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CRITIK

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden

Name: Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Item: Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Author: Critik Editorial Team

2018

GenresAdventure, Action, Turn-Based, RPG, Top-Down Perspective, Strategy, Military and Warfare, Single Player

AvailableDec 4, 2018

PlatformPlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One

DeveloperThe Bearded Ladies Consulting

Overview

From a team including former designers of HITMAN and PAYDAY comes Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, a tactical adventure game that combines the turn-based combat of XCOM with a real-time stealth and exploration of a post-human world reclaimed by nature… and Mutants.

Elsewhere

7.5

Game analysis

Critik Scorecard

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Story and Narrative

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY

Story Score

Positive (80-100)

54%

Mixed (50-79)

43%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden are quite varied. Overall, the story is praised for its intriguing post-apocalyptic setting and world-building. Critics such as AusGamers and Game Informer appreciate the narrative elements, with AusGamers even comparing it to the charm of Howard the Duck. COGconnected and Softpedia highlight the clever writing and engaging main storyline. The world of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is described as interesting and dense by DualShockers, while GameWatcher finds the strangeness of the world and characters to be a captivating aspect. The concept of mutated animals with human-level intelligence, as mentioned by Windows Central, is also seen as unique and interesting. However, there are also criticisms towards the story. Destructoid feels that while the game provides lore and potential storylines, it ultimately fails to deliver. Twinfinite mentions that the narrative is sparse and lacks development, with a hollow tone and disappointing ending. CGMagazine and GameSpew criticize the story for indulging in post-apocalyptic cliches and lacking depth. Slant Magazine criticizes the writing for not capitalizing on the animal characters and lacking distinct personalities. Taking into account the opinions of the critics, the overall consensus regarding the story of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is mixed. While there are positive aspects such as the intriguing post-apocalyptic setting, engaging main storyline, and interesting world-building, there are also criticisms towards the execution, lack of development, and generic elements. Some critics, such as AusGamers and Game Informer, find the story fulfilling and intriguing, while others, like Twinfinite and CGMagazine, feel that it falls short in terms of depth and originality. Ultimately, the story seems to have potential but may not fully capitalize on it, leaving room for improvement.

TL;DR

story and narrative

Critics have mixed opinions on the story of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. While some praise its post-apocalyptic setting and engaging world-building, others criticize its lack of depth and generic elements. Positive points include intriguing narrative elements and unique mutated animal characters, but shortcomings include sparse storytelling and cliched themes. Overall, the consensus is that the story shows promise but falls short in execution, leaving room for improvement.

Gameplay Mechanics

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY

Gameplay Score

Positive (80-100)

70%

Mixed (50-79)

27%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.

The gameplay of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden has received mostly positive feedback from critics. The game offers a unique take on turn-based squad combat, with a strong emphasis on stealth mechanics, exploration, and RPG-progression. Critics such as AusGamers, COGconnected, and Game Informer praise the strategic combat mechanics and nuance, highlighting the importance of stealth and strategic positioning. The integration of stealth mechanics into the exploration mode is well-executed and provides tangible benefits, as mentioned by GameCrate. The game also offers a versatile stealth gameplay that rewards patient and strategic thinking, as noted by IGN and TheSixthAxis. The tactical combat is described as brutal and challenging, with the ability to stealthily navigate zones and split up party members for tactical advantage, according to GameWatcher and Vandal. However, there are some negative aspects of the gameplay that have been mentioned by critics. Several critics, such as Strategy Gamer and Twinfinite, express frustration with difficulty spikes and unbalanced encounters. The limited progression system and overlapping mutation upgrades are criticized for lacking depth and variety, as mentioned by Twinfinite. The combat can become repetitive over time, with tedious mechanics and mindless gameplay, as noted by Slant Magazine and The Digital Fix. Some critics, like TheXboxHub, mention occasional difficulty spikes due to being under-leveled. The slow movement and lack of a minimap hinder the exploration aspect, as highlighted by Game Informer. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden offers an enjoyable and unique gameplay experience. The combination of turn-based combat, real-time exploration, and stealth mechanics is praised for its execution and strategic depth. The tactical combat is described as the main draw of the game, with a focus on stealth, positioning, and pre-fight planning. The integration of stealth mechanics into the exploration mode adds an additional layer of strategy and rewards careful observation and planning. However, there are some criticisms regarding difficulty spikes, unbalanced encounters, repetitive gameplay, and lackluster progression systems. Despite these drawbacks, the gameplay of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is generally well-received and offers an engaging and dynamic experience for players.

TL;DR

gameplay mechanics

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden wows critics with its unique turn-based combat featuring stealth mechanics and RPG elements. Praise for strategic depth and nuanced gameplay, but criticized for difficulty spikes and repetitive combat. Overall, a thrilling and engaging experience with room for improvement in progression systems and encounter balance.

Graphics and Visual Design

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS

Visual Score

Positive (80-100)

61%

Mixed (50-79)

39%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden are generally positive. AusGamers praises the impressive animation, motion-graphic cinematic sequences, lighting, and animated fog-effects. COGconnected mentions the distinct art style that is visually appealing and makes good use of the environment. Game Informer highlights the visually striking zones and the fair amount of world-building. GameWatcher describes the graphics as well-designed and visually appealing. Gamers Heroes mentions the satisfying visuals, particularly the upgradeable weapons. PC Gamer commends the game for its balance of sardonic humor, grim detail, and cartoon excess. The Digital Fix appreciates the charming, nostalgic look with sharp corners and blocky structures, while TheXboxHub praises the gorgeous post-apocalyptic world with lush foliage, ruined buildings, and strange machines. PlayStation Country and PlayStation LifeStyle both mention the strong graphics with lush vegetation and well-designed characters and effects. However, there are some negative opinions regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. DualShockers criticizes the mediocre character models and animations. Slant Magazine criticizes the under-realized aesthetic and the lack of distinct personalities for the animal characters. Twinfinite mentions technical issues such as minor glitches and significant problems with enemy pathing and frozen characters. GameSpew points out rough edges like enemy shotgun pellets passing through rocks, and PlayStation LifeStyle mentions camera problems with clipping issues and glitches. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden has strong Graphics and Visual Design. The game is praised for its impressive animation, motion-graphic cinematic sequences, lighting, and animated fog-effects. The distinct art style and visually appealing environments are also highlighted. The game's zones are visually striking and offer a fair amount of world-building. The graphics are well-designed, visually appealing, and create a believable post-apocalyptic world. However, there are some criticisms regarding mediocre character models and animations, under-realized aesthetic, lack of distinct personalities for the animal characters, technical issues, and camera problems. Despite these negatives, the overall sentiment is positive, with critics appreciating the game's visuals and design choices.

TL;DR

graphics and visual design

Critics praise Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden for its impressive animation, distinct art style, and visually striking environments, creating a believable post-apocalyptic world. However, some criticize mediocre character models, technical issues, and camera problems. Overall, the game receives positive feedback for its strong graphics and visual design.

Music and Sound Design

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN

Sound Score

Positive (80-100)

44%

Mixed (50-79)

56%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden are varied. Some critics, such as Softpedia and Gameplanet, praised the voice acting in the game, describing it as great and naturalistic. Softpedia specifically mentioned that the voice acting adds to the charm of the game, while Gameplanet highlighted how it enhances the immersive experience. AusGamers also mentioned the positive aspects of the in-game chatter, but no further details were provided. On the other hand, DualShockers criticized the music, stating that it is unmemorable. They also mentioned that the voice acting leaves a bit to be desired. GameSpew echoed this sentiment, praising the main character voice acting but finding the voices of the ghouls to be grating. Overall, the consensus among the critics seems to be that the voice acting in Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is generally good, with a few misses. It adds to the charm and immersive experience of the game. However, there are mixed opinions on the music, with DualShockers finding it unmemorable while TheSixthAxis praised the exceptional 80s inspired techno soundtrack that adds to the aesthetic. The positive aspects of the sound design and music seem to outweigh the negatives, as critics like Softpedia and Gameplanet highlighted the great voice acting and immersive experience. However, it is worth noting that some critics, such as DualShockers and GameSpew, had reservations about certain aspects of the voice acting.

TL;DR

music and sound design

Critics are divided on the Sound Design and Music of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. Some praise the voice acting for being great and natural, enhancing the immersive experience, while others find the music unmemorable and have mixed feelings about the voice acting. Overall, the voice acting is generally good with some misses, adding charm to the game, while opinions on the music vary.

Voice Acting

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING

Acting Score

Positive (80-100)

77%

Mixed (50-79)

23%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.

In analyzing the opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, it is evident that there is a mix of positive and negative feedback. Several critics, such as AusGamers, Softpedia, Worth Playing, God is a Geek, Gameplanet, PlayStation Country, and PlayStation LifeStyle, praised the voice acting in the game. They described it as engaging, great, excellent, pretty good, and good across the board. These critics highlight that the voice acting adds to the charm, naturalistic feel, and overall enjoyment of the game. GameSpew specifically mentions that the main character's voice acting is on point, further supporting the positive sentiment. However, there are also critics who express some reservations about the voice acting. DualShockers states that the voice acting leaves a bit to be desired, without providing further details. Slant Magazine mentions that the mutants have a small pool of deeply obnoxious battle quotes, which suggests that some of the voice acting may not be well-received by all players. This criticism, though not elaborated upon, indicates that there may be instances where the voice acting falls short of expectations. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is generally good, with some exceptions. The positive feedback from critics like GameCrate, ZTGD, and Screen Rant, who highlight the excellent voice acting, engaging character interactions, and distinct dialogue, supports this conclusion. While there are a few critics who express reservations or provide limited details about the voice acting, the majority of opinions lean towards the positive side. It can be inferred that the voice acting in the game contributes positively to the overall experience, adding depth and personality to the characters and enhancing the immersion in the game's world.

TL;DR

voice acting

Critics have mixed opinions on the voice acting in Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. Some praise it as engaging and excellent, while others have reservations, citing obnoxious battle quotes. Overall, most critics find the voice acting good, with exceptions. Positive feedback highlights engaging character interactions and distinct dialogue.

Technical Performance

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE

Tech Score

Positive (80-100)

15%

Mixed (50-79)

77%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.

In terms of the technical performance on PC, the majority of critics had mixed opinions. DualShockers and Gamers Heroes both mentioned that they did not encounter any significant frame rate issues, which is a positive aspect. However, PC Gamer highlighted launch-period bugs that made upper floors invisible and caused confusion about character movement, while Twinfinite pointed out several technical issues such as minor glitches, frozen characters, and significant changes in resource counts. Softpedia and Strategy Gamer also mentioned a few technical issues, including occasional bugs and slow movement. Worth Playing encountered a fair number of bugs, including character clipping and game freezes, but stated that these problems didn't ruin the game. Windows Central had a positive experience on PC, with no frame drops or screen hitching, but mentioned occasional frame rate issues and mild stuttering on Xbox. Moving on to the Xbox platform, God is a Geek encountered a couple of bugs, such as characters getting stuck in cover and a crash, but overall mentioned only a few performance bugs. The Digital Fix mentioned slow camera controls and occasional glitches, such as enemy AI getting stuck and audio glitches. These issues indicate a less polished technical performance on Xbox. For the PlayStation platform, GameSpew mentioned rough edges like enemy shotgun pellets passing through rocks and characters teleporting, while PlayStation Country experienced minimal slowdowns and no major technical issues. PlayStation LifeStyle encountered camera issues with clipping and glitches that required restoring to a previous save state. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden had a mixed technical performance across all platforms. While some reviewers had positive experiences with minimal issues, such as DualShockers and PlayStation Country, others encountered more significant problems, such as Twinfinite and The Digital Fix. The presence of bugs, glitches, and performance issues on multiple platforms suggests that the game could have benefited from further optimization and bug fixing.

TL;DR

technical performance

Critics had mixed opinions on Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden's technical performance. Some platforms like PC had various issues including bugs and glitches, while others like Xbox and PlayStation also faced performance problems. Overall, reviewers found the game to have a mixed technical performance, with some encountering more significant issues than others.

Replay Value

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE

Replay Score

Positive (80-100)

14%

Mixed (50-79)

79%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden are quite varied. Some critics, such as DualShockers and GameSpew, highlight the positive aspects of replayability in the game. DualShockers praises the handcrafted levels and real-time exploration segments, which encourage thoroughness in future runs. GameSpew mentions the ability to upgrade characters' abilities and mutations, adding to the replay value. These aspects provide players with incentives to revisit the game and try different strategies or playstyles. On the other hand, several critics express concerns about the game's replayability. GameSpot criticizes the lack of variety in encounters and maps on subsequent playthroughs, which diminishes the replay value. IGN points out that the RPG elements clash with the stealth and strategy gameplay, making further progression feel pointless and hindering the learning of the game's systems. GameWatcher also criticizes the shallow RPG elements and the lack of options and paths for character progression. Overall, the consensus among the critics leans towards the game having limited replay value. Softpedia states outright that the game has no replay value, while Metro GameCentral criticizes the absence of a meta game and random elements, which contributes to the lack of replayability. However, there are some positive aspects mentioned by other critics. Worth Playing highlights the different difficulty levels and the challenging nature of the game, which may require multiple playthroughs, especially when playing on Ironman mode. TheXboxHub praises the customization options, collectibles, and achievements that make the game worth replaying for fans of turn-based gaming. In conclusion, while Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden offers some elements that can enhance replay value, such as handcrafted levels, character upgrades, and different difficulty levels, the overall sentiment among the critics suggests that the game falls short in terms of providing a truly replayable experience. The lack of variety in encounters and maps, shallow RPG elements, and the clash between RPG and stealth/strategy gameplay are some of the factors that contribute to this sentiment. However, fans of turn-based combat and those who enjoy challenging gameplay may still find value in replaying the game.

TL;DR

replay value

Critics have mixed opinions on the replay value of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. Some praise its handcrafted levels and character upgrades, while others criticize the lack of variety in encounters and shallow RPG elements. Overall, the consensus is that the game has limited replayability due to these factors. However, fans of turn-based combat and challenging gameplay may still find value in replaying it.

Overall Verdict

CRITIK

OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION

Critik Score

Positive (80-100)

68%

Mixed (50-79)

32%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.

In analyzing the opinions of multiple reviewers regarding the overall verdict of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, it is clear that the game has received a mixed response. The game has several positive aspects that are consistently praised by critics. The tactical turn-based combat is often highlighted as a standout feature, with GameCrate commending its integration of stealth mechanics and Strategy Gamer acknowledging its satisfying gameplay. The unique setting and post-apocalyptic atmosphere are also mentioned positively by GameSpot and Vandal, who both recommend the game for fans of tactical combat games. Additionally, the well-written narrative and engaging story are praised by Game Informer and TheSixthAxis, who consider it a must-buy for turn-based tactics fans. However, there are some negative aspects that critics have pointed out. The difficulty level is a common concern, with AusGamers and IGN mentioning that it may be too challenging for some players. IGN also notes that the RPG elements could have been better integrated into the overall experience. Twinfinite criticizes the shallow narrative, unbalanced gameplay, and technical issues, while CGMagazine mentions the lack of variety in the enemy encounters and repetitive combat. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is a game with potential but has its flaws. The positive aspects, such as the tactical combat, unique setting, and engaging story, are often praised. However, the negative aspects, including the difficulty level, shallow narrative, and technical issues, prevent it from reaching its full potential. Despite these flaws, many critics still recommend the game for fans of the genre, as it offers a fresh take on turn-based combat and provides an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

TL;DR

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden receives mixed reviews. Critics praise its tactical combat, unique setting, and engaging story, but point out flaws like high difficulty and shallow narrative. Despite its shortcomings, the game is recommended for fans of the genre for its fresh approach to turn-based combat.

CRITIK

Reviews

145 reviews found

Windows Central

Dec 4, 2018