After a long period of development THQ Nordic’s Biomutant is slated to release on May 25th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Developed by Experiment 101, the action RPG epic is chock-full of gameplay mechanics and systems. Here are 15 things you need to know before venturing through the New World.
Character Customization
Anthropomorphic creatures rule in Biomutant and you’ll be playing as one throughout the story. As such, you can customize numerous aspects of your character fur, fangs, height and so on. Choosing a lighter creature may confer more movement speed but a heavier character will be able to soak up more damage. Players can also opt for one of six DNA strands which can influence one’s attributes. It’s also possible to “re-seed” the genetics of DNA strands for different results.
Classes
A class system is also in place, allowing one to specialize their character further. You can opt for a Commando who’s all about using guns or a Psyfreak which focuses on “magic”. While the different types of classes and how to obtain them have yet to be revealed, we do know of at least one that can be unlocked through pre-ordering (more details on that later).
Story and Setting
Though you’re playing as a custom character at the start, Biomutant does have an overarching story. The Tree of Life, which provides sustenance to the New World, has been polluted. As a result, the player must venture out and save the tree while also dealing with the six different tribes. Originally part of a unified enclave, these tribes have separated and possess their own goals. Depending on your decisions, the story can branch off in unique ways and though the plot is fully narrated, this decreases as you progress. You can also manually reduce the narration in the options.
Dynamic Weather and Dead Zones
Biomutant’s world is roughly 4×4 kilometers and while not the largest, it promises numerous secrets and mysteries to uncover. The game has a dynamic weather system and day/night cycle which reportedly influences enemy behavior. There are also Dead Zones which require a gas mask and oxygen tank to explore and cryo areas that require warm clothes to safely explore.
Tribe War
The Tribe War is one of the other major plot features. Some tribes are looking to save the Tree of Life while others are looking to destroy it. You can either ally with a tribe and perform tasks for it, furthering its goals in the process, or choose to eliminate all of them. To help take down a rival tribe, you’ll need to capture their outposts – which provides unique rewards like new weapons, skills and so on – and then their fortress. Whether you stick with a chosen tribe or abandon them half-way is completely up to you.
Thankfully, it seems there won’t be any fetch quests. Experiment 101’s Stefan Ljungqvist told Game Reactor that the emphasis is on “secret discoveries, or exploration, where you actually find something interesting in the world and that will give you a small personal quest line that will give you some form of reward.”
Companions and Karma
As you meet NPCs and take on quests, different quest-lines start opening up. You also won’t have to go it alone in your journey thanks to the addition of Companions. These Companions will fight with you and, depending on your actions, change their attitudes. A karma system is also in place which keeps track of your decisions and provides either a Light or Dark Aura for your character depending on which tribe you’ve allied with.
World Eaters
In order to save the Tree of Life, you’ll need to follow its four roots to the World Eaters. These are massive boss fights that require more specialized equipment to fight. Interestingly, Ljungqvist indicated that you can either spare these World Eaters or allow them to live. How your choices and Aura further influence this remains to be seen.
Vehicles
Of course, you won’t be able to fight the World Eaters without special vehicles. These range from water skis called Googlides and submarines to mechs, referred to as Mektons, balloons and mounts. Vehicles can be obtained by helping out different characters but they have other functions outside of the World Eater fights. You can use a Mekton to traverse the Dead Zone, which lacks oxygen, and survive for longer periods of time or explore underwater in the submarine. Vehicles can also be upgraded if you so desire.
Combat
The combat has been described as a mix of melee attacks, firearms and mutations. Different types of weapons range from shotguns and assault rifles to swords and power fists. Players are also capable of dodging attacks and executing different combos. You can also seamlessly switch between different weapons in combat. As you progress, unique moves may be learned from different characters while leveling up allows for increasing attributes.
Crafting
Crafting is also a major part of the game, allowing players to create different types of weapons based on resources. Different weapons can have radically different magazine sizes, critical chance, accuracy, damage types and so on depending on the parts gathered. Both single-handed and two-handed weapons are available and it’s possible to affix different elemental damage like shock, freeze, freeze, and so on.
Mutations
Mutations are the source of various effects. You gain them via old world bunkers, which grant abilities like telekinesis or levitation. Alternatively, you could encounter a bio-contamination pool and alter your limbs to obtain pinching crab claws that can slam foes. Robotic parts like wings, claws etc are also available and provide benefits like flight. You can also freely switch out parts depending on the situation. Don’t count on mutating yourself into an entirely different species though.
Mercenary Class
Pre-ordering the game will net you the Mercenary class as a free bonus. Along with being playable from the start, it comes with a katana and wakizashi along with the dual-wield ability. There’s also a “unique combination of perks” available though more details haven’t been provided. It should be noted that the class can be purchased separately post-launch.
PC Requirements
In terms of PC hardware requirements, Biomutant isn’t too demanding. Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-4690K or AMD FX-8350 at 3.5 GHz, 8 GB of RAM and either a GeForce GTX 960 or Radeon R9 380 4 GB. Recommended requirements include an Intel Core i7-6700K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 running at 3.2 GHz, 16 GB of RAM and a GeForce GTX 1660Ti or Radeon RX 590 with 6 GB VRAM. In both cases, you’ll need 25 GB of free space for installation.
No Microtransactions
Along with clarifying that there would be no microtransactions, Experiment 101’s Stefan Ljungqvist told Well-Played about possible post-launch content. He noted that the developer’s current focus is on finishing the main game and “realize our vision to the quality we want first and foremost – then we hopefully deserve the right to add more content.” Perhaps this means that any future content will depend on the game’s overall success. We’ll have to wait and see in the coming days.
Collector’s Edition and Atomic Edition
Along with the Standard Edition, there are two special editions. The Collector’s Edition costs $109.99 for PC and $119.99 for consoles. It includes a figurine, A1 artwork on fabric, the official soundtrack and a premium box along with the game. The Atomic Edition costs a whopping $399.99 on all platforms and along with the Collector’s Edition content, you get a Steelbook, diorama, t-shirt and oversized mouse pad. A leaflet with codes for the Mercenary class are also included in both special editions, regardless if you pre-ordered or not.
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