We last checked out Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden back in December for our review. The team of Dux, Bormin, Selma, and co. gave us “a quackin’ good time.” However, the entire romp was fairly short, clocking in at just around 12 hours. Similarly, some narrative threads were left open or went nowhere. Thankfully, we’ll see a continuation of the story in the upcoming expansion — Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil.
Note: In our Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil preview build, we were allowed to use our old save at the end of the base game’s campaign. However, there’s also an option to start the Seed of Evil expansion with pre-made/pre-leveled characters with some upgraded gear. We’ve yet to see if this option will be present on launch day.
Where We Left Off
When we last saw our Stalker heroes in Mutant Year Zero, they had reached Eden and were about to uncover the mystery that led to the collapse of civilization and the rise of mutated beings. Without spoiling too much, players don’t have to wait too long to find out. You’ll learn more about it within Seed of Evil’s first mission. Of course, getting to see the conclusion will take some time.
By default, I had Dux, Bormin, and Selma in my squad. You’ll also be able to switch to other Stalkers provided you’re not in combat. Your heroes have new skill upgrades as well to make them more formidable. For instance, Bormin’s “Hog Rush” can be upgraded to the “Bear Smash” skill, increasing damage while allowing you to incapacitate enemies. The skill is perfect for splitting up enemy packs and taking out lone foes silently.
A New Threat And A New Ally
After finishing Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil’s first mission and finding out the truth, you head back to the Ark only to find it threatened by a nefarious foe. Goran, a former dweller in the Ark who became an outcast, has returned for vengeance.
Wielding the power to control mutated red plants, Goran and his ilk have changed the landscape of the wilderness. You’ll begin to see red vines protruding from walls and houses. Likewise, ghouls and wolves have been replaced by “Pod” versions with slightly increased health. A new enemy introduced fairly early on is the “Pod Spawner” which is a bulbous plant capable of creating new enemy units every few turns.
Thankfully, you’ll also meet a new ally, Big Khan. He’s a veteran stalker, a humanoid moose!
Big Khan starts out with around 30 skill points which you can distribute as well as an upgraded automatic rifle. Some of Big Khan’s skills include a ground pound which can knock back surrounding enemies as well as a means of stealthy movement, allowing him to approach foes without being detected.
Our preview build was only for the first couple of missions in Mutant Year Zero’s Seed of Evil expansion. Suffice to say, lingering questions will be answered and it’ll add more hours to your adventure. You can also check out the zones you’ve cleared during the base game, some of which will have new enemies and loot.
You can check out Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil via the Steam store page. The expansion will release on June 30.
