Biomutant seems to be getting new footage every day, and yesterday, THQ Nordic and Experiment 101 shared a few videos on the official THQ Nordic YouTube channel. While the videos are basically the same mission played with different characters and from different platforms, ranging from PC to PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, new details emerged on the combat system, its gunplay mixed with kung-fu elements, and in-game menus. These new Biomutant gameplay videos also shed some light on how switching between weapons, gadgets, skills, consumable items, and more actually works.
In addition to all that, fans got to see how combos work, and they seem to be a great tool for increasing the total damage output of a character thanks to the "Super Wung-Fu" mode being activated after successfully combining special attacks and moves. Attentive players and fans of Bethesda's Fallout series, as well as Obsidian's The Outer Worlds enthusiasts, have probably been noticing a little something in the new Biomutant videos, and that's a slow-motion feature that seems to be very relevant in the new IP's gameplay. Basically, in Biomutant players will be able to slow time down for both the environment and their enemies, specifically whenever entering the Super Wung-Fu mode.
Biomutant's Super Wung-Fu Mode vs. Fallout's VATS/ The Outer World's TTD
Biomutant's Super Wung-Fu mode seems to be triggered by successfully landing combos on enemies. When entering Super Wung-Fu mode, a few special attack options appear on the right side of the screen, and while this mode is active, they can be used to damage enemies as if moving at increased speed, so much so that the enemies' actions are slowed down. This is something that both Fallout games and The Outer Worlds include, and especially for the Fallout series, it's a game-defining trait that allows players to hit their opponents on specific body parts while also slowing time for them.
In Fallout, this is called V.A.T.S., or Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System. The VATS in Fallout 76 works differently, though, and that is because of its multiplayer nature. On the other hand, in The Outer Worlds, this ability is due to the fact that playing characters have spent a large amount of time in cryo, and the consequence is that their perception of time is altered. In Biomutant, this seems to be caused by heightened reflexes and a sort of momentary inner focus. The result is that Super Wung-Fu seems extremely powerful in Biomutant, maybe even more so than Fallout's VATS and The OuterWorlds' Tactical Time Dilation. That's also probably because of Biomutant being more action-oriented and featuring a more hectic combat system than the other two titles.
Is Biomutant's Super Wung-Fu Inspired By Fallout And The Outer Worlds?
There is still a lot to know about Biomutant's characters, enemies, settings, combat, and more, though. Biomutant seems like a game with more strategic depth than meets the eye. Changing stances while fighting or switching over to the consumable items menu or the skill selection menu has the same effect as the Super Wung-Fu mode, slowing enemies down, and so this seems to be a constant effect. This means that using menus in a timely manner is not merely something that helps players perform the desired action, but it can also be used by players as a tool to better study the battlefield and decide their next move more cautiously.
This choice could simply be an aesthetic one from Biomutant's developer, especially considering how slow-motion also takes place briefly when scoring any kill, and it's even less subtle when killing the last enemy combatant. Whether this is intentionally included as a strategic feature, a design element, or both will probably still be very impactful when facing difficult encounters or even one of the World Leaders in Biomutant. The question remains, though: did Biomutant purposefully draw inspiration from Fallout and The OuterWorlds? Whichever the answer, this is still one of the reasons why Biomutant could be the next big hit.
Biomutant releases May 25, 2021, for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
