Geneforge 1 - Mutagen is the remake of Geneforge 1. It was released on February 24, 2021 on Steam.
Geneforge 1 - Mutagen has new graphics and a new UI both similar to Geneforge 5, with many improvements, new models, and new art. It also includes new characters, new quests, and new mechanics like the possibility for the Playable Character's creations to use skills and abilities.
Thanks to the funding obtained via Kickstarter, Geneforge 1 - Mutagen includes a new creation and a new multi-zone region with its own characters, quests, loot and storyline.
Gameplay[]
While the setting and story of Geneforge Mutagen are mostly the same as the original, the gameplay has been completely re-designed from the ground up. There are new spells, such as Essence Shield and Airshock, new equipment like the Spary Baton and Purifying Blade, and new content found in old zones of the game.
Shaping Changes[]
Unlike the original games, creations no longer need to be shaped with additional intelligence in order to be controlled directly by the player - that is now automatic. However, creations now have a chance to flee or attack their creator when damaged, based on their Control Level. A creation's control level can be improved by increasing your shaping skills. Control level worsens when the Shaper has a large number of creations or shapes a creation with a higher level than them.
Creations no longer have their own experience levels and do not drain XP from the Shaper. Now their level is automatically calculated based on the Shaper's shaping skills, and ranks in that creation's shaping ability. When a Shaper improves their skills, their creations will automatically adjust to their new level.
Shapers can now invest Essence into their creations to unlock new active and passive abilities for them. For example, a Cryoa can unlock a Leap attack that dazes opponents as well as a frost aura that automatically damages enemies near it each turn. This is the first time in the series that creations can have actions available other than attacking, adding a new strategic level to the series.
New Content[]
4 new zones have been added to Sucia Island, each of which are part of a new expansive questline that delves into the history of an ambitious group of serviles. In addition to the new zones, several zones that were in the original were expanded to included additional sub-levels, such as a Shaper archive in The Vats, a mysterious essence pool in the Pentil Woods, and the hideaway of a mysterious flute-playing servile in The Tombs. Some zones have new NPCs, such as a Servant Mind seemingly merged with a Shaper in The Arena, and a trio of novice Shapers that managed to find themselves in the Eastern Docks.
A significant number of new or redesigned items were added to the game. Charms are items that provide a passive bonus while inside your inventory while Artifacts are powerful pieces of equipment that can be improved further when dipped into new essence pools hidden around the world map. Several of the new items were designed by Kickstarter backers.
Mutagen also has several quality of life improvements, such as a junk bag allowing you to store unwanted goods when your inventory space is running low and right-click inspect functionality to see the exact stats and resistances of your foes.
Development[]
Reddit AMAs[]
In 2015, creator Jeff Vogel talked in a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) about the possibility of a Geneforge remake in the coming years, with new art, possibly a new engine, and new additions to the game to fix the "weak points". In September of 2016 Jeff Vogel held another AMA on Reddit following his release of Avadon 3: The Warborn. In this AMA, Geneforge was mentioned a few times with plans for his remake in the future. From his 5-Year-Plan, he had three projects he would be working on; Avernum 3, a then-unnamed series (now revealed to be Queen's Wish), and finally a remastering of Geneforge.
Discord[]
On December 19, 2019 Jeff Vogel posted a screenshot from what looks like the beginning of Geneforge 1 with updated graphics to the official Spiderweb Software Discord server.
Kickstarter[]
On February 12, 2020, a Kickstarter was launched for the remake of Geneforge 1 : Geneforge 1 - Mutagen.
Project updates #1, #2 and #3[]
It ended on March 12, 2020, having obtained $85,141 against a goal of $30,000. According to the Kickstarter page, this means that Geneforge 1 - Mutagen should include a new creation and a new multi-zone region with its own, new characters, story, quests and loot.
Spiderweb Software had also been releasing a few visuals to showcase the changes being made to the game like the new character models for the Agent and Guardian.
Project update #4[]
On April 18, 2020, visuals for the Drayk and the Roamer have been released.
Project update #5[]
On May 18, 2020, it was announced that new "lore, quests, and bits of conversation that round out the story" were being added. It was also announced that the new creation would be a Cockatrice with magical attacks, and which would be able to daze and stun foes.
New visuals for the Thahd and the Clawbug were also released.
Project update #6[]
On June 22, 2020, it was announced that the Cockatrice "will be a unique creation different from anything in Geneforge" and that "There will be a two [sic] new factions, many new quest lines, and lots of cool lore."
New visuals for the Artila and the Vlish were also released.
Project update #7[]
On July 21, 2020, it was announced that "We are going through every location, every item, and every bit of dialogue. Editing. Rebalancing. We are reworking the text to make it read better (which mainly involves removing a lot of unnecessary words). All quest and faction dialogue has been expanded, adding more lore and useful information."
New visuals for the Battle Alpha and the Glaahk were also released.
Project update #8[]
On August 27, 2020, it was announced that "The world is almost half way done; as the items, characters and quests that backers made are being placed in the game; not to mention the graphics for those elements have been entirely redone as well, also beta testing is beginning to be considered at this stage and a Steam page will be made soon."
New visuals for the Cockatrice and a servile were also released.
Project update #9[]
On September 22, 2020, it was announced that "The world is now well over half done" and that beta-testing would soon begin. It was also announced that "The Steam page and [the] web pages for Geneforge 1 - Mutagen are being set up, which meant making a trailer and gathering all sorts of marketing materials", and that the cockatrice was now added to the game.
Project update #10[]
On October 26, 2020, 13 days after the official announcement, it was announced that the new regions and storyline were finished and constituted a "standalone story with lots of new characters, challenges, and loot." It was also announced that most game systems were completed and that Geneforge 1 - Mutagen "should maintain the replay value of the original."
Project update #11[]
On November 27, 2020, it was announced that Geneforge 1 - Mutagen was very close to done. Details about the new Stealth ability were also given.
Project update #12[]
On December 18, 2020, it was announced that Geneforge 1 - Mutagen was finally completed and that the closed beta would begin in early January. It was also announced that "The challenge right now is the final balance testing" due to the fact that "Geneforge 1 - Mutagen gives a ton of customization options, and we [the developers] try to make sure none of them are useless or overpowered. For example, you can make 20 different creations to fight for you. Each creation can be trained with two bonus attacks and two bonus passive abilities. This makes for an enormous combination of options."
Announcement[]
On October 13, 2020, Geneforge 1 - Mutagen was officially announced, along with the release of a trailer, an official page and a Steam page.