I first saw Biomutant a few years ago. At that point, we didn’t know a whole lot about it but I think the aesthetic was cool. Anthropomorphized animal characters have always piqued my interest. I’m not a furry, not that there is anything wrong with that, but I am fan of small creatures doing human things. When I was younger, I really liked Winnie the Pooh and Feivel. Mouse Guard is one of my favorite comic series. You get the point. Of course, Biomutant was right up my alley. With a new work schedule and life, I haven’t been able to play it as much as I would like. That being said, this is a review in progress and I will add more once I finish the game.
Gameplay:
Biomutant is an open world action adventure game. There are several classes you can choose from during character creation that will impact your powers and abilities. I went with Deadeye, which gives some abilities tied to gun combat. You can also choose Psi-Freak which boosts your Ki energy powers. The class you pick doesn’t completely limit what you can do, it just enhances some stats and abilities. It’s standard fare in a game like this.
The combinations you can pull off using melee attacks, gun attacks and Ki powers, is a lot of fun. One of my favorite powers creates a sheet of ice under you and the enemies and they comically slip around. It has the practical application of preventing enemies from attacking you since they are off balanced. This leaves them open to one of the melee combos such as “Wicked Wolf” which can deal a lot of damage fast. All of the melee and gun abilities have names that are reminiscent of Kung Fu moves one would hear in a 70’s karate movie. Overall, the combat isn’t challenging but it is fun.
The map isn’t too large, which is refreshing. Often times, it seems like games think a map needs to be massive but they are also often somewhat empty. Walking around just to walk around isn’t something that does it for me so I appreciate the condensed map of Biomutant.
Story:
Biomutant is set on Earth and ecological disasters. There are some remnants of mankind, buildings, rusted cars, power lines, etc. Humans aren’t around though. Things have names like “the Once Was” and ‘the Before Times”. The names remind me of the Star Trek Enterprise episode “Terra Nova”. In that episode, poison rain sent the people underground and they used similar terms.
You play as the child of the lady mutant that created the various Wung-Fu techniques. As the story progresses, you meet other characters from your past that remind you of your youth and your mother. The story hasn’t really gripped me a lot, but the setting has. It’s endearing in a way that many games aren’t able to achieve. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of my childhood. Normally, I’m not nostalgic but in this case, I guess I am.
Visuals:
Overall, Biomutant looks rough in a lot of areas. I am playing the PS4 version on the PS5. The way some plants move in the breeze, some textures, and overall appearance of characters looks a bit dated. In terms of graphics, Biomutant reminds me of game from about a decade ago. It’s not a bad looking game, just not what one would expect of a game in 2021. That being said, the art style doesn’t hinder my appreciation of the game.
The Verdict (in progress):
Overall, I really enjoy Biomutant. I am lucky if i can play for an hour a night and haven’t had much chance to play on weekends. I really look forward to the chances I have gotten to play it. The setting and world really speak to me in a way that many games haven’t of late. I’d go as far to say for me, Biomutant is my game of the year so far. I truly hope that Experiment 101 gets the chance to hire some more staff and make a sequel. Biomutant was developed by a team of about 20 people which really makes the game more impressive. This world really is fantastic and I hope more people get to experience and enjoy it.
