Horror games are plentiful nowadays. From retro classics to indie hits, there’s certainly no lack of choice when it comes to satisfying a particularly spooky craving. But then again, with plenty of options comes a small degree of stagnation. It’s easier than ever for anyone to make a game—even if they’re not particularly amazing. For every fresh and invigorating horror game, you’re sure to find out there, half a dozen exist that solely replicate a lot of common tropes and features you’d expect from the genre nowadays. This is especially true in the indie scene.

I feel like there’s a bit of potential in Mutation, however. An upcoming horror game developed and self-published by Ossified Games, Mutation feels like the start of something genuinely interesting, mashing up different survival mechanics, roguelite progression and procedural generation, and even some RPG elements as well. But is it worth trying for yourself?

Ahead of the game’s official release, let’s take a look at what Mutation has to offer as of version 0.1.3.97.

A Mutated Horror Game

The monster attacking the player in Mutation
Ossified Games

Admittedly, the concrete plot points of Mutation are pretty mysterious as of writing. Based on what I could gather from the store page, Ossified Games’ official website, and the few cutscenes that preface the game, you’re in control of Specimen 1753: a prisoner of the mysterious Sigiltech organization whose terrified gaze is locked behind the confines of a high-tech laboratory. The laboratory itself isn’t doing too well either.

With damaged equipment everywhere, grotesque puddles of blood lining the floor, and all kinds of supernatural anomalies filling the spacious corridors, it’s easy to tell that something, somewhere, severely hit the fan. With a particularly nasty monster known as the Abomination roaming the facility and smaller monsters lounging around, it’s up to you to investigate the current goings-on while fighting and sneaking past the opposition.

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What led to this? It’s a little vague, at least so far. One cutscene infers that mankind’s avarice led to trifling with forces beyond our control, with a being known as “Strandloper” finding enjoyment in the ensuing struggle for survival. It definitely feels Lovecraftian, given that Specimen 1753 is also armed with two supernatural artifacts: the Chronus Abyssus and Dagon’s Heart. After all, Dagon is a notable figure in Lovecraft’s stories, whereas the tentacle-laden Chronus Abyssus sounds similar to the Chromis abyssus, a particularly gnarly-looking fish. Things will surely become more fleshed out as the game sees more development.

Mutation uses procedural generation, meaning no two playthroughs will be the same. Item placements, room layouts, enemies, and puzzles will all differ in every successive run, with actions taken during each run increasing your overall experience points. Occasionally, you’ll even find special rooms that are repeated across runs. It’s not necessarily new for the horror genre, but integrating other mechanics alongside procedural generation gives Mutation a bit more of a complex edge.

For one thing, survival plays a key role in your journey. In addition to featuring a typical health and stamina meter, you’ll also have to keep your thirst, hunger, sanity, and overall temperature in check. This is primarily accomplished through your inventory, where items found in the environment can either be consumed or crafted together into useful combinations. It’s a level of resource management you really have to pay attention to. The clock is always ticking down on your precious resources, meaning you have to be just as observant as you are cautious of your surroundings in order to keep things topped off. It was a bit hard to find certain items in specific areas, but how each room is laid out gives you a few key areas to check.

Actually seeing items is a bit of a different story. Mutation is dark, almost to a blinding degree. While your flashlight is more than bright enough to light your way forward, its pitiful battery life will force you to use it sparingly. I found myself simply cranking the game’s brightness to the max in order to really get a decent view of my surroundings, though this will definitely vary based on your monitor setup. Turning down the game’s preset graphics settings certainly helped make some items stand out more as well.

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Though the game looks fine enough graphically, due in part to the Unreal Engine, it could certainly go with some additional polish throughout its time in Early Access. Ossified Games has been nothing but upfront about its use of AI-generated assets during the game’s development, with any and all elements made using AI undergoing heavy modifications to form a more cohesive style. They’re a means to expedite development more than anything else, something that Ossified Games is looking to adjust with new assets once certain funding goals are achieved. Again, it looks fine, even if you catch a misaligned texture or strange UI element here or there.

You’ll be able to explore a variety of locations as you play, at least. Detention centers, laboratories, and sewers are all here and accounted for, with plenty of different room types to find. Some may present a bizarre hazard or even force some critical thinking out of you to find a way out. One in particular that I discovered sealed me inside, forcing me to find a switch to activate the exit while avoiding parts of the floor that damage you.

The Mutations of Mutation

A zombie creature attacking the player in Mutation
Ossified Games

Mutation‘s biggest appeal comes from its core threat: the Abomination that chases you throughout the sprawling labyrinths. It wouldn’t be an indie horror game without a giant pursuer that chases after you, after all. Jokes aside, there’s some genuine effort to make the monster both visually and mechanically interesting.

For one thing, there are the mutations themselves. From inflicting damage over time to dampening the effectiveness of lights to leaving behind dangerous acid puddles, each run promises a different trait that the Abomination will take advantage of. These mutations are even reflected in its appearance, giving you a telltale sign of what its powers are. Additional mutations may also occur even as you play, with an ear-splitting audio cue accompanying the arrival of one.

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You can also find a similar cue whenever you stumble across an enemy playing dead. Yes, in addition to the Abomination, smaller enemies are just as common throughout the facility. The ones I found most often were shambling humanoids, which either slowly plodded towards me or quickly nipped at my heels. You can run, though you may have a bit more luck by taking them out for good with the Chronus Abyssus.

It’s a simple weapon. You ready the Chronus Abyssus with its own dedicated button, check to see if you have a shot charged up, and then unleash a green projectile on your foe. It’ll take about two shots to put one of these guys down for good on the default difficulty setting, and the recharge time between shots is fairly long. It’s something you’ll want to reserve for emergencies or whenever you have a free moment above all else. It’s serviceable, and I can always appreciate a way to defend myself. That said, I do wish it was more easy to tell whether the Chronus Abyssus is actually readied or not. I have to look down a smidge to see if my arm is raised to actually use the thing instead of knowing immediately. Thankfully, there is an audio cue that serves a similar purpose.

You’ll also use the Abyssus for a handful of other useful things. You can check your current temperature and heart rate, as well as access your inventory and combine items. Note that the game doesn’t pause while you’re doing this, so it’s in your best interest to isolate yourself from potential threats while peering over your tentacled artifact.

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Your other artifact, Dagon’s Heart, handles your upgrades. It’s pretty typical stuff. These include stat upgrades, needing less water or food to comfortably survive, additional improvements for the Chronus Abyssus, and general quality-of-life adjustments for Specimen 1753’s hellish existence. You can only adjust upgrades in the main menu, along with the other bits and bobs you’ve accumulated.

Being a roguelite, you can also expect to see your incremental progress tallied up with every successful playthrough. Notes, for instance, can be accessed via the archives on the main menu, though the single note I found in my brief time playing was in a language I didn’t understand. Still, it’s nice to see stuff like this in such an early state.

Should You Buy Mutation?

The player examining the Chronus Abyssus in Mutation
Ossified Games

With all of this in mind, how does Mutation look so far?

I think it’s important to remember the state that Mutation is in before you really commit to a purchase. Early Access games always have that lingering risk of never being finished. But, despite some rough edges here and there, I’d say that Mutation has a decent shot at becoming something truly fun when it ultimately leaves the Early Access program.

Something else to keep in mind if you’d like to buy Mutation is that it’s Easy Mode. No, this isn’t just a flat difficulty decrease. Easy Mode adds a dedicated compass, item icons, hints, and a plethora of other useful features that will help you acclimate to your surroundings and figure out what to look for. I’d even suggest it should be on by default, at least for the first few runs. It’s a great way to ease yourself into how to play the game effectively and get a decent start on collecting experience points. With these advantages, your total experience points will be halved for every action you take in Easy Mode.

Would I recommend Mutation when it eventually hits Early Access? Depending on the price point, I’d say sure. There’s a good chance you’ll find an interesting horror experience here, especially with the handful of lore elements teased throughout the brief time I played. Who is Doctor Alma, and how is she tied to everything? What role did Strandloper play in the events unfolding? Did Sigiltech cause all of this? What’ll ultimately happen to everyone once everything is said and done? You’ll only be able to find out when you give Mutation a good college try.

Mutation will officially enter Early Access on Steam on January 29, 2025.

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