Players assume the role of an apprentice Shaper, a sect of mages who can create living creatures through force of will.

The primary motivation of the player is to escape the island and, in the process, deal with the forces working to steal the Shaper secrets abandoned on Sucia Isle.

The game's setting stemmed from the idea of players being able to create and control a group of obedient creatures.

Vogel had difficulties balancing gameplay with the powerful directed-energy weapons players would expect to use in a science fiction game.

Sales exceeded the developer's expectations, despite fears that the departure from Spiderweb's Avernum series would deter players.

Geneforge received a positive reception from reviewers, despite the quality of the graphics being rated as poor and the game containing one piece of music, the title theme.

As the player's party performs tasks or defeats enemies they receive experience, leading to increased levels and additional skill points.

[3] A total of 18 different creations are featured in the game, with larger and more powerful creatures costing more essence to create.

Most enemies will attack the player on sight, retreating in terror if they reach a certain threshold of damage without being killed.

[5] Encounters with intelligent creations or humans result in the player being given a series of pre-determined questions or responses.

[6] The player departs on a voyage to the academy aboard a specially modified Drayk, a dragon-like Shaper Creation.

[10] As the Shaper examines Sucia, lost in thought, the craft is attacked and mortally wounded by an unidentified sailing ship.

Trajkov controls a device called the Geneforge, created by the Shapers, which can rewrite the user's DNA and make them incredibly powerful.

Goettsch fled and stole the shaping gloves needed to safely use the Geneforge,[26] causing Trajkov to attempt to kidnap the player as a replacement.

Goettsch offers the player fake shaper gauntlets, which do not protect Trajkov from the Geneforge's energy should he be convinced they are genuine shaping gloves.

In an interview published on website RPG Codex, Vogel stated this was due difficulties maintaining game balance with futuristic weaponry which "should be devastating".

The game was developed with the intention of giving players choices; which factions to side with, how non-Shaper human outsiders are treated and whether to pursue goals through combat or diplomacy.

[19] Vogel cited Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Planescape: Torment, Deus Ex and EverQuest as influences.

[19] He also added that the differences in Geneforge meant the game might struggle to find an audience,[19] but the sales exceeded his expectations.

[10][12] InsideMacGames' Christopher Morin suggested that players interested in a "strong storyline and a unique take on magic" would be impressed, but not those who sought high quality graphics and sound.

[7] The game's setting has been described as unique and fresh,[12] the level of detail in Geneforge's fictional world was praised by reviewers.

[36] Website Just RPG's Eric Arevalo described them as simplistic but noted the game's story and the ability to control "fascinating mutant creatures" made up for this.

Nick Stewart found "a fairly decent variety of effects and noises scattered throughout", that they "added somewhat to the experience", but became irritated by the amount of hissing and popping in the environmental sounds after extended play.

[13] RPGDot's Val Sucher noted that the music player Winamp could be played in the background, due to the game's small memory requirements.