Biomutant is set for release on May 25, but what is this whimsical post-apocalyptic RPG all about? After a long silence that left many wondering if Biomutant had been canceled altogether, its launch date suddenly seems incredibly close. Publisher THQ Nordic recently released several Biomutant teasers showcasing combat and environments, but these didn't include much about its story.
Biomutant was originally announced in 2017 and given a 2018 release window, but it then fell off the radar until 2020. Finally given a solid release date in early 2021, Biomutant promises players the chance to experience a brand-new RPG that combines elements of martial arts and small-arms clashes, all set within an original, post-apocalyptic world. So far, details about that world are still relatively scarce.
Unlike other games set in a dystopian environment, Biomutant has a bright and vivacious setting. Colorful, mutated creatures - including the customizable protagonist - roam the wilds. The land has been left poisoned by a natural disaster that resulted in oil rising to the world's surface. This would be devastating enough, but the poisonous oil also sullied the land’s life source, the Tree of Life.
Biomutant's Story & Setting Explained
The once vibrant Tree of Life now has several roots that are "bleeding death," according to Biomutant's official website. In order to save the tree and the rest of the world, players can travel to the end of each root to deal with large creatures known as World Eaters gnawing on them. World Eaters serve as the game’s boss fights, and according to GamingBolt, players will have the option to destroy them or allow them to live on. This Tree of Life plot device, however, serves as only one of the three main facets of Biomutant's narrative. In an interview with IGN, Experiment 101's Stefan Ljungqvist said the two others are a tribe war and the player character's backstory.
On their journey, players can encounter up to six different tribes that were once part of a unified sect. Ljungqvist said these tribes each represent a different "DNA strain" within Biomutant's world. After a yet-unspecified disagreement that took place prior to the game's narrative, these tribes are now at war with each other. Each tribe has its own set of goals, and players can try to influence or conquer these tribes as the game progresses. Some of the tribes want to save the Tree of Life, while others have their own ideas for the world and wish to see the tree fall. Player choices, like which tribes they choose to ally with, can change the course of Biomutant’s overarching story.
The backstory of Biomutant's player character is still a significant unknown - even relative to the few details revealed so far about the greater narrative. Ljungqvust didn't divulge any specifics about this aspect of the game, beyond saying he hoped players will venture further into Biomutant's world to discover more about who their character is and where they come from.
Biomutant comes to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on May 25, 2021.
Source: GamingBolt/YouTube, IGN