Gennady Artifacts: Complete Mechanics and Items

Gennady artifacts are collectible passive items that enhance combat stats, modify movement mechanics, and grant unique survival perks across runs. You purchase them from Sho using living larvae or acquire them inside metal chests and challenge rooms.

According to the Steam store page, developer Feed 64 designed these items to blend platforming challenges with roguelike build-crafting.

How Do Artifacts Work in Gennady?

Artifacts are passive modifiers divided into three distinct rarity categories depending on how intensely they alter your runs. Lower-tier items adjust numerical values, including temporary shield duration or base punch damage, while rare items introduce new combat interactions such as instant revivals or shockwave alterations.

In Gennady DevLog #04: Work on artifacts, the developer describes their design approach:

"Artifacts enhance weapon stats, character characteristics, completely change certain game mechanics or give you new ones." — Feed 64 Steam DevLog #04

Unlike character improvements offered for free by Zina at trade stops, artifacts demand an exchange of resources. You spend living currency to acquire items from the junk dealer Sho. Once you discover an artifact inside metallic containers during room progression, that item enters Sho's standard inventory rotation permanently. Certain specific items interact directly with the luck stat, which increases the likelihood of item drops and triggers probability-based artifact behaviors.

The better Gennady does at exterminating threats, the longer the rage ensues.

— Monochrome roguelike platformer Gennady adds PS5, Xbox Series ...

Which Artifacts Can You Find During Runs?

Combat items alter your offensive output and defensive sustainability when navigating hostile rooms. The items observed across official development logs and hands-on playthroughs emphasize synergy between melee strikes and the movement dash system.

These items let you assemble tailored builds before confronting stage encounters. Combining defensive buffers like Bulletproof Head with high-yield damage modifiers ensures that Gennady survives hazardous rooms filled with spikes and laser grids.

How Do You Preserve Artifacts in the Alley of the Dead?

The Alley of the Dead is an end-of-run transition system that breaks permadeath by carrying your collected artifacts and larvae into subsequent attempts. Following the Final Final Demo Update on Steam, early ammo requirements were eliminated and replaced by a dedicated container mechanic.

Every player begins with a default container capable of holding a baseline quantity of items between deaths. To expand run retention, follow these steps:

1. Collect living larvae from destructible bio-blocks and defeated creatures during your run.
2. Visit Sho's shop between rooms to buy a larger capacity container.
3. Track container durability, which degrades with each trip through the Alley of the Dead.
4. Secure your key artifacts into the container before entering hazardous biome chambers.

Retaining top-tier artifacts guarantees that Gennady starts fresh runs fully prepared to engage biome encounters and trigger rage mode against elite threats.

Artifact Acquisition: Sho, Chests, or Challenge Rooms?

Item distribution depends on room layout generation and player risk tolerance. Deciding where to secure your equipment changes your resource management across biomes.

Challenge rooms present a timed survival trial where players cannot rely on retreat. Entering these rooms without sufficient shield reserves can end a run prematurely, but completing the trial rewards valuable items that cannot be purchased early from standard vendors. Plan your route according to Gennady's current health pool and inventory strength.