Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is a tactical RPG set in a post apocalyptic world. The story follows a group of mutants on a mission to protect the Ark, humanity’s last bastion, from outside threats. The gameplay is a unique blend of real time exploration, XCOM inspired turn based combat and stealth that work seamlessly together.

Mutant Year Zero is a game in which the enemy’s power is determined by their level. By progressing further into the story you will meet stronger variations for enemy types that you faced before. With levels, the enemies gain health to the point where they become damage sponges. This artificial way of enhancing the challenge makes it quite troublesome to progress on the harder difficulty levels. So choose your starting difficulty wisely as on Hard and Very Hard your mutant’s abilities and regeneration are severely affected.

The maps serve as small sandbox platforms in a slightly linear world progression. Each map was handcrafted and doesn’t feature any procedurally generated elements. The players will inevitably pass through most of them following the game’s story and it’s important to get the most out of each map.
As the resources in the game are limited, it’s highly indicated to explore the maps to their fullest. Each of them contains a good amount of scrap and weapon parts which are the game’s main resources, but this is not all. Artifacts and gear can also be found which can be used to strengthen the mutants for the tasks ahead. Just be wary of the enemy’s level and don’t rush into anything as you can always come back later to finish exploring.

The lush environment of the devastated maps makes it difficult sometimes to spot useful items. This is where the mutant’s flashlight comes into play. The interactable objects that are illuminated by the flashlight are highlighted, making it easy to spot them.

Stealth is a crucial gameplay mechanic that makes all the difference in this game. While exploring a map in real time, you can press left click to turn off your flashlight and enter stealth mode. In stealth your group of mutants will move at a slower speed reducing the enemy’s view range in the process. This will allow you to pass undetected through tougher areas or set up an ambush for patrolling enemies.
Note that while sneaking around, only the mutant you control can be spotted by enemies no matter the position of your other two group members.

The versatility of the stealth mechanic is undeniable. In order to make the best of it, it’s advised to equip silent guns on each mutant in your group. This way you can stalk lonely enemies and take them out without alerting their nearby friends.

No matter if you go quietly or guns blazing, the best way to start a fight is through an ambush. Ambushing your enemies means you’ll be the first to shoot, giving you a mathematical edge. So no matter the situation, make sure to enter the ambush mode when picking up a fight.

As long as you are not in combat, you can fast travel to any discovered location by accessing the map (M by default) and choosing the next location you want to visit. This is particularly helpful when trapped in a bad situation.

Being a tactical RPG, Mutant Year Zero does have a progression system. The progression is split in three important components: gear, mutations and artifact skills.
• As per usual the players can change the gear of each character with better items. The guns can be enhanced using weapon parts to increase their base stats and through attachments.
• The character’s progression is based on leveling as a group. The levels are gained fairly quickly, rewarding a skill point for every mutant with each new level up. These points can be spent on a mutations tree or to increase the base combat stats. While each mutant has access to eight mutations, they can only use three at a time.
• Last but not least are the artifact skills. The artifact skills can be leveled up on the Ark at Pripp’s place (the bar) and the bonuses unlocked apply to the group as a whole. In order to gain these skill points you need to find artifacts while exploring the world.
Each part of the progression system is important and cannot be ignored if you want to succeed in your mission to protect the Ark.

There is no way to grind levels or resources in this game. The resources are limited and if you are wasteful, there’s always the danger of running out of spending scrap. I will suggest investing the first artifact you find in the Deal Maker skill which gives 20% off at the Ark’s shop.

I mentioned above that despite having access to eight skills, a mutant can only use three at a time, one of each type. However limiting this may sound, it isn’t all that bad. You can change the skills configuration at any time as long as you are not in combat. Scout your enemies and prepare for them by combining the skills with the optimal gear for the situation.

Iridia is ARK’s vendor. She trades in scrap and sells everything from consumables (grenades, medkits) to armors, guns and attachments. Her shopping list is going to be disappointing at first. But do not worry! Iridia’s shop list is updated with new items every ten levels. You will be notified in the game when this happens. So make sure you pay her a visit the next time when you are in the Ark.

At the moment I wrote this guide I haven’t finished the game. I will make sure to come back and update or add new information based on my findings as I progress further into the game. In the meantime, I hope the information in this guide will serve you well.

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