I have been searching for a casual game that could bridge the downtime I have between work and studying. I found Mutazione by chance in a bundle with some other similar games. After sitting down to play it I realized it was exactly what I had been looking for. Monsters, mutants, and gardening combine to make an interesting experience. As always join me as I review and recommend Mutazione.
Plot
The plot is a charming and enlightening tale. The story follows Kai a young girl who has left for her grandfather’s island to meet him for the first time. The title Mutiazone comes from the Italian word for mutation and this is exactly what is featured in the game. Kai explores the island which turns out to be filled with a wide array of mutated characters. The cause of a mutation occurred when a meteor hit the island.
The story takes a soap opera turn as you progress with weird, wacky, and wonderful stories being played out in the lives of the inhabitants of the island. Although there is no groundbreaking story featured in multizone, it’s a lovely change of pace to play a game with a more simplistic approach to the plot.
The characters are mutants and monsters. This creates an exciting development and the main character Kai learns that they may not be so different from humans from her mainland. The story of a misunderstood group of people being accepted by an outsider always warms the heart.
Gameplay
The overall goal of the game is to tend to a garden and grow a variety of plants for the inhabitants of the island. This creates a calming and easy-going element to the game. The player is not stuck to the garden though and can engage in conversations with the inhabitants of the island-building relationships and learn more about the island.
The gardening aspect of gameplay is short but sweet. There will be several gardens featured in the game and they are assigned a specific vibe. In order to progress the player needs to have a full bar and the garden must have met its purpose/vibe. To do this you must talk to inhabitants of the island and acquire songs from them. The player will then take part in a mini-game which involves playing a set of drums. Doing this mini-game helps the plant grow, the player then harvests the plant and gives the product to whichever character it matches in the story.
This is as far as it goes in terms of gameplay but that’s what makes Mutiazone unique. The gameplay is more focused on exploration and storytelling. Sometimes a casual approach to a game can leave the player feeling refreshed and anew.
Visuals and soundtrack
The visuals of this game are unique. The style brings the island to life and with 2D it looks simplistic but vibrant. The color choice in the game is fantastic with the main shades being darker colors but with a distinct saturation that adds to the atmosphere. The characters are cleverly designed with most being green or brown. These are colors that most players would associate with mutation. The art style definitely made it stand out from any other games I have recently played.
The soundtrack was enthralling from the first scenes. With an extensive soundtrack, almost every song was captivating and hypnotic. The soundtrack went hand in hand with the gameplay and style. I found myself humming along and vibing with the soundtrack. My personal favorite was the title theme. However, there are 36 tracks to choose from.
Vibes Score
8/10
Overall, this game warmed my heart and delivered a soap opera easy-going narrative. I would strongly recommend anyone who is looking for casual gameplay, an amazing soundtrack, great characters and to alleviate stress in real life, to pick this game up. Check out the trailer below.
Just a small thanks for reading. Happy gaming!
26, Indie Game connoisseur. Also a hamster mum, fiancée & working in the addiction field. Gaming and writing are my escape and comfort for when the world gets too much!
