Concrete Genie Review

Synopsis:
Concrete Genie follows the heartwarming journey of a bullied teen named Ash, who escapes his troubles by bringing his colorful imagination to life in his sketchbook while exploring his hometown of Denska—once a bright, bustling seaside town, now polluted by Darkness.

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Reviewed on: PlayStation 4 (PS4 Pro); PSVR tested on base PS4

Cast: Simon Lathrop, Lily Sanfelippo, Michael Johnston, Vinay Edwards, Jake T. Getman, Kelli Jordan

Developer: Pixelopus
Directors: Jeff Sangalli (Art), Dominic Robilliard (Creative)
Writer: Evan Skolnick
Design: Jing Li, Christian Chang, Matt Boland
Art: Becky Roberts, Lucie Roberts, Taylor Lambert, Lancing Love Chen, Ashwin Kumar, Bob Archibald, Daniel Wilkes

I played through Concrete Genie in two four-hour sessions—and would easily have done it in one if I could. From the moment it begins, the game feels special and distinct from everything else this year. It’s like playing a Laika film—Kubo and the Two Strings or ParaNorman—with inspirations that call to mind Tim Burton, Neil Gaiman, and Jim Henson. Concrete Genie is one of the year’s best games, and I’m eager to sing its praises so you’ll support this beautiful work.

You play as Ash, a lonely kid who spends his spare time visiting the run-down, abandoned fishing village of Denska. Ash grew up here before everyone left due to ever-increasing pollution plaguing the water and the people. Now the village is shrouded in a mist of darkness, decrepit and vandalized by a group of bullies who also target Ash whenever they catch him.

Concrete Genie — lighthouse area lit with Ash’s paintings — *Image captured by author on PS4 Pro*

Ash is an artist, and his sketchbook is his lifeline, his closest friend, and his hope in the darkness. Naturally, the five bullies tear it up, scattering pages across Denska before shoving Ash onto a cable car to the lighthouse. There, Ash discovers an oversized magical brush that brings his drawings to life, lighting the world around him and purging the pollution. With newfound courage, he returns to Denska to cleanse the infection spreading across his beloved childhood home.

In some ways, Concrete Genie recalls a PS2-era gem. It’s not quite a platformer, though the roof-hopping and light climbing nudged my brain toward Sly Cooper. The core gameplay, however, is utterly unique: at nearly any surface, Ash can paint. Your main goal is to paint near light bulbs to illuminate them, and eventually the entire town. You’re limited to objects from the sketchbook pages you’ve recovered—early on: stars, grasses, plants, a sun—but placement, scale, and flow are up to you. While it isn’t freehand drawing, you’ll soon feel like an artist composing living murals across Denska.

Concrete Genie — a street brightened by painted flora and stars — *Image captured by author on PS4 Pro*

It’s not just vibrant meadows glowing in the distance—you’re also bringing Ash’s Genies to life. At specific spots, you’ll draw a Genie; the styles you can create expand as you recover more pages. These creatures roam any unpolluted wall (you can clear goo with Super Paint), and they’ll refill your Super Paint when you keep them happy by drawing their requested items.

There are enough variables in how and what you paint that my Denska won’t look like yours. You also unlock cosmetic elements—tails, claws, roses—to customize your Genies by “sticking” parts wherever you like. Painting uses the DualShock’s motion controls (optionally remappable to the right stick). I expected to be annoyed, but quickly appreciated how the brush flicks and glides in a semi-realistic way.

Concrete Genie — custom Genie frolicking among murals — *Image captured by author on PS4 Pro*

The opening chapters are warm and euphoric. While dodging bullies who loiter in certain areas, Ash paints the town back to life, creating Genies that gambol across the walls like playful puppies. Red Genies burn cloth barriers; yellow Genies jump-start electrical boxes. Because you author so much of what happens, Denska becomes a joyful canvas to fill and re-explore—painting stars across buildings to light the way, watching Genies laugh in the distance, finding lost pages tucked in boxes.

CONCRETE GENIE — PSVR

The PSVR mode is whimsical and charming, letting you paint in 3D as objects bloom around you—flowers at your feet, stars in the sky. The guided “story” portion took about an hour before unlocking Free Play. It’s a lovely, calming space to revisit, though its longevity is modest.

Concrete Genie is undeniably beautiful, and as you light more districts I was grateful for Photo Mode to soak it all in. Pixelopus melds styles to fantastic effect: key-framed bodies paired with hand-drawn facial animation evoke a lovingly crafted children’s book. Given the studio’s size, the art achievement is staggering—cutscenes often made me forget I was playing a game and not watching a new Laika film.

Concrete Genie — illuminated harbor with murals — *Image captured by author on PS4 Pro*

Sam Marshall’s original score ties everything together—sometimes somber, often whimsical as Ash paints wonder across Denska. I’ve kept it on repeat since finishing; it’s among my favorite soundtracks of the year.

Without spoiling specifics, the final third introduces combat. It’s a bold shift that, surprisingly, works—both mechanically and thematically. When “bad” Genies appear, Ash learns to wield the brush as a projectile. These encounters are fast, focused, and carry emotional weight, feeling earned rather than tacked on.

Play

My lone gripe: there’s no HDR. On PS4 Pro the 4K presentation is gorgeous, but HDR feels like a missed opportunity for a game this luminous—I hope a patch can add it.

Sometimes a game just hits every note for you; Concrete Genie did that for me. I love its characters, its charm, and its world that lets you feel—and be—an artist. It radiates warmth, and the themes never feel forced or trite. It’s a special gem every PS4 owner should play.