Experiment 101 and THQ Nordic's highly anticipated action role-playing game Biomutant officially launched today. The journey to get here as been quite a long one for the studio, which started with just 18 developers.
Biomutant was first revealed as a "post-apocalyptic kung-fu fable." It features some robust RPG mechanics that go well beyond the initial character customization stages. Throughout the game, players are able to recode their character's genetic structure which, in turn, changes the wya you look and play through altered attributes and physical mutations. There's also a rather deep crafting system where players can mix and match parts to create unique weapons.
As for the combat, its third-person martial arts style combat system is designed to allow for maximum freedom of movement and agility while mixing shooting, melee, and mutatian powers.
But how does it all come together? Reviews have officially hit the web and it seems they are a bit all over the place.
Biomutant currently sits at a 62 rating on Metacritic with 35 reviews counted as of this writing. Here are some of the noteworthy reviews:
VideoGamer - 70
If the DNA of Biomutant sparks a re-evolution of some of the genre’s dull spots, perhaps we can forgive the dull spots present here.
Game Informer - 65
Biomutant consistently shows glimmers of promise but it takes patience and a pair of rose-colored glasses to see them. I genuinely loathed my first several hours with the game, but once I made cooler weapons that made combat more tolerable or admired another postcard-worthy sight, I felt more disappointed than anything. Biomutant has all the ingredients of a unique, entertaining adventure. It just spends too much time doing everything possible to try and impress its audience instead of polishing its handful of strengths.
IGN - 60
Biomutant has a lot of the building blocks of a top-drawer action RPG but its cookie-cutter approach to objectives and puzzles starts feeling very repetitive very early on.
Comicbook.com - 60
Biomutant isn't a terrible game -- the fighting and crafting systems are both top-notch and give players a ton of choice. But while the world of Biomutant is hauntingly beautiful, the game lacks any sort of narrative substance or character. If you're looking for a strong story or even a weak story, Biomutant will leave you unsatisfied. However, if you enjoy exploration for the sake of exploration, then you'll probably lose yourself in Biomutant.
Twinfinite - 60
Landing combos, and zipping around the sandbox is amusing enough, and the game’s progression systems offer the usual RPG hook. But overall it’s a case of light entertainment and not truly innovative design.
Overall, it seems like the ambitious game isn't bad; it just doesn't quite live up to its grand expectations. The general consenus seems to be that there are glimpses of promise, especially with its combat and crafting systems. The RPG mechanics are also largely praised, but the overall story and world-building falls short.
Biomutant is out now and available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A next-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X|S version is on the way.