Mutants: Incubator Overload & Next Level Review

INTRODUCTION

I love when a board game manages to surprise me, forcing me out of my comfort zone and in the process broadening my horizon as far as appreciation goes for the diversity this hobby has to offer. One recent example is Mutants, a solo playable deck-building game designed by Sen-Foong Lim and Jessey Wright which I had great fun reviewing in a previous article. Since then, having acquired a taste for blood after successfully defeating the solitary adversaries in the base game I found myself itching for more gene-spliced creature combat. Thankfully, there is not one but two available expansions brimming with new content to expand the longevity of Mutants, courtesy of publisher Lucky Duck Games.

Full disclosure: review copies of both the Incubator Overload and Next Level expansions was kindly provided by publisher Lucky Duck Games.

COMPONENTS

From an aesthetic point-of-view, much like the base game the artwork on the creature cards in both of the expansions continues to be the literal and figurative focal point. The resemblance to the character roster that is present in the Darkstalkers video game franchise remains true, there is something about the bold lines and vivid colour palette that really speaks to me. The same appealing quality of art is extended to the new building tiles that are included in the Incubator Overload expansion, they are made of thick cardstock which gives them a nice heft and table presence. It is therefore somewhat unfortunate that one of the buildings has a rather glaring spelling-error as evident by the image below. Still, in the grand scheme of things this is a minor gripe seeing how the overall component quality in both expansions is really good and on par with the base game.

*Regardless of spelling, the Building module adds an interesting strategical twist to the multiplayer experience. Photo: Fredrik Schulz*

OVERVIEW

What is the number one thing that needs to be featured in an expansion to a deck-building game? You guessed it: cards and plenty of them. Both the Incubator Overload and Next Level expansion introduces several new card types that can be mixed and matched with the card pool that is included in the base game of Mutants. Incubator Overload introduces a whole new set of advanced mutants that players can acquire either by playing with the draft variant or creating their own custom deck of creature cards. Some of these new advanced mutants have some really interesting powers, like for example Retribution which grants you with the opportunity to draw not one but two cards from the top of the deck when activating a Transform ability, or how about Cézanne who instantly revitalises any knocked down mutants when entering the arena.

Meanwhile, the Next Level expansion introduces no less than two new sets of cards: a second wave of basic creatures and also the powerful Heroic Mutants. I have said it before and I will say it again: the naming convention that is on display in Mutants pleases me to no end, how can one not love a game that features a bandana wearing, minigun wielding coney named the Easter Gunny? Much like the new advanced set of mutants in the Incubator Overload expansion, these new basic creatures add just the right number of interesting takes in the core formula without going overboard. No, that honour belongs to the Heroic Mutants; incredibly powerful creatures that actually form their own separate gene pool during play.

*Both the Incubator Overload and Next Level expansion adds a plethora of new mutant cards. Photo: Fredrik Schulz*

In addition to these new cards, each expansion contains modules that can be incorporated when playing Mutants against others. Aside from the aforementioned heroes, the Next Level expansion also introduces a new Orb mechanism, designed to give players that are lagging behind on the power track a way to claw themselves back into the game. These gems grant the applicable player a one-shot opportunity to re-activate the special ability of one of their mutants whose gene-pool icon matches the one on the Orb, although not earth-shattering this new mechanism is a nice addition to elevate the power balance between players. Incubator Overload introduces the Buildings module, constructions that alter the game state with a persistent ability throughout the course of the game. For example, playing Mutants with the Breeding Center building allows players to have two creatures in their incubator instead of just one. Unlike the Orbs module, the buildings and their corresponding inherent effect applies to all players regardless of ranking on the Power track making them far more interesting from a game design perspective.

THE SOLO MODE

Before proceeding to my positive notes, allow me to address the only point of critique regarding both expansions: the modules are not compatible with solo play. This is hardly surprising given the fact that the solo mode already differs from the multiplayer experience in several ways, nevertheless it bears mentioning especially when taking into consideration which of the Incubator Overload or Next Level expansions to acquire, a decision we will circle back to in just a moment.

Incubator Overload features not one but in fact two new Boss Mutants to compete against when playing the game solitary. There is Heimdall, a futuristic paladin knight of tomorrow who utilises a strategy which focuses on adding cards to your draw deck thus bloating the card pool. Then there is the gigantic gelatinous being known as Glubber, who can morph into other mutants whilst mimicking their special ability making it a widely unpredictable adversary. And of course, no game nor expansion worthy of the name would be complete without the inclusion of zombies as they are featured as a solo boss opponent in the Next Level expansion.

*The solo boss monster Glubber has the ability to morph itself into other mutants. Photo: Fredrik Schulz*

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you enjoy playing Mutants solitary, then the Incubator Overload expansion is a must-have. In addition to the second wave card deck of advanced mutants, having two new and unique boss monsters to compete against brings much needed variety to the solo game experience. And even though I enjoy the actual content and the variation it provides, the fact of the matter is that the majority of the material that is featured in Next Level consists of various modules that are non-compatible with solitary play. Regardless of expansion, Mutants the card game continues to be a delight and has proven to be one of the most interesting surprises for me this year.