience:
- Procedurally generated levels that maximize replayability
- Dilemmas and puzzles inspired by the SAW franchise
- Rehabilitation traps with meaningful, lasting consequences
- A unique power dynamic where the Judge controls the game from the shadows, but the Accused can find moments to fight back with smart coordination and physical force
Make a choice. Pay the price. Let the games begin.
I am going to have to say that SAW: Genesis seems like a weird way to take the IP out there. I could have seen it all if it were set with John running the games, but it feels wrong to say that someone else came up with his philosophy and designs for Billy or traps. Maybe there will be some sense to it all in the game, if we get anything in the way of a real story. I just rather feel as if the team had an idea for a game, and then was given access to the SAW IP, and are trying to make it all work as an asymmetrical title. I get that placing it in the era they are going for would make it easier to negate some of the issues that come with modern tech, but none of that feels like what it will truly need to be here. We will have to wait and see, and maybe the upcoming playtest will shed some light on all of it for us.
Do you think this is going to add to the overall fun of the SAW IP, or does it feel like something that might be too out there for the diehard fans? Why do you think it was set back in the era it is, and will there be more traps that we could never have imagined due to the setting? Will the Accursed be able to actually kill the Judge to escape, or will the Judge be able to get away no matter who survives the matches? Let us have that discussion in the comment section further down the page here. While I am still not certain about SAW: Genesis, I am still going to keep an eye on it while being cautiously optimistic. It might be the next best asymmetrical game in the mix, and we will know soon. Just watch the website and follow all of our social channels to see when all of that goes live out there. Then you will know if you need to play the game…
