Biomutant Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

by Jim Smale · Published May 13, 2024 · Updated May 16, 2024

Our Biomutant Review has us playing the game where A plague is ruining the land and the Tree-of-Life is bleeding death from its roots. The Tribes stand divided, in need of someone strong enough to unite them or bring them all down… BIOMUTANT is an open-world, post-apocalyptic Kung-Fu fable RPG, with a unique martial arts-styled combat system allowing you to mix melee, shooting, and mutant ability action.

Biomutant Review Pros:

Beautiful graphics.
Action adventure gameplay.
Can rebind controls.
Accessibility options – subtitles, subtitles size, QTE auto complete, auto advance dialogue, quick menu toggle, subtitle background/color, and opacity.
Camera settings – camera shake, and auto adjust the view.
Controller settings – sprint toggle, quick menu toggle, camera sensitivity sliders, Invert axis sliders, smoothing, and vibration.
Gyroscope support and settings – turn on/off the gyroscope, aim assist, gyroscope aim assist while using a stick, and sensitivity sliders.
Video settings – brightness slider, and sharpening amount.
You can remap the controls.
Game settings – Hud on/off, scale slider, quest markers, damage numbers, enemy indicators, comic book effects, remove waypoint when near, compass on/off, and rotate compass with a view.
Five save slots.
The game runs really well.
Four difficulties – Easy, medium, hard, and extreme.
Action adventure gameplay.
Character creator has six breeds each with unique stats, adjust your genetic structure by tweaking stats, choose genetic resistance (radioactivity/heat/biohazard/cold), customize your fur and markings, and choose colors of fur and detail.
Five character classes – Dead Eye, Commando, PSI Freak, Saboteur, and Sentinel.
Opening and ongoing tutorial pop-ups.
Choose your alignment at the start to decide if you go light or dark.
Excellent voice works especially the narrator/translator.
Has a storybook feel.
Your character is shown in the cutscenes.
In-game cutscenes.
Full photo mode support.
Light and dark are at play throughout the game, your choices will point you towards the light or dark side and that has some ramifications on what happens to you.
3rd person perspective.
Combat is cool as shit with a wide range of combos, cool slo-mo, and a dodge system to trigger a slowdown.
Loot chests and health packs can be found.
Multiple choice encounters.
Full loot system complete with rarity levels, ability to scrap them and you get an instant pop-up of the stats.
Earn EXP and level up to get a 10-point increase in a chosen attribute and 1 point to put into the skill tree to get new abilities.
Quick select wheel for item management. The D-pad can also be used to quickly use med packs.
Clear easy-to-read Hud and mission markers.
Setup five outfits which is a fancy way of saying loadouts.
Full item management system.
Comic book-style text pops up when shooting, reloading, hitting enemies, etc.
Save and load when you want.
The map uncovers and adds new locations as you explore and you can place your own waypoint.
Enemies can drop loot and be looted.
The melee system is a lot like the Arkham style where you effortlessly jump between enemies to keep a combo going.
Slight puzzle elements.
The stamina system is in play for running and jumping.
A lot of fun to play.
Locations are big enough so that you can freely explore and find secrets.
Bioblobs drop from canisters and Morks (enemies) and these are used to unlock mutations.
Rotation puzzles are hidden around for bonus rewards, you have a set amount of rotations but you can increase them with your intellect stat.
Strong platforming pedigree.
Parry attacks to stun the enemy but also launches them into the air for more aerial combo action.
Multiple choice encounters.
Beautiful locations and vistas.
Signposts uncover a small portion of the map and act as fast travel points.
PSI points are earned by interacting with captives and shrines and using them to unlock new powers and abilities.
You are constantly getting choices from which route to take to help people to more game-orientated ones like which sides or tribes to side with that can impact the story.
Collect resources, and craft new weapons and gear.
Go back in time with memory set pieces.
MKTon is something you get later on, there are unique loot drops to find in order to upgrade it.
Hazard zones are self-contained areas where breathing the air kills you but it has safe spaces, it’s a blend of platforming and racing against time.
Main story missions along with many side missions you can find and trigger.
A 3D game world with 360-degree camera control.
Full mission management.
You can find/earn new armor which can be equipped and change stats.
Fast loading times.
Items picked up can be scrapped, equipped, or taken into inventory.
Enemy levels show above their head and health bar.
Automaton is your little Grasshopper buddy who accompanies you everywhere, you can customize his appearance, and set any of the unlocked functions – flashlight, health injector, glider, turret, and boost.
Save slots show your level, date saved, difficulty, and playtime.
Signposts can be found and are used to fast travel around the game world.
You can see Coordinates as you move around the map.
The exp-earned bar will pop up as you get some.
Excellent set pieces, vistas, and flyovers.