Dungeons & Dragons is everywhere this year. From partnering with Magic the Gathering, the release of Dark Alliance, the bard class in the MMO Neverwinter, and D&D Live 2021, it’s been a rather busy time to be an adventurer. The latest news to hit is the announcement of a third Panel from Hell stream from the creator of the game Larian Studios.
The previous Panels from Hell showcased new information from the upcoming RPG. It’s been a hot minute since the last one way back in February. The third panel will be showcased on July 8 and will discuss Patch 5 and feedback from Patch 4. It will also revolve around larping or LarPG ( (Larian-LARP-ARG) with the subtitle “Twitch Plays: A Most Noble Sacrifice.”
The Dungeons & Dragons event will include a cast of actors and the developers of Baldur’s Gate 3 acting out scenarios chosen by the Twitch chat. Sure, what could possibly go wrong? It sounds like more of an escape room setting as well with the team teasing traps of the lethal variety and puzzles all leading to a fantastical object.
Of course, if it’s anything like the Panel from Hell 2 event, there should be some reveals for what’s to come. The last stream introduced the Dungeons & DragonsDruid class to the game so here’s hoping for something else.
Panel from Hell 3 will stream on Larian Studios’ Twitch channel on July 8, 11 a.m. PT!
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is consuming our daily lives. Ever since it released on June 22, we have played it night after night. It’s full of lore, history, and stunning landscapes to explore and stare at for hours. We often find ourselves lost gazing at the world around us between goblin, verbeeg, and giant fights. So, we decided to take some pictures to remember our time with the game.
While Dark Alliance doesn’t have a built-in photo mode, we uncovered a way to make it ourselves. It’s a simple process that anyone playing can do themselves. By the end of our guide, you will be able to capture Dark Alliance in all its D&D glory.
HUD: Bring up the option menu and go to HUD
Settings to Turn Off: The HUD can be confusing at first but the following list will help streamline the process. Make sure all of the following are clicked off:
Player Meters
Threat Indicators
Mission Objectives
Objective Markers
Buff/Debuff Icons
Usables Icon
Abilities Icon
Opacity: Unfortunately, all of this won’t get rid of the charge ability meter. So, to solve this problem you will have to turn the HUD opacity all the way to zero. It’s simple but takes about 10 seconds to do so.
Once all of the above has been done, you can set up your shot. From there all you do is use the built in Xbox or PS4 capture button or take a screenshot on PC.
It’s also a great way to make combat more challenging as you can’t see any of your stats.
Hopefully, Tuque Games and Wizards of the Coast add a true photo mode to Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance in the future.
E3 did not disappoint when it came to showing off indie games and one in particular that stood out is Dark Deity. It didn’t just get one moment to shine, it actually got two standout moments during E3 over two days. The first during the Freedom Games Showcase and the second at the GameSpot Play For All closing event. Not bad for a creative team of five friends who got together to make a game.
As fans of all things fantasy it was one of the best looking fantasy games revealed at the event and we just had to learn more about Dark Deity and its development. So, we reached out to the team to find out more about its production.
Dark Deity launched as a huge surprise the final day of E3. It is a strategy RPG with 30 playable characters and 54 classes that is very much inspired by classic RPG games of the 90s and early 2000s. We sent our questions off to the team and here’s what Game Director Chip Moore had to say about Dark Deity.
Inspiring Creativity
For Sword and Axe having their first game featured at E3 multiple times was an exciting opportunity for the entire team. Dark Deity was made with five people including Game Director Charles “Chip” Moore, Business Manager Dylan Takeyama, Composer Sam Huss, Map Artist Jonathan Kinda, and Narrative Designer Nick Solari. But it all started with the desire to just create.
“Dylan and I [Chip] had dreamt of getting into game development together for years, so in large part it was a manifestation of that goal – we were both approaching the end of college and realized this may be our last good chance to give game development a real shot. Our love for games like Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics obviously played a huge role in the genre we chose to develop in, but the game also has influence from a wide variety of other genres.”
The inspiration from other games can certainly be felt and seen in the trailer and gameplay of Dark Deity. But developing the game, let alone any game, isn’t without it’s challenges. To ensure Dark Deity saw a release and was produced at all, the team put it on Kickstarter in August of 2020. That decision ended with the game being fully backed in just seven hours.
We want players to feel powerful and like their choices matter
“Given that Dark Deity is our first game, there were a lot of bumps early on as we learned different skills and figured out our strengths and weaknesses. Reigning in scope and learning to know when something is out of our range was a tough lesson to take early on, and something we really focused on doing well.”
The crew taught themselves coding and learned to develop the game all their own using GameMaker Studio 2. Development was going rather well for Sword and Axe but they still needed a publisher. They struck a deal with Freedom Games in 2021, just three months before the games release.
Fallible Characters in a Living World
When it came time to design the world of Dark Deity building the land of Terrazael began with the characters. Since players would be spending a lot of time with them, the team wanted to make each one unique and realistic. This helped build one central theme to Dark Deity, that failure is normal and even characters fail.
“Overcoming adversity while staying true to your ideals was important to us to explore. We’ve found that many stories have an infallible hero or don’t touch on just how hard it is to deal with loss and fear.”
In creating heroes that may not succeed at everything, the game feels more realistic. It’s difficult to connect with a character that constantly overcomes all odds. Having characters who struggle to complete challenges imitates life. Players are able to establish a connection with them knowing that they too may have the same difficulties. That idea is something that can be found within the game’s conversations.
Having an extensive framework for where characters are from, how they grew up, and how the culture of where they’re from shapes them was key to building our characters.
“Our bond system and the extensive conversations in it really allowed us to explore many of the characters and their relations to the events of the story on a deeper level. Having some of our characters showing vulnerability to their closest friends really allowed us to dig into their motivations in an authentic way.”
When it comes to the characters themselves.
“We spent a huge amount of time building out the world of Terrazael and trying to craft a place that feels real and caters to characters that have genuine motivations and backgrounds. Having an extensive framework for where characters are from, how they grew up, and how the culture of where they’re from shapes them was key to building our characters. We didn’t want to just take an archetype and make characters to fit a role – we really did start from the ground up and build a person first, character second.”
It’s an idea pulled from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It’s a way to interact with the characters and adds way more detail and life to the game. Yes, it may be about fighting and defeating enemies but at its heart, Dark Deity is more than just 2D sprites on a stunning background. The characters are living and breathing and feel like people you’d come across in everyday life.
Impactful Decisions
Dark Deity is also built specifically for fans of the RPG genre. The passion the development team have for nostalgic games of the past is alive and well in every aspect of Dark Deity. It’s designed for players with that same passion for turn-based strategy games and fantasy fans alike.
“We want players to feel powerful and like their choices matter – there is so much potential for amazing late game builds that allow the player to bring out their creativity and have fun with the systems we’ve created. Along with the randomizer and campaign customization, we’re hoping that getting to play it countless times while really having a different experience each time is going to bring out that creativity.”
Throughout it’s more than two dozen chapters, players can expect a lengthy story with hours of playtime and replayability.
“The game has 28 “chapters” and we’ve seen the average playthrough take between 20 – 30 hours over. Obviously once you get familiar with the game, you can plow through maps a bit faster, but if you want to consume every dialogue in our bonds system, you’ve got hundreds of conversations to listen to.
Dark Deity is a spiritual successor to popular SPRGs and feels every bit as exceptional as Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics. It’s got an adoring fan base and a passionate development team that understands how to create heroes players can connect with.
The final day of E3 2021 saw the Nintendo Direct and along with it a lot of upcoming fantasy games. We chose a few of our favorites and ones perfect for any fantasy fan.
Hyrule Warriors Expansion Pass
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a hack-and-slash game where characters from the Legend of Zelda series fight hordes of monsters. The prequel set 100 years before Breath of the Wild is getting two DLC’s called Pulse of the Ancients on 18th June and Guardian of Remembrance in November. There was a new short trailer highlighting what to expect.
Sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
One of the biggest announcements was a trailer for the Sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It included the first gameplay footage of the upcoming title and a vague reveal date of 2022. It showed off a bit of the open world which contains familiar landmarks but also features new ones. There are floating islands like Skyward Sword and it appears Link – or someone- may lose their hand at some point during the game.
Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda
Nintendo also announced a Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda handheld. While not a major announcement it’s still in the realm of fantasy as it includes the original Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and the Game Boy version of Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.
Astria Ascending
Astria Ascending is a turn-based JRPG from Artisan Studios and Dear Villagers. It’s set to have around 50 hours of gameplay so it will take up a good amount of time. There will be eight characters to play and 20 classes to choose from. Aria Ascending releases September 30 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass and PC.
E3 2021 day three is in the books and we’re here to talk about some fantasy games that caught our eye. From a Dark Souls-inspired RPG, medieval mice fighting frogs, and a Fire Emblem-Esque SRPG, here are our favorite fantasy indie games revealed during day three of E3.
Eldest Souls
If the name Eldest Souls strikes a chord in your heart there is a reason. It is a Souls-like Boss Rush fantasy pixel art game releasing this summer. From Flag Studios and publisher United Label, Eldest Souls was revealed during the Future Games Show event. It’s reminiscent of Dead Cells in how it looks and its fast-paced combat. It’s set in a dark fantasy world where the Old Gods destroyed the world and left it in ruins. It will have a lot of similar features to that of the Souls games as well.
The main focus will be on defeating bosses and upgrading the main character’s stats and abilities. Check out the narrative trailer to get a feel for the story yourself.
It will release on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on Thursday, July 29, 2021.
Tails of Iron
Tails of Iron is an odd yet interesting looking fantasy RPG involving a war between mice and frogs. It’s another Souls-inspired game with a unique narrative. The trailer showcases the story – narrated by Doug Cockle the voice of Geralt of Rivia – though whether he is a character in the game remains to be heard. It’s a cute and spooky looking game that is certainly built for those who like dark fantasy with a bit of fairy tale thrown in. Tails of Iron releases 2021, on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC
Dark Deity
Dark Deity is the spiritual successor to the Fire Emblem series. It’s a turn-based SRPG with 30 playable characters, 54 classes, and hundreds of weapons. It has the look and feel of a classic Fire Emblem GBA game and we’re all about it. The trailer even begins with a slow pan of the world map and we’re a sucker for games, books, or movies that showcase their world through a map.
Dark Deity was successfully funded through Kickstarter. It also features voiced characters, hundreds of dialogue options, and a way to progress and build friendships with your troops. Dark Deity is out now on Steam.
Anuchard
Anuchard seems like the kind of tale you’d find in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. It’s a stylized classic retro 2D fantasy RPG where the main character , called the Bellwielder, wields a bell as a weapon. If that isn’t an improvised D&D weapon, we aren’t sure what qualifies. It also seems to be heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda and will include a dungeon with its own puzzles to solve. And you can also cook your own food, so that’s cool. Anuchard will release on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S systems in 2022.
The E3 2021 Xbox Bethesda Showcase was packed full of new exclusive Xbox games. From the many fantasy games revealed during the hour and half event, we selected a few we really liked. From sequels, remakes, and updated live games, here are our favorite fantasy games showcased during the E3 event.
Diablo 2: Resurrected
Blizzard Entertainment released Diablo 2 in 2000 and will release the completely remastered version in 2021 as Diablo 2: Resurrected. It’s got your typical Dungeons & Dragons vibe to it. There are devils, undead, demons, and angels and seven classes to choose from including paladin, druid, barbarian, necromancer, assassin, amazon, and sorceress. Resurrected is set to release September 23, 2021.
Sea of Thieves: A Pirates Life
Pirates of the Caribbean will officially meet up with Sea of Thieves in Sea of Thieves: A Pirates Life. The pirate adventure game introduces Captain Jack Sparrow – I almost forgot the captain title – Davy Jones, Tia Dalma, and Joshamee Gibbs to the video game world. It will tell a brand new story featuring the witty pirate and his rival Jones. So. while it may not be a canon – pun intended – story within the Pirates movie verse, it looks fun all the same. The free update launches June 22.
Redfall
Redfall is the newest title from Arkane Studios Austin, the team who made the Dishonored series. At first glance, Redfall might seem more science fiction than fantasy but it has vampires, zombies, and all sorts of other creepy nightmarish ghouls and monsters. The gist is vampires blocked out the sun in Redfall, Massachusetts preventing anyone from escaping. It includes a diverse cast of characters who all look absolutely amazing. It’s an open-world co-op first person shooter set to release in summer 2022.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
A Plague Tale: Innocence was our game of the year in 2019 and we’re excited to see the sequel A Plague Tale: Requiem. The first game is set in France during the plague and follows brother and sister Hugo and Amicia de Rune. While rats may be responsible for carrying the disease they turn out to be a much larger threat deeper into the game. It’s an emotional story set in a dark world with deep and engaging characters from the heroes to the villains. The announcement was our favorite of the showcase for sure. It releases in 2022.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising & Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes by Rabbit & Bear Studios and 505 Games are more traditional JRPGs. Hundred Heroes specifically holds the title as the third-most successful Kickstarter video game to be crowdfunded. It features the unique art style of Octopath Traveler and the feel of traditional RPGs. There will be a 6-character battle system with 2D sprites and full 3D backgrounds. Whereas Rising appears to be a different game altogether and will include a town-building mechanic, combat, and is set before the events of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes cast of characters.
We love fantasy video games and The Summer Game Festival didn’t disappoint with its reveal of upcoming titles. Many are completely new announcements while other more well known games got a new trailer. Of all the fantasy based games at the event, here are our favorites and ones we think any fantasy fan would enjoy!
Tales of Arise Trailer
Tales of Arise got a new trailer revealing more details about the characters and story. Developed and published by BANDAI NAMCO, Arise is a fantasy RPG set within the Tales universe of games. The trailer shows off the main characters in the party, the stunning world, and a few abilities. Tales of Arise releases September 10.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is one of the most hyped games of this generation and from the looks of it we understand why. From Software returns with the anticipated fantasy RPG January 21. The new trailer featured several creepy and grotesque enemies and teased the main plot. It certainly has the look and feel of a horror style D&D game.
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is a fantasy game that should be on any D&D fans radar. Summer Game Fest did provide new footage of the RPG and it all looks so good. Players can choose from Drizzt Do’Urden, Catti-Brie, Wulfgar, and Bruenor Battlehammer. All characters featured in R. A. Salvatore’s book series The Legend of Drizzt.
Salt and Sacrifice
Salt and Sacrifice is a 2D RPG platformer set in a dark fantasy world. It follows the story of the Marked Inquisitor as they are tasked with hunting down beings called Mages. While the word mage may refer to spellcasters, they are a bit different in S&S. “Mages: twisted, irredeemable creatures of elemental malice.” They can range from sword wielding armored knights to large magic slinging abominations and spider-esque beings. It releases in 2022.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Borderlands isn’t fantasy but Borderlands 2 introduced a fantasy world to the looter shooter RPG. Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep introduced a D&D type setting where actual Borderlands characters role-played in a fantasy realm. Tina Tiny’s Wonderlands is its own standalone game from the rest of the series. It includes broadswords, magic, and dice rolling. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands releases in 2022.
For game masters or book writers looking for some inspiration, these few games are sure to get your imagination flowing.
Sound the trumpets and gather the crowds as the Bard class is coming to MMORPG Neverwinter. It’s been quite a while since the game got a new class and it’s a fun one.
Neverwinter has added plenty of new content with the game’s latest being about the Feywild. The last class based update was a new Paladin class in 2016. The newest race to join the game was the Gith, introduced in 2019.
“For players that choose the Bard class, they will become a stylish fighter who uses the power of song to enhance their allies and defeat their enemies. Weaving their way through their enemies with a variety of flashy attacks, Bards can seamlessly burst into songs burning their enemies with a blazing performance. Also, when in a more supportive role, Bards can dance around the battlefield filling the ears of their allies with rejuvenating carols and defensive minuets while preparing for the final curtain call.
As one of the most versatile classes in Dungeons & Dragons, Bards are capable of pulling spells from other classes and are much more than lute players and word slingers. Let’s take a dive into what it is to be a Bard.
Songsmiths. Poets. Researchers.
Bards are predominantly known for using music to fight or bolster their allies. While this is true, it isn’t all they are good at. Bards are able to learn practically any spell, can fight with melee and ranged weapons, and are incredible at buffing party members and debuffing enemies. They are world travelers who love hearing stories and telling other people about great deeds or heroes they’ve encountered.
Bards level up by joining specific colleges and there are eight official Colleges available in the tabletop game. Each one allows the bard to use different skills and tactics to overcome challenges. The College of Lore is designed for players who wish to learn a lot of skills and protect their allies in a fight. Whereas the College of Valor makes allies harder to hit and lets the Bard focus on a weapon and spells simultaneously. They’re more battle ready as they are in the field quite often.
Bards in Neverwinter
While it isn’t clear just what the Bard will do in Neverwinter, we can make some assumptions. With them focused on protecting allies and distracting foes, they could get a lot of buffing spells and abilities in the game. They could range from healing multiple people to reducing the chance enemy attacks will hit.
Along with their introduction it would be cool to see dungeons related to the class as well. Perhaps even instruments, songs, or special items related to Bards could be coming down the line.
Neverwinter does already feature Harper Bard as a companion. They come equipped with abilities that increase health, reduce incoming damage, and boost specific stats.
🎶The Bard class will be available for testing and feedback on the Preview server tomorrow, June 3!🎼
Biomutant is an open world RPG from Experiment 101 and THQ Nordic. It’s a blend of familiar games such as Fallout and Skyrim and looks about as stunning as Breath of the Wild. We’ve put a lot of hours into it traveling it’s massive open world and while it is fun to play as a video game, we feel it would work even better as a tabletop RPG.
It isn’t a new concept to take a video game and turn it into a board game. Divinity: Original Sin II, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Dark Souls all created some form of board game or tabletop version of their video game.
We think the Biomutant developers should give it a go. If they’re looking for anyone to help write or create it, just hit us up.
Biomutant
Biomutant is a world full of anthropomorphic creatures all mutated by a chemical spill. Humans have abandoned the world and left it to die. The creatures now thrive off of the Tree of Life and six tribes rule sections of the world. Each one wants something different and they are split on saving the world of letting it end.
Characters are mutated to have different colored fur, amphibian skin, and magical abilities. The world is urban fantasy and a blend of science fiction. It’s all very Dungeons & Dragons like and the popular tabletop game is the perfect place to build a Biomutant TTRPG.
Biomutant as a TTRPG
Species. Every character you interact with in Biomutant is an animal of some kind. There are foxes, rats, otters, badgers and a whole lot of other weird and unique creatures. Players could range from any one of these interesting animals and each different species could have its own fantastic trait.
Aquatic creatures could be more acclimated to swimming in all types of biomes including water, acid, lava, and radiation. Whereas foxes and land mammals could be more agile on land or jump higher.
While Dungeons & Dragons may relate stats to certain races, a Biomutant TTRPG could rather corelate states with a specific class.
Classes. There are five classes available in Biomutant and all provide a different playstyle.
The Dead-Eye is a ranged fighter that relies on guns and can dominate the battlefield from a distance. Reloading is near instantaneous.
The Commando is similar to the Dead-Eye but their attacks are a bit stronger. The closest D&D class they’d come to is a fighter or ranger.
Psi-Freaks use psionic energy to attack and defend. Whether it’s levitating above the enemy or firing off electricity or flames, they have access to a number of powerful abilities. They’re like the Scarlet Witch of the bunch or a Wizard in D&D.
Saboteur’s are quick, agile, and nimble. They focus on using lighter weapons like sai’s and daggers. They’re a mix of rangers and rogues.
Sentinel’s are the heavy hitters. They act as tanks and can take a beating and deal it out just as well. Think of them like D&D’s Barbarians.
Weapons. One of the best features of Biomutant is it’s weapon system. There are well over two million crafting options you can choose from and not one is the same. While exploring the world, characters will come across resources ranging from plungers, trumpets, wrenches, and more odd assets that are used to build weapons.
Setting a skill check difficulty class (DC) for each weapon is a simple way to have players build certain weapons. The more gear they collect could help reduce the check. As for figuring out damage, they weapons could each range from a d4 to a d12 to even multiple of the same dice. Even if the player fails in reaching the target DC, the weapon could still be built but the damage may be reduced or it may break after a certain amount of shots.
Narrative.Biomutant’s story is pretty straightforward and could easily be worked into a tabletop setting. Massive creatures called worldeaters are destroying the Tree of Life all while different tribes are plotting to assist them or kill them. Characters could each be from one of the different tribes and their backgrounds could give them bonuses to their stats.
Mutations. One big aspect in a Biomutant tabletop game will be dealing with mutations. If the characters interact with a chemical spill, they can alter their DNA and gain new abilities or change their appearance. Interactions could be based randomly to make each one more interesting and to drive roleplay. Creating a random roll table would help achieve this.
While another example could be having the players describe how the chemical alters their character’s psyche and body. Instead of rolling randomly on a table, players could just choose what they prefer so they can roleplay how they wish.
The chemical spill could then be inactive for a while and they could visit it again or bottle it and use it as needed to mutate their body again.
A simple rundown on converting Biomutant to a tabletop setting:
A crafting system for weapons
Psionic and mutated abilities
Levitation, electricity, fire, ice, mucus, and growing a literal turtle shell on your back to ride down slopes.
Cute and fluffy animals with their own unique abilities and appearance
The overarching plot of saving the Tree of Life and killing the worldeaters or joining the tribes focused on its destruction.
Biomutant Review: Biomutant is an open world RPG from THQ Nordic and Experiment 101. You play an anthropomorphic animal similar to Master Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who comes complete with their own form of chemical mutation.
It’s sort of a blend between The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Skyrim with some of the best and worst aspects of Fallout 76 thrown in. All three mixed together create its own mutation. There’s its vast open world to explore that is nearly twice as large as Skyrim. The future dystopia feel of Fallout. And the colorful and creativeness of Breath of the Wild. It is by no means perfect but it has charm, is stunning to look at, and is just plain fun.
Story
Biomutant follows the adventures of the lone Ronin, a furry critter mutated by a government chemical spill. SPOILER WARNING. There will be slight spoilers ahead. It has
The Ronin witnessed the death of both of his parents and is searching for the rodent responsible. But along with their own journey there is a second narrative that includes saving the the Tree of Life. Four massive creatures called Worldeaters threaten to kill the tree thus ending all life. It’s by no means a new concept in storytelling but it’s straightforward and sets the tone of the game.
As for the overall lore of the entire world, it can be convoluted and isn’t outright explained. You can uncover details about it along the way by reading documents on boards or solving certain puzzles. The short story is a large biochemical spill destroyed the world, mutating creatures and leaving behind contaminated zones.
The writing is also just bad. There is no sense of character emotion. While individual characters do speak everything they’re saying is long winded and feels like they’re explaining their entire life story. It doesn’t help the narrator talks over their oftentimes cute and adorable tones. Having just one voice for each character takes away any concept of individualism.
Gameplay
The first two hours of the game act as the tutorial which is just poor development. It shouldn’t take that long to get the concept of a games design or mechanics. The first weapon you do actually get to craft gets taken away from you within seconds. Then crafting doesn’t return for quite a long time. It all feels too railroaded and should be more streamlined.
Narrator. One of the biggest reasons everything is so sluggish is the narrator. Every spoken word is said by the game’s narrator and that is its largest problem. He just won’t stop talking. Even now I hear him. It is by no means David Shaw-Parker’s fault, he is just doing his job. It’s his nonstop narration that slows down gameplay and makes every character lifeless. The voice cues never line up with what characters are saying and when you think he is going to speak he waits a few beats before chiming in. This can lead to skipping dialogue but that’s not the worst part as characters tend to speak a lot of nonsense before getting to the point – if they ever do. There is a way to turn off the narration but he’ll still pipe up every during cutscene and anytime you find lore or do a puzzle.
Completing the tutorial – basically after the first boss – allows you to run about the vast world. As an open world RPG, the world should always feel open to travel around. You don’t gain that freedom for at least two hours if not more. Yet when you are finally released from your shackles, Biomutant becomes something a bit different. Something a bit brighter and better. You’re free to go anywhere, craft anything, fight monsters, and just explore. Adventuring is the most rewarding part of the game. Houses, sewars, contaminated zones, and puzzles all present options to collect resources to craft materials.
Crafting. Part of Biomutant’s charm is found in its weapon and armor crafting. There are millions of combinations including swords, shotguns, rifles, knives, and sai. It isn’t the most friendly system and understanding what you need isn’t the simplest but once you have enough gear, crafting is a well worth your time. Unfortunately, you will have to create certain weapons in order to take down bosses. Especially, if you just want to make a straight melee build like we did. There is no prompt to tell you to do this so figuring out on your own in the middle of a fight is annoying.
Clothing and your attire is also a great feature of Biomutant. You can upgrade outfits to become more powerful and dress the character in number of cool clothes including giving them a shirt, pants, hat, and a lot of accessories for their face, shoulders, and back.
Combat. When it comes to combat, it’s really hit or miss – and yes, pun intended. It isn’t the most fluid and enemy hit boxes are all over the place. The majority of the time you have to aim at a specific spot if you’re in melee and that target zone is typically the enemy’s mouth. Attacking their backside or sides won’t cut it. This leaves you open for some nasty attacks and can be aggravating if you jump all over the place to avoid being hit.
Enemies also tend to wander off on their own during combat only to come back a few seconds later with full health
There are multiple ways to build your character though so it has plenty of replayability. You can choose different psionics or mutation abilities and choose to be evil or good. It’s a system similar to Mass Effect although way more complicated and frustrating. The two other voiced characters are just as silly and annoying as the narrator.
Puzzles. Biomutant sure didn’t take cues for Resident Evil when it comes to solving puzzles. There are so many and they pop up just when you don’t want them too. It isn’t that they’re difficult but annoying and repetitive. They range from unclogging toilets to turning on breaker boxes but they’re all done in the same way. All you do is rotate knobs until a success. It’s not rocket science but it is just boring.
Sidequests. Biomutant has so many side quests. It isn’t a bad thing they are just excessive and repetitive. From fetch quests, escort quests, and puzzles you’ll be swimming in stuff to do and it can be overwhelming. Also, speaking of swimming, you can’t and there’s a lot of water.
Visuals and Sound
Exploration is what makes Biomutant worthwhile. It’s about as stunning to look at as Breath of the Wild. The scenery is epic and if you see it you can visit it. Though sometimes – like Skyrim – reaching certain places can be a chore. Although, the lighting effects are a bit overwhelming from time to time and the sun can be blinding and reflects off of everything including grass. It’s a colorful game as well. But the color tends to get washed out during cutscenes and conversations.
The sound and everything from character voices and noises to the natural environment is fantastic. Grass rustles when you run through it and you can almost feel the breeze of air and touch of rain as it interacts with the world.
Soundtrack.Biomutant’s soundtrack is good but short. With around 40 minutes of music tracks are often repeated.
Verdict
Biomutant isn’t groundbreaking nor is it completely terrible. It sits somewhere firmly in the middle and that’s okay. Combat is shaky and wonky but there are times when things connect and it all feels good. The world is epic to look at and explore and feels like what Fallout 76should have been like when it first released. To earn a higher score, we’d love it If there was a way to skip the tutorial, get rid of the narrator, and improve combat. What it does succeed at is being fun. It’s colorful, playful, bright, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
