Biomutant [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

When Biomutant released last year following plenty of hype during its development, it got a bit of a mixed reception. Whilst there were plenty who praised the adventure, plenty of others found it could be a little clunky or that its missions could grow repetitive the longer you play. Console gamers also faced some technical issues, be that some stuttering frame rates, random quests glitching out, or even some hard crashes. It’s safe to say that the launch wasn’t exactly smooth, which was something I found out myself when playing the game in its early days.

Well, after fixing an array of those bugs and issues that plagued the game, developer Experiment 101 have now brought Biomutant to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X to give gamers a souped-up version to experience. They’ve done a good job too, even IF some of the existing gameplay issues are still present.

This review will focus on how the PlayStation 5 version feels to play, though we’ll cover some of the basics of the narrative and gameplay too.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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Taking place in a vast open-world, Biomutant offers PLENTY for players to do, both across the main campaign and with its side quests. I’d be lying if I said all of the quests hit the mark (some are outright boring and can feel repetitive in the later hours), but there are also plenty of sparks of creativity where all of the different ideas of the game come together and work. Exploring the world always feels satisfying thanks to just how pretty it looks, whilst some undeniably cool transportation options as well as a wondrous sense of discovery ensure that it’s packed to the brim with charm. Just don’t be surprised if some of the things you do within it get a little bit boring over time.

The storytelling is a bit more interesting, with it telling of a world that has been struck with disaster, with the player pulling together (or tearing apart) six tribes in order to try and fix it… or just let it rot. There’s a fair bit of freedom in the storytelling and a morality system influences your choices, so it’s interesting to see how things can play out. There’s also a bit of a revenge plot in place as you look to avenge the murder of your parents, but ultimately, it’s the fate of the world and whether or not you can save it that feels most important. It does fall flat in some places, but there’s enough intrigue throughout that the storytelling never feels boring.

Combat is a lot of fun, with plenty of fluidity and variety found across your attacking options. It always felt satisfying to upgrade my skillset or use more powerful weaponry, whilst some of the encounters in the game felt especially epic thanks to the sheer scale of the battle. There’s plenty of room for player customisation as far as your arsenal is concerned, whilst utilising special powers or defensive manoeuvres added a strategic twist to each battle. Admittedly, the lock-on function could make the controls feel a little fiddly at times and the camera could also be guilty of struggling to follow the action perfectly, but there’s no doubting that combat remains the highlight of the entire experience.

“You’re onto a winner whatever game mode you select, with the upgrades brought to Biomutant feeling substantial across the board and actually making the whole experience a LOT better than its PlayStation 4 counterpart.”

When it comes to the improvements brought with the PlayStation 5 version of the game, you`ve got all of the typical options you’d expect. Firstly, you’ll get to choose a game mode to play in, whether that’s 4K at a stable 30fps, 1440p at a stable 60fps, or with a dynamic 4K with a fluctuating frame rate that can hit as high as 60fps. These are typical options you’ve probably seen countless times already across this generation of games, so there are no surprises – those who suffered from frame rate issues during the game’s initial release will be especially happy to see that 60fps option, though.

Obviously, your choice will come down to your own personal preference: do you want a sharper and more detailed image with the higher resolution, or do you want the slick frame rate that remains stable throughout? Personally, I spent most of my time playing at 1440p with that 60fps, mainly because the free-flowing action of the combat in the game feels silky smooth in the mode. The combat and traversal are the two biggest highlights of Biomutant for me, so having it feel smoother than ever was a real plus. But hey, it’s a very pretty game too, so experiencing it in 4K also feels special. You’re onto a winner whatever game mode you select, with the upgrades brought to Biomutant feeling substantial across the board and actually making the whole experience a LOT better than its PlayStation 4 counterpart.

Returning players will appreciate the cross-save support that allows them to jump into their last-gen save with ease, whilst the fact that it’s offered as a free upgrade for existing owners is the cherry on top. Of course, PlayStation 5 gamers will also get the added benefit of the haptic feedback and responsive triggers when playing, with Biomutant utilising both features within its gameplay. It’s not the best use of the Dualsense controller that I’ve seen from a third-party release, but it definitely brought more impact to the combat and helped establish the PlayStation 5 as the better console to play the game.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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I encountered a lot less issues overall too, with no crashes kicking in or no quests glitching out on me. In fact, I don’t recall any real technical issues at all, and whilst there might have been one or two little stutters here and there, Biomutant on the PlayStation 5 remains technically sound throughout. It’s a big improvement over what I experienced before, where I found myself quitting the game completely because of its technical faults. If you’ve been waiting to dip your toes into Biomutant, this is the way to do it.

Developer: Experiment 101
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Website: https://www.biomutant.com/en/