ANNO: Mutationem

I came here for a silly 2d Cyberpunk and ended up with an Evangalion/SCP storyline with a Hollow Knight gameplay.

2.5D Cyberpunk 2077 mixed with SCP and a few VA-11 Hall-A shoutouts
Deep character development.
Amazing sound track
Side Quests
Skill Trees
Weapon Upgrades
Character outfits!
List goes on!
Amazing experience, I can not recommend enough!

Anno: Mutationem is an intriguing game that I personally enjoyed even more than I expected. The game mixes environments in a 2D and 3D setting while exploring which I found to be very cool and creative. There is quite a bit for me to explain in this review, but I will go into detail with my experiences while I was playing.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Interesting story with lots of mystery
References from other games
Fun hack-and-slash gameplay
Lots of weapons for you to get and use
Tons of side quests to do
Beautiful pixel art style
Cons
Parts of the story were forgettable
Enemies sometimes end up being sponges halfway into the game
The ability to weapon switch is too slow
Level design near the end of the game suffers
There is a glitch with changing costumes
Story
The story starts with Ann Flores who is on a mission to find N540 to help cure her Entangleitis. Along the way, she finds out that her brother Ryan, has gone missing and she must now go and find her throughout the many cities he has been to. While also getting help from her best friend and hacker Ayane Misuno.
The story for Anno: Mutationem is really interesting, it has some moments with it that do make it shine and the characters are very lovable. Some of them I wish got more screen time as their designs were flashy and had some nice moments. I even loved the references that were shown in the game that were cameos to other games. You can find Jill from Va-Hall at the bar where Ann’s sister works, which I thought was a very nice touch.
That being said, I do feel that there were parts of the story that were forgettable. This is due to the fact that some moments felt like filler and just were not worth remembering. It’s kind of sad that this is the case as I do think the story is very interesting in it’s own way. There is not much for me to really explain on the story, so you have to take my word for it on this one.
Gameplay
Anno: Mutationem is a hack and slash platformer, along the way you will face off against enemies where you can use your weapons to take them out. You have your light attacks, heavy attacks, and a gun to use at your disposal. Along the way, you can find other weapons to use, but you can also find material to make weapons. You can also upgrade the weapons themselves so they can do more damage or give them a passive ability by using microchips.
Ann can also transform into this super form, it’s like Dante’s Devil Trigger from Devil May Cry. She will do increased damage, is faster, and will heal any damage she has taken, this form is very useful for taking out bosses and when you are overwhelmed with enemies.
My favorite weapon to use in the game are the twin blades, they aren’t the most damaging weapon to use but they are fast and do long combos that will deal a ton of damage. The gameplay is very fun, and I really enjoyed slashing enemies. There are a ton of weapons and guns for you to collect throughout the game, it really depends on what you want to use and how you use it. This is something I really like about the game, the freedom to customize your character.
The game even has a skill tree that you can use to help upgrade certain stats or give you new abilities to help you in combat. You will need skill points to get these upgrades of course, you can get them from defeating bosses or taking out enemies. There is also a parry system, although I never used this until like the later parts of the game as I forget it was even a thing for a time.
There are also a ton of side quests for you to go out and do, and they all have their own unique ways of doing them. You will be rewarded for doing these quests, so I recommend doing them if you are someone who enjoys side adventures in games.
While Anno: Mutationem is a fun game, I can’t deny that there are a few issues with the gameplay. The first issue I had is that some of the enemies or bosses can get really tanky sometimes, to the point where you can’t really do much damage to them. Some of them and mostly bosses, will have sheilds that you have to get through before you do any real damage to them.
There are also times where I wish there was a quick switch for your guns that you used, you can get your hands on a few different guns but there is no way to do a quick switch with a button press. However, I should note that there is an option where you can hold down the right stick on the controller to get a weapon wheel up and you can then switch weapons that way. Although I prefer to have a button that would switch the weapons faster.
The level design near the end of the game also suffers as well, the platforming in the game is not fun and getting through that part of the game can be a slog. One of those moments that I honestly did not like about the game. Also, there is a glitch where switching costumes are also bugged, I believe this was patched but I have never tested it as mine was stuck on this one outfit, and I never changed it.
Graphics and Performance
The pixel art style that the game has is very beautiful and the areas that the game has are very detailed and feel alive. I tested the game on an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB, AMD Ryzen 5 1500X Quad-Core Processor 3.50, and 16 GB of RAM, the game ran very well with no issues and should be able to run on low-end computers.
Final Verdict
Anno: Mutationem is a very fun game that I really did enjoy for it’s gameplay and story. The game is at least 10 hours long with lots of side content for you to enjoy in the game so there is lots to enjoy with it. The game is 28.99 CDN at full price and I feel that the game is worth it at that point for the amount of content that you can get. Although if you are a bit skeptical, then waiting for a sale is always fine.
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This game is a little gem which it if it got more polishing it could really shine, but still I loved this game so much it became one of my favourite ones I ever played in 2024.
- The artstyle, with the mix of 2d/3d makes it looks pretty cool ingame;
- I enjoyed the characters in this game, (though some deserved more development);
- soundtrack is another pro, I enjoyed it (Vanguard Sound sounds something? If you played Girls Frontlines it should);
- Gameplay as the rpg parts are okay, but it deserves more polishing and more complexity in general (one of the reasons people heavy criticise this game, and ngl they are not wrong);
- I liked the story but I the last part of it as some plot holes imho ruins a bit itl;
- some minor bugs which fortunately it didn't block me to continue the game or ruin too much the immersion.
I recommend it, but avoid the collector's edition (you can read the reasons here

TL;DR
I love cyberpunk aesthetics, and the promise of an action-adventure game with good visuals caught my attention. While the game delivers in terms of world design, it falls flat in many other areas: The gameplay is dull, and it's difficult to say much good about the story which overall leaves a lukewarm experience in its wake. That said, this indie title punches above its weight and I can tell there's a lot of love and passion for the genre behind it. I'd recommend giving the demo a try but only consider buying it on a sale and/or with some tempered expectations for what you're getting.

Gameplay
Gameplay in ANNO is divided into two distinct halves. The hub areas and some parts of the dungeons are explorable in a 3D plane where you scavenge for loot from containers, engage with NPCs, do sidequests and so on. The actual combat and platforming segments are locked to a 2,5D side scrolling plane, with exploration segments occasionally interleaved to allow for variety in the gameplay and map layout. As such I'll cover these two aspects separately.

The exploration aspect is straightforward. Run around collecting junk for money with the occasional hacking minigame thrown into the mix. This is the part where you'll talk to others to progress sidequests, access shops and so on. The map is helpful in navigating these areas, particularly in a couple of confusing dungeon layouts, but other than that it's your standard fare. Equipment upgrades can also be obtained here, with shops giving access to new weapon variants, upgrades or outfits (which sadly only remain active as long as you don't get into combat). Overall a solid framework for the exploration even if there isn't that much to do in it.

On the other hand, the combat system presents several issues. Much like the story, it tries to mix up a lot of ideas, and many of them fall flat. Despite a choice of three primary melee weapon styles with unique movesets and a skill tree that gives you some extra moves for each, many of them are clunky (and pointless). I cleared the game using the balanced weapon style, using a sword I got in the starting shop by just stacking damage mods and attributes on top and ignoring most other mechanics. Ranged weapons and consumable items add some variety, but their usage is often situational.

Combat encounters, including boss fights, follow a pattern of dodging attacks and unleashing damage, lacking significant depth and, while the platforming segments are decently well done, there aren't any areas that remained especially memorable. Lastly, the skill tree progression system allows you to improve your attributes and get new movesets but most of these felt clunky and, together with some strange save point placement in dungeons as well as some other half-baked elements, make me think at least some parts of the game got reworked without that much thought put into it.

Story
The story is unfortunately forgettable, enough so that I had to look it up again for this review, with the premise revolving around Ann Flores, a private investigator suffering from a mysterious affliction which occasionally causes her to go berserk in combat. The main narrative follows Ann's quest to find her brother who is seeking a cure for her condition. Ann is accompanied by her hacker friend Ayame via a hologram robot and together they navigate the various hub areas and dungeons while tackling sidequests and uncovering far too many cyberpunk tropes and references to other media. This aspect ultimately turns an interesting premise into a plot line lacking direction and cohesion which culminates in a convoluted megacorporation conspiracy theory and what I can only describe as overt SCP fanfiction.

Characterization is also a mixed bag. Ann comes off as emotionless and forgettable, and her opening up in later segments of the story doesn't do much to alleviate it. Ayame serves as a rather extreme contrast with an overly romantic and bubbly personality, which is downright grating at times, but at least it helps her stand out. The supporting cast, while serviceable, fail to leave a lasting impression.

Regarding side content, ANNO offers several sidequests in each hub area providing a welcome break from the core game loop but the low number makes them feel like an afterthought. What's there is decent, which made me a bit sad to see the side content bar fill up so rapidly on the hub areas. Despite this, the hub area design excels in capturing the cyberpunk aesthetic, with a lot of attention to detail and people keeping it lively, making me yearn for more depth and time spent exploring them.

Visuals & Audio
The game speaks for itself when it comes to the art, blending pixel art with 3D environments and visual effects to bring the cyberpunk world to life. The hub areas meticulously detailed with character designs and outfits adding to the visual appeal. However, the dungeons sadly don't get the same treatment, featuring rather bland locales, albeit with some variety to them to prevent monotony. Despite this, the art remains one of the highlights that make the game worth playing.

The game's audio is fine, nothing too memorable but the voice acting is what caught my attention. The game is partially voice acted and impressively good quality-wise, which makes the inconsistencies in dialogue more noticeable. Subtitles often diverge from the spoken lines, or the actors read passages with strange grammar, making me wonder whether the writing or editing process for the script led to these discrepancies and occasional typos.

Completion & Replayability
ANNO lacks significant replay value as the RPG elements and weapon sets offer minimal variation. Players can complete all sidequests and story content easily in one playthrough with no need for grinding for any of the achievements either.

The included DLC, however, is a commendable addition as a decently made Enter the Gungeon copy with several stages and some extra worldbuilding attached. I recommend trying it at some point!

As a game developer that spent 3 years in the industry, I have NEVER seen such a flawlessly executed game design. There are very few to zero bugs, the gameplay is amazing in many ways and the story is breathtaking. Everything just immerses you into the game. I'm normally a FPS player but this game is so good in every way, I just love it. Deserves every cent and minute.

1) Due to it's unique design and style, the game manages to look good, yet is not demanding when it comes to system requirements. I liked the look so much that I've been giving a close look to many objects that move or have an animation as well, unfortunately, I found a few bugs (those are actually hard to spot, since they're present onto specific parts of locations and they do not affect the gameplay). Maybe, I'll do a proper report for the devs to fix those if they intend to update the game or add some extra content.
2) Combat is actually.. Well, it's actually good. It works for both casual players and sweats. You could try to do some cool, fancy combos, though it's sadly not revelant from mid to end game. At least, you can still adopt from different play-styles or even combine them all together. The flaws is that sometimes, things might not work as smooth as you'd expect.. Like perfect guard might cause some objects to get stuck mid-air or you might not get rewarded for performing one since your opponent just phases through you, lol. I know for a person that haven't played the game it might be imagined as something outright, but I'd say it's just a specific case that won't occur normally, besides, I don't want to describe things in details to avoid spoilers. I think that the devs wanted you to perform differenty from case to case, which makes it demanding for your choises. Sometimes, it puts you under conditions where one thing is more revelant over another, but all I can tell it is just that it will require some extra affect for you, that's all (short tips: build up your upgrades precisely, make sure your equipment is decent and you have consumables prepared).
3) The story? For me, I'd say it was interesting enough to have me actually read, investigate and interrogate with the world and beings within it. I wouldn't say that the story is something crazy or unique, since the game feels like it has so much room for more content to include, to show or include before the story route actually ends. At the very moment, we technically have a logic end, which means that it is most likely there won't be a continuation (but we got a a short F2P DLC, so I still have some hopes for a sequel). Even though that the story might not get any further for the main character, I am pretty sure that the game could have some major DLCs with brand new locations, a lot of quests and the story that could feel whatever the gaps main story line didn't fill. There, we could play as some other characters, since their story haven't reached it's end yet (won't mention any of them due to spoilers).
4. The in-game content, it has issues.. Well, on the beggining, it is enough to open a map and check the available locations. I immidiately felt like it's too small, but I've seen some interractable NPCs and objects that you can't access on the very beginning (plot based), I also thought that there would be a decent amount of activities to do. Once you'll unlock most of the locations and do some quests, you'll realize that the end for the story is not as far as it feels in the beginning. I really was afraid that I'll finish the game too soon, so I focused onto other activities and even received all achievements during the process.
5. Overal, the game is actually interesting and fun, provides decent amount of content and activities along with a story that'll make you curious till it's end. Of course, that all including it's price tag, since it has up to 50% discounts from time to time, which makes the game pretty much cheap and accessable for the people that don't have much money to spent for gaming (prince and it's accessability depends onto the regions, so can't say so for sure).
P.S. - There is so much to come from, that I am looking forward for an extra content to be added within the game, such as DLCs. I also expect to see a sequel.