Corpse Genesis is inspired by the surrealist drawing game Exquisite Corpse and the themes of artificial life found in Frankenstein. Players assemble grotesque creatures from mismatched Head, Torso, and Feet cards to create a single stitched monster. To bring it to life, players must power their creation using unstable forces such as Slime, Magic, or Electricity. Items and abilities allow players to strengthen their monster's attack, defense, or vitality while battling against another unnatural creation.