Geneforge 1-Mutagen is a remaster of the cult-classic RPG Geneforge which was released back in 2001 by Spiderweb Software. Geneforge is a unique RPG where you play as Shapers who are masters of genetics and magic and can create multiple creatures to help them out in battle. This introduces a completely unique gameplay mechanic that allows you to create multiple creatures that hit hard and will even die for you in combat. Geneforge 1-Mutagen brings the same old classic RPG formula back to life with many modern mechanics for you to try out in the game. This is our review of Geneforge 1-Mutagen in which we create some creatures and explore a barred island filled with secrets.
You start the game after creating your own character. At the start of the game, you are given the option of selecting your class from Shaper, Guardian, and Agent. Despite being three different classes, the main story and dialogue of the game remain pretty much the same. Each class comes with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. The Shaper excels at magic and creation but cannot survive on its own for long. The Guardian is a master of melee and creatures but does not perform well at magic. The final class Agent excels at magic and weapons, however, is pretty weak when it comes to character creation.
Apart from the starting strengths and weaknesses of each class, you can further customize your character with a hefty skill and training tree. These skills and abilities can be purchased in the game with the help of Skill Points that you acquire every time you level up in the game. This allows you to develop a character that really fits your playstyle and delivers a great RPG experience for you in this regard. The skills and abilities are diverse and completely unique from each other so even if you would like to work on multiple attributes, you can do so and create the best character for yourself in the game.
Geneforge 1-Mutagen follows a pretty deep story spread all over Sucia Island where it offers you plenty of options to explore and go for the one that suits you best. The story begins with you setting off on a boat towards your Shaper’s Training however your boat is attacked in the sea and you are left stranded on an island that is barred by Shapers for decades. Upon setting foot on the island, you discover that the island holds secrets of the past Shapers, and the island is now occupied by their creations both rogue and intelligent ones. While the creations are forever bound to respect the shapers, the island was left by shapers and their creations left behind and now they have created their own civilization here.
Apart from these creations, you also come across various creations that have now gone rogue and are hostile to you, the only shaper on the island. You get to interact with tons of NPCs in various villages and towns, all of which are creations of previous shapers who inhabited this island. However, not all of them are friendly towards your arrival. Apart from the rogue ones, the wilds are filled with even more creations who will attack you if you approach them while some will speak with you before attacking you. The enemy types in the game are not exactly varied and after spending a few hours into the game, you will have seen all of the enemy types already in the game. However, it does not get boring at all and the story and simple combat just keep you glued to the screen for hours.
Geneforge 1-Mutagen features turn-based combat. Each member in your party gets a turn before your enemies get their turn to attack. You and your creations come with both melee and ranged combat options and your creations now also come with their own active and passive skills that you can use in the game to your advantage. The new simplified UI gives you plenty of space to assign items, spells, and attacks to the main screen for easy use. The UI is also one of my most favorite aspects of the game. It is extremely simple and convenient for you to use. Everything is right in front of you and the developers have used the space available pretty efficiently.
Depending on your chosen difficulty, Geneforge 1-Mutagen can be anything from a walk-in-the path to you running away from fights with your tail between your legs. Some of the mechanics in the game are still pretty old-school as well such as inventory management. There is no drag-and-drop here so you have to manually click to select and then assign a slot to the item to equip it or move it around. You also have a junk folder where you can collect all of the junk and then sell it all in one swift click when you visit a vendor or a merchant. You will find plenty of merchants and vendors as you explore Sucia Island.
There is no auto-save in the game apart from when you enter a level so if your difficulty level is high, you will need to save manually quite often because you never know when you can die in the game from an enemy attack. The maps are covered in fog so you can only view a small part of the map which is visible to your characters. All creatures that you create are added to your roster, however, to move them around the map, you can only click on the tile where you want to move all of the characters and everyone will follow your command. Only, in combat, you will get to control a single character to fight the opposition.
The level detail is pretty high in each level with plenty of enemies and NPCs found here and there. There are tons of places to look for hidden loot and quests in the game as well which is why exploration is pretty high rewarding in the game. Due to the game’s addictive and simple gameplay, there were times when I completely forgot about my main or side quests and I was just exploring random areas until I managed to stumble upon an enemy that was too tough for me to handle and I would need to get out the area. One thing is for sure that you will often just get lost in the world of the title and would just keep exploring area after area. For being a title released back in 2001, Geneforge is a pretty addictive game, nonetheless.
One of the best aspects of the new content addition is that the developers have not just lazily added new missions and maps to the game. Rather, they have worked on the existing lore of the game and connected it with new missions and maps of the game so that it feels like it was already a part of the title. There are multiple new areas for you to explore this time around and you can also play and complete a brand-new quest which allows you to create a brand-new creature that was not part of the original title. This further increases the number of areas that you can explore in the game. This is exceptionally good as the game gives you complete freedom if you want to pursue the story and leave it for later and explore tons of locations found on Sucia Island.
Geneforge 1-Mutagen is a proper remaster and it is not just shiny new visuals. The visuals pretty much retain their original iconic look but in higher definition this time around. Apart from the visual overhaul, the developers have also worked towards making the gameplay better and it plays very well now as compared to the original one. Don’t take me wrong here, I loved the original title as well and now the remaster is just the icing-on-the-cake for me. I really hope that Spiderweb Software continues this trend of the excellent yet classic feel of Geneforge 1-Mutagen and releases the rest of the series’ remasters as well. The new content including the new maps and quest surely adds even more to the title and is certainly going to please longtime fans of the franchise.
Final Verdict:
If you are an old-school gamer, then there is no other RPG that will keep you more engaged today than Geneforge 1-Mutagen. Everything in Geneforge 1-Mutagen is a testament to how great the early RPG dungeon-crawlers really were. Boasting retro visuals, slow gameplay, and turn-based combat that is as simple as shooting a gun in today’s industry, Geneforge 1-Mutagen really is a treat for classic RPG lovers. Boasting remastered visuals and tweaks here and there to truly feel like a modern-classic, Geneforge 1-Mutagen is surely here to keep you buys for hours and hours with its deep character customization, fun creature creation, and maps and areas to explore for days. Highly recommended if you love playing RPGs and dungeon crawlers and a must-play for classic RPG lovers.
Final Score: 9.5/10
