Blacksad: Under the Skin is a story-led detective adventure set in the world of the Blacksad comics. Its New York noir, comic-book connections and central mystery are its strongest draws; its investigation is guided rather than deeply open-ended, and 2019 reviewers reported technical and control problems. Whether it is worth playing depends on how much you value its story and atmosphere over polished mechanics.
What is Blacksad: Under the Skin?
Released in 2019, Blacksad: Under the Skin is an investigative narrative game set in the universe of the graphic novels. In early-1950s New York, private detective John Blacksad looks into the disappearance of boxer Robert Yale after boxing-club owner Joe Dunn is found dead. Dunn’s daughter, Sonia, hires Blacksad to investigate. Microids describes the game as an original story rather than an adaptation of a specific comic plot. Microids’ game page lists Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Mac.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Blacksad | $21.18 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Blacksad: They All Fall Down · Part One | $16.85 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Blacksad: They All Fall Down · Part Two | $13.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Blacksad: A Silent Hell | $19.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Blacksad: Amarillo | $17.85 | Buy on Amazon |
The game’s original release dates varied by platform and region: Microids lists 14 November 2019 for PS4, Xbox, PC and Mac in Europe, 28 November 2019 for the European Switch release, and 10 December 2019 for the US Switch release. Steam lists 14 November 2019 for the PC release. These are historical release dates, not confirmation of current storefront availability. Microids’ support page and the Steam listing provide the platform-specific details.
How does the investigation play?
Microids characterizes the experience as “An investigative narrative game with gameplay combining investigations, puzzles, quick time events (QTE) and multiple-choice dialog.” In practice, the investigation revolves around searching locations for clues, questioning characters and choosing responses, with fights and puzzles breaking up the conversations. The publisher says choices affect character development and the ending, though the available review evidence does not establish how extensive those consequences are.
#1 Best Overall
The key distinction for prospective players is that this is a guided narrative investigation, not a free-form detective simulator. Meristation’s 2019 PS4 review found its investigation linear and its controls awkward. That is one reviewer’s assessment of that version, but it is useful context if you are looking for substantial freedom to test theories or solve cases in multiple ways.
What did reviewers think?
Reception was mixed rather than unanimous. Metacritic displayed a critic score of 65 from 29 reviews, classified as “Mixed or Average,” and a user score of 7.4 from 136 ratings when checked on 8 October 2026. Scores and rating counts can change, so those figures describe the page at that date, not a permanent result. Metacritic’s listing also reproduces differing outlet judgments: DarkStation praised the style and grip of the mystery, while The Games Machine called it an enjoyable but imperfectly realized adventure.
Rank #2
GameSpot’s PC review, published on 26 November 2019, scored the game 5/10. It described it as a decent detective adventure that lacked some noir style. Meristation’s PS4 review, updated 3 December 2019, was more positive about the setting, story and links to the comics, while criticizing technical issues, controls and linearity. These are publication-specific reviews from 2019, not a single consensus verdict. GameSpot’s PC review and Meristation’s PS4 review give the detail behind those views.
What are the main strengths and drawbacks?
Reasons it may appeal
- Noir setting and story: The early-1950s New York murder-and-disappearance case gives the adventure a clear detective-fiction frame.
- Connection to the comics: Meristation praised the game’s links to the comics’ characters, locations and visual style. Familiarity may add to the appeal, but the game tells an original story.
- Varied narrative activities: Clue searches, interviews, dialogue decisions, puzzles, fights and QTEs provide more than one kind of interaction.
Reasons to hesitate
- Limited investigative freedom: The PS4 review described the case as guided and linear, which may disappoint players seeking an open-ended deduction game.
- Uneven mechanics: Meristation noted awkward movement and control issues, while GameSpot’s PC review found the noir style less effective than the premise might suggest.
- Technical complaints in 2019 reviews: Meristation reported loading stalls, freezes, missing dialogue options and lost progress on its PS4 playthrough. Those observations are specific to that review and time; they do not establish how every later patch or platform build performs.
Is it worth playing?
Consider Blacksad: Under the Skin if you want a comic-connected noir story and are comfortable with a fairly guided investigation. It is a less convincing fit if your priority is complex deduction, highly responsive controls or confidence about current technical performance based on recent, platform-specific testing. Meristation estimated roughly ten hours for its playthrough, but that is one reviewer’s estimate, not a guaranteed completion time.
Rank #3
For a practical decision, weigh the game along five dimensions: story and noir atmosphere, investigation and puzzle depth, controls and pacing, performance on the platform you plan to use, and how much the comic connection matters to you. The 2019 reviews offer useful historical evidence, but they cannot confirm current patch status, platform performance, price or storefront access.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
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