Grimshade
Grimshade
Game
Game2019
Blacksad: Under the Skin
Developer Pendulo Studios, YS Interactive
Blacksad: Under the Skin is a 2019 adventure game developed by Pendulo Studios and published by Microïds. The game is an adaptation of the Spanish comic series Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido. It follows John Blacksad as he investigates the suspicious death of a boxing club owner. Blacksad: Under the Skin is Pendulo's first game based on a license and its first to use fully 3D graphics. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
303 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
66
Fresh
119 positive · 61 negative
95% range 59–73%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 119 | 61 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 21 | 7 | 80 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 6 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
1,831 of 2,343 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
67% recommend · 122 yes, 59 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 181 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (5,814 of 7,001 positive).
Players praise the game's noir atmosphere, story, and characters. [1][2][3] Many reviewers note significant technical issues, including bugs and poor performance. [2][4][5] Some players find the gameplay clunky and the controls frustrating. [6][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [19]
The story of this game was amazing. It was the thing that kept me coming back... because it was the only good part of the game. The gameplay itself was abysmal. I tried every trick in the book to fix the QTE speed... only to be met with nothing that worked. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the story of this game and it felt very interactive, albeit linear. The characters were developed well, and it introduced me to a …
- [18]
This game started out so well. I was enjoying the story despite some ruff graphic issues. Unfortunately, I literally can't complete the game. The QTE in the basement freezer section is bugged and won't compete no matter how fast I press the button. I tried everything; reloading a save, lowing the settings, turning off subtitles, locking fps and monitor refresh to 60. I even downloaded an auto-clicker. I can't give a …
- [1]
Excellent game. Pros: 1. Atmosphere. The 1950s New York setting is straight out of a classic detective film, perfectly capturing the mood. 2. Story and characters. (No spoilers) It's a classic detective tale about corruption and dark secrets. You play as a private investigator unraveling a complex, twist-filled plot. 3. World details. While the world is limited to specific locations, the game encourages exploration …
- [2]
It’s a strong meh. On one hand, the world and atmosphere are absolutely dripping with personality. The game nails that pulpy, noir inspired vibe better than anything I’ve played since L.A. Noire. The characters are a real highlight too every one of them feels distinct, and I genuinely enjoyed each interaction. The writing has heart, with plenty of charm and clever dialogue that makes it easy to get invested in the …
- [11]
To be honest, I dont understand the reviews speaking of game breaking bugs or terrible performance. I have just finished the game and played it entirely on my Steam Deck. Regarding Performance: - The game was maxed out and I locked the FPS to 45 on my Steam Deck - The only noticeable performance issue I had was in a section near the end of the game Graveyard Regarding game-breaking bugs: - Literally not a single …
Summarised from 34 of the 297 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Blacksad: Under the Skin talk about great noir atmosphere and art direction; those who didn't talk about frequent bugs and performance issues. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
During 2018, MeriStation placed Blacksad: Under the Skin among the year's "10 most promising" adventure games, while La Vanguardia and VidaExtra listed the game's debut trailer as one of the best to appear at Gamescom 2018. The following year, HobbyConsolas declared Under the Skin one of 2019's "most anticipated Spanish video games", and IGN España highlighted the game as one of the top graphic adventures scheduled for 2019. The editors of 3DJuegos similarly named it their 44th-most-anticipated title of 2019 across all genres and platforms, and one of their 20 most anticipated indie games of the year. According to Laura Cress of Adventure Gamers, Blacksad's display at Gamescom 2019 was "a…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 303 · most liked firsthad a dream a new Blacksad game got announced but alas the fans continue to starve 😔 anyway this was posted to Patreon in December 23!
neutral · AI labelView post →what do we think about random kitty?? well not so random as I'm trying to figure out a character for Blacksad ttrpg game >:0
neutral · AI labelView post →Tbh I prefer this Jesus over the lion Jesus from the Blacksad game. I can't take that painting seriously. 😂 #judasiscariot
neutral · AI labelView post →Shame on me for leaving this out of the list. I have kept up with this series since the 2000s, and even watched the entirety of video game that got released (WITH A FANTASTIC VA FOR BLACKSAD BTW), and I still love it. You can still see the influence in how I draw my werewolf faces imo.
positive · AI labelView post →Blacksad: The Roleplaying Game is available now! Get it here: tinyurl.com/yfyjua4p The acclaimed comic book series Blacksad, by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, becomes a #TTRPG in this comprehensive core rulebook. @nosolorol.bsky.social @darkhorse.com
neutral · AI labelView post →PSA: The Blacksad game is free on GoG for the next three days.
neutral · AI labelView post →This is one of my favorite illustrations in the Urban Jungle TTRPG, drawn by Krazy Krow, according to the credits For my game i’m also thinking of influences like Lackadaisy, Blacksad, and Don Bluth mouse-protagonist movies
neutral · AI labelView post →The story of this game was amazing. It was the thing that kept me coming back... because it was the only good part of the game. The gameplay itself was abysmal. I tried every trick in the book to fix the QTE speed... only to be met with nothing that worked. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the story of this game and it felt very interactive, albeit linear. The characters were developed well, and it introduced me to a comic I otherwise wouldn't have read. I will be reading the original series because…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →From Cthulhu's game, arrives Percyval Dusk, journalist. (Inspired on a Blacksad character, Weekly) #dnd #furry #furryart #oc
neutral · AI labelView post →Excellent game. Pros: 1. Atmosphere. The 1950s New York setting is straight out of a classic detective film, perfectly capturing the mood. 2. Story and characters. (No spoilers) It's a classic detective tale about corruption and dark secrets. You play as a private investigator unraveling a complex, twist-filled plot. 3. World details. While the world is limited to specific locations, the game encourages exploration by having you search for collectible cards (though some might see this…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Franco-Spanish Jank™: great design and music, very decent scenario competently voiced (crucial for a Telltale-style game), but the gameplay is laborious and utterly ridden with bugs, some of them game-breaking. Truth be told, this feels like a half-***ed port. A few tips if you are brave enough to play it: lower your frame rate to 30 or you will not be able to complete the QTEs; Watch out when driving the forklift, the reverse does not work; if the screen goes black and the game cease to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another #Promosky 🎮 Fallout 1, 2, NV Psychonauts 1 Kenshi Jak 1-X Sly 1-3 Saints Row 2 Pajama Sam Sonic 📺 Moomin KND Lilo&Stitch Invader Zim Silver Fang Nichijou Wordgirl 📚 Blacksad Usagi Yojimbo Homestuck Nemi Kid Paddle 🤹 Art OCs DND Stone Jewelry Magnet Fishing Game Design Beyblade
neutral · AI labelView post →EN I can't bring myself to give this game a bad rating, but I can't recommend it unconditionally either. I kept this game in my backlog for a long time, since I really love the Blacksad comics, but sadly I got almost no enjoyment out of it. The story, character design, choices, dialogue and especially the music, which immerses you in the noir world of Blacksad, are all top-notch. But this ship crashes into an iceberg of technical problems. On Steam Deck everything was going great, until at…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Has potential but the current build performs horribly and I can't recommend a game in this state. Especially when the previous build reportedly worked fine. If it gets fixed I will update accordingly... after I get the chance to actually play it...
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Something was a bit 'fishy' about the whole dining experience, but I couldn't quite put my fin on it." (a small Bryan Talbot tribute). Oh gosh, obligatory novelty song from my youth! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZmV5pF4eNA *(Wet Dream - Kip Addotta)* *** So these are from Bryan Talbot's *Force Majeure* , the fifth and final album in his magnificent ["Grandville"](https://www.bedetheque.com/serie-23544-BD-Grandville.html) series. It's a bit like *Blacksad*, but far -more-…
neutral · AI labelView post →Let's get the negatives out of the way: - The gameplay feels rough in a way that's hard to ignore. John Blacksad moves at an absolute snail's pace, frequently bumps into invisible walls, and navigating environments often feels really extra frustrating. - Interacting with objects is unnecessarily clunky. You constantly have to position yourself at the exact right angle and distance just to examine points of interest. - The game wastes a lot of your time with awkward design choices. Large areas…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It’s a strong meh. On one hand, the world and atmosphere are absolutely dripping with personality. The game nails that pulpy, noir inspired vibe better than anything I’ve played since L.A. Noire. The characters are a real highlight too every one of them feels distinct, and I genuinely enjoyed each interaction. The writing has heart, with plenty of charm and clever dialogue that makes it easy to get invested in the story. Unfortunately, all of that potential is dragged down by serious technical…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Eugene went to the detective's office, to avoid handing over the compromising photos of him having an affair with a woman, to his wife. But John Blacksad only gave him one solution to avoid it. The rhino has to submit. Eugene Colbert from the game Blacksad. Rhinovember drawing 🦏!
neutral · AI labelView post →this game would've been peak choose your adventure detective story if not for the controls and bugged QTEs that actively prevented me from playing it. got this game almost 5 years ago and it's still bugged. beat it, but not sure if it really was worth my time
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Started playing Blacksad this week #furry #fanart #blacksad #game
neutral · AI labelView post →I love the Blacksad comics. They might be one of the greatest European comic series ever made. The fact that the artist uses watercolor, one of the hardest methods of painting, to make these pages is why I love art and craft so much. One mistake and he has to start all over again. And all the little details in it. The plots are a love-letter to Americana, its diverse culture, art and music. Combined with a gripping noir plot. The only thing that I can think, compares to it, is Cowboy Bebop.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A Sly Cooper-inspired game based on my webcomic; however it'd also include elements from the Blacksad adventure game as well, with several optional paths depending both on skill but relationships with the supporting cast members.
neutral · AI labelView post →This was inspired by recent happenings, but also that time I saw someone get interested in playing the Blacksad video game after seeing a lot of rule 34 fanart of Joe Dunn, only to discover that Joe’s lifeless body hanging from the rafters is literally the game’s welcome screen.
neutral · AI labelView post →I LOVE THIS GAME - soundtrack - writing - art direction - how much love it shows to source material the only minus is it does not work on my PC, luckily it works on my roommates Pc I don't even mind Blacksad getting stuck on environment and walking slowly, whatever I enjoy the atmosphere I enjoy every minute I spend in this game when it works (not on my PC). I wish this game was not such bugged mess because I SO DEARLY WISH we could get more. This is the only story driven game I played…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is full to the brim of quick time events, which are tied to the speed of the monitor, expecting a 60hz monitor. AVOID AT ALL COSTS IF YOU HAVE A REMOTELY GOOD MONITOR
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I dont trust angels cause when they fall they become a demon. sum like that Likes: The story crime mystery which is pretty straightforward no major plots but still very enjoyable. Great main character very stoic. Love the character designs and voice acting. dislikes: 10 second black loading screen which comes up frequently. The gameplay is like telltales and i dont mind it but its not the best, very clunky. limited movement. Game is very slow paced and if you can get over it, the story is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The super slow walking pace + long and frequent loading screens + slow and poorly timed dialogues makes this one of the best game i've played to fall asleep... No interest in forcing myself to go any deeper.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Weekly Spy Cam - Eugene in Bed (Part 2) Weekly the weasel loves to spy and take photos of his targets. Eugene Colbert, the Rhinoceros, was one of them. It's morning and Eugene is waking up. Weekly is spying. He takes some pictures of him! From "Blacksad: Under the Skin" game.
neutral · AI labelView post →Weekly Spy Cam - Eugene in Bed (Part 1) Weekly the weasel loves to spy and take photos of his targets. Eugene Colbert, the Rhinoceros, was one of them. It's morning and Eugene is waking up. Weekly is spying. He takes some pictures of him! From "Blacksad: Under the Skin" game.
neutral · AI labelView post →After we checked out #Blacksad on Indie Comic Book Club @ljthepaladin.bsky.social looks at the game based on the same universe #BlacksadUndertheSkin Did he think it lived up to the comic? Hear his thoughts here; youtu.be/D3pknsTW_EU?... #game #videogames #indiegames #review
neutral · AI labelView post →#RandomGameSaturday Blacksad : Under The Skin is a point and click style adventure game based on noir detective comic series "Blacksad". Excellent graphic novels turned into a solid adventure game. See my full video on the game from 2021 here : youtu.be/0dY_zpucyLs?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Lil gator game, Rainworld, Tooth and tail, Tunic, Mouse: pi for hire Blacksad Fuga 1-3 On your tail! Culture of the lamb, etc etc.
neutral · AI labelView post →I really like Blacksad and this game captures the atmosphere very well. We are thrown into the action without a long preamble, the case is interesting and there is a quick reunion with familiar characters from the comics. Therefore, I would like to recommend this game, but there are far too many things that speak against it and made me stop playing after a short time. I can overlook rough edges such as the somewhat bumpy animations here and there and the slightly asynchronous voices here and…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First of all, I think it's a great game. But there are a few annoying things that are mostly convenience/design issues that could be addressed with simple quality of life fixes (idk, maybe it was lack of budget or whatever but still). For example, the game would've profited significantly if it had any hints on where to go next when you have multiple options of what to do and different possible locations to go, but instead you end up wandering everywhere pixel hunting. Or the fact that there's…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some twenty-somethings are looking at the adults only shelf and were a little shocked by the Omaha the Cat Dancer covers. Then one goes, "yo, I played the game of that." they doubted him but he insists. I am willing to bet cash money he means Blacksad.
neutral · AI labelView post →This game started out so well. I was enjoying the story despite some ruff graphic issues. Unfortunately, I literally can't complete the game. The QTE in the basement freezer section is bugged and won't compete no matter how fast I press the button. I tried everything; reloading a save, lowing the settings, turning off subtitles, locking fps and monitor refresh to 60. I even downloaded an auto-clicker. I can't give a game that's fundamentally broken a recommendation. Given the game has been out…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story in this game is quite good. The choices have repercussions on the story, though many of them are more about what sort of character your detective has (honest vs corrupt, etc). The Good: - Enjoyable story that is neither predictable nor nonsensical - Good graphics - Very well voice acted - Good music The Bad: - The loading times are pretty bad even on an SSD, both loading the main menu and loading between scenes - Movement is extremely clunky - Camera angles could definitely be…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →was no one gonna tell me they made a Blacksad video game like 7 years ago???
neutral · AI labelView post →If you're unlucky you'll get stuck in a progress bug where if you talk to people in the wrong order you cannot progress. Avoid.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game was so buggy, that I got stuck after playing for 4 hours. Coudn't refund because I played too much? Contacted the developer but didn't receive any support.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Going Live Now with Late-Nite Noir, continue #Blacksad, a detective game. But is it #SoBadItsGood? I'll be #puffpuff ing my way to the solution with my trust gorilla sidekick? check it out twitch.tv/jalapenonuts
neutral · AI labelView post →Let's Play a game Create a comic book team-up/crossover that you would like to see. You can pick from any franchise. One per day for 15 days, in no particular order. However you can't use the same character twice. No explanations, no reviews. Day 6: John Blacksad & The Question
neutral · AI labelView post →Eugene went to the detective's office, to avoid handing over the compromising photos of him having an affair with a woman, to his wife. But John Blacksad only gave him one solution to avoid it. The two comic pages and clean versions! Eugene Colbert🦏 from the game Blacksad.
neutral · AI labelView post →Eugene went to the detective's office, to avoid handing over the compromising photos of him having an affair with a woman, to his wife. But John Blacksad only gave him one solution to avoid it. Second part of this comic! Eugene Colbert 🦏 from the game Blacksad.
neutral · AI labelView post →Classic noir. New York. The 1950s. Cat-Detective investigated a mysterious suicide. But... Is it suicide? Or something else? And if yes, who is behind this? Who did this and for what? John Blacksad will have to answer all these questions. This is my first acquaintance with the Blacksad universe. In my opinion it's a good detective. I like music, atmosphere, plot and characters. But hate optimization. Optimization is really bad
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A dear friend of mine told me to play this and it completely pulled me in. investigations were actually fun, putting the clues together felt rewarding, and the conversations made me think twice (or thrice xd) before making a choice. SOMEHOW I ended up with the worst ending, and the good part is I still didnt see it coming at all. I just sat there staring at the screen, It definitely wasnt the outcome I wanted, but it made the story even more memorable.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →About to continue playing the Blacksad game! www.twitch.tv/emperortiger...
neutral · AI labelView post →I like game, but Old Unreal Engine no like second monitor, the french, much like Sega, Allergic to optimizing PC controls. Mmmm Grug go play Wolf Among Us.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Summary: The game is broken in core aspects of its mechanic and is virtually unplayable. It is incredible that someone allowed for an untested product to be cleared for distribution. Pros: The game has its charms, the visual design is not lacking and the ambience has a certain note similar to that of the comics. Although a subjective feeling is that the pace is too slow and that the main character's voice actor did a very bad job, in general the game could have provided a satisfactory…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The fact that there is a game-breaking bug in 7 year old game that causes you to lose nearly an hour and a half of game progress is extremely frustrating. Furthermore, I've played the game longer than 2 hours to even get to this point so I can't even refund it. The artstyle, world-building, voice acting, and game direction is really cool. But that bug is seriously a huge issue. I'm sure the developers have heard about this bug many times, and never went back to fix it. What a disappointment.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Blacksad: Under The Skin. What a mystery game! A bit buggy, but we got it fixed, and we got it workin' and solved the mystery! Thanks to @mommanatsumi.bsky.social for the raid! <3 Alas, The Lab has closed for the night, for us to send our Visitors over to @tenorracc.bsky.social ! Check 'em out!
neutral · AI labelView post →To be honest, I dont understand the reviews speaking of game breaking bugs or terrible performance. I have just finished the game and played it entirely on my Steam Deck. Regarding Performance: - The game was maxed out and I locked the FPS to 45 on my Steam Deck - The only noticeable performance issue I had was in a section near the end of the game Graveyard Regarding game-breaking bugs: - Literally not a single issue in my 14h playthrough. - The movement can be a bit clunky when you try…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →L.A. Noire is about a cat, a pretty average game, nothing particularly outstanding, but I can't bring myself to call it bad either.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really been enjoying the 'Blacksad' game now that most huge bugs have been ironed out and got a craving to re-read the comic strips again as a result. #blacksad
positive · AI labelView post →[Game Bundle] Microids Mystery Menagerie. $1: | Game name | Steam link | |----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | Still Life 2 | https://store.steampowered.com/app/46490/Still_Life_2/ | | Still Life | https://store.steampowered.com/app/46480/Still_Life/ | | Post Mortem |…
neutral · AI labelView post →Would have refunded, if I still could. Sadly just keeps crashing, I didn't mind because a quick restart mostly fixed the crash, but after 3h in I am stuck at a crash and I can't fix it. Otherwise same as the other reviews say, cluncky input, some weird delay when there is a quick-time-event and you need to smash a button, its terrible hard to accomplish. Otherwise game looks like fun.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stream (3.8.) at🕕18.00 (UTC+2) Game: Blacksad: Under the Skin twitch.tv/renotus
neutral · AI labelView post →Blacksad: Under the Skin has quick time events that suck! That's why I dislike this game so much! Not fun, not worth the bandwidth to download, NOT recommended!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stream (18.5.) at🕕18.00 (UTC+2) Game: Blacksad: Under the Skin twitch.tv/renotus
neutral · AI labelView post →Sadly, the story isn't bad and the visuals look convincing. But the game is broken in so many ways : from the dialogue cutting mid sentence, the QTE random timer (some QTE are just plain bugged and need a restart), the missing deductions (principal game mechanic) and the awful controls. Also I understand some have performance issue with this game It pains me to say this as I understand this was a passion project but damn, this is 2€ max
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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