Experiment 101’s kung-furry post-ecopocalypse RPG launches next week. My review should be out on Monday if I can stop getting distracted by side missions, but this is what I can tell you about the game in the meantime.
1. THIS GAME IS OBSCENELY ADORABLE
I mean, we knew that already, but not even the marketing prepared me for this absurd level of OMG CAN WE KEEP IT MOM PLZ. It’s like everything in the game is designed to make you go squeeeee. Its tactical-cute aesthetic is also complemented by Biomutant’s in-game vernacular, which reinvents boring concepts like toilets with much more whimsical “flush-stools”, and a morality system that makes it very difficult to choose evil dialogue options because how could you even, wook at dat widdle facey-wacey.
2. IT’S LIKE THIS GAME, BUT IT’S ALSO LIKE THAT GAME
Biomutant is a mega-mix of genre conventions – its enormous open world is immediately reminiscent of Assassin’s Creed or Far Cry, for example, and features probably hundreds of locations, multiple biomes, and a lot of vertical space. Traversal is limited at the start, but over time, you’ll unlock special tools and other equipment to expand your options, so it’s got those Metroidvania vibes too. Combat is more like Darksiders or Rocksteady’s Batman series, with a focus on timing and weapon-specific combos.
3. SO LIKE THOSE OTHER GAMES, BUT DIFFERENT
Because it’s a got a narrator.
4. DON’T WORRY ABOUT BAD COSMETIC DECISIONS
It took you three hours to create your custom character. Now you’re three minutes into the game, and what were you even thinking with this neon pink fur. It’s okay, Biomutant realises that fashion is a temporary psychosis so there’s an NPC who can fix your mistakes.
5. DON’T WORRY ABOUT BAD BREED OR CLASS DECISIONS EITHER
Your breed and class selection at the start of the game bumps some stats and includes a perk, but these won’t restrict you from other options in future – over time, you’ll increase your stats anyway, and every perk becomes available to you. Biomutant is totally flexible like that.
6. FOXPONY YAY!
You’ll get your first mount by completing a mission, but there are other, much more exotic mounts to acquire. It’s okay, Foxpony won’t even know.
7. THE CRAFTING SYSTEM IS BONKERDOODLES
Most loot in Biomutant is just junk. But accumulate enough junk, slap on some duct tape and glue, and you’ve got yourself an Superdup Frugnoozle, baby. Every gear item in the game can be assembled and re-assembled by swapping out this or that, or plugging in some other thing. Recycling is fun now! Basic item crafting is accessible via the menu, but you can also upgrade component quality at a workbench to significantly improve an item’s stats. You’ll find workbenches in some towns.
8. SOME TECHNICAL THINGS
Biomutant is launching on PC and consoles. The Xbox Series S/X and PS5 versions of the game, however, are not optimised for next-gen hardware – those versions are in development with Experiment 101 promising more info “soon”. Until then, the Xbox Series X version of the game supports 4K at 60FPS, but unresolved problems with the backwards-compatible PS5 version are limiting it to 1080p upscaled to 4K at 60FPS. The studio hasn’t confirmed specs for the Xbox Series S.
9. A NEW GAME PLUS MODE IS IN THE WORK-WORKS
But it won’t be ready in time for launch, according to Experiment 101.
10. WAS THAT…?
Don’t miss the, um, unique animation sequence every time you unlock a fast travel destination.