Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

In “I Was an Atomic Mutant!” you step into the enormous shoes—or tentacles—of four unique creatures of mass destruction. From the pulsating, floating brain to the roaring fire-breathing lizard, each mutant offers distinct abilities that cater to different playstyles. The disembodied brain can zap tanks with psychic blasts, while the towering 200-ft woman stomps buildings into rubble. This variety keeps each playthrough fresh as you learn to leverage your chosen mutant’s strengths and adapt to its weaknesses.

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The core loop revolves around city-wide annihilation and evading—or outright crushing—waves of increasingly desperate military forces. Missions range from straightforward destruction quotas to timed rescue scenarios where you must demolish enemy strongholds before your monster’s energy wanes. The challenge curve is well-paced: early stages feel delightfully overpowered, while later levels demand you juggle projectile dodging, resource management, and precision stomping to survive.

Controls are intuitive, with context-sensitive buttons for roaring, grabbing vehicles, or unleashing special powers. A simple radial menu allows quick switching between ranged and melee attacks, and the camera system generally keeps you centered on the action, though it sometimes struggles in tight urban canyons. Multiplayer co-op adds another layer of chaos, letting two players coordinate devastating combos—imagine the brain luring tanks into a pit only for the lizard to incinerate them in one sweep.

Graphics

The visual presentation in “I Was an Atomic Mutant!” nails the 1950s B-movie aesthetic without compromising modern polish. Cities are rendered in full 3D with dynamic lighting that emphasizes your mutant’s shadow as it looms over skyscrapers. Destruction is spectacular: building facades crumble realistically, glass shatters in shards, and fires spread with convincing physics. It’s immensely satisfying to watch entire city blocks collapse under your foot.

Black-and-white film intros for each mutant, complete with grainy filters and scratchy title cards, set the nostalgic mood before every play session. Once you dive into gameplay, the world bursts into color, but the B-movie vibe remains through bold comic-book effects like onomatopoeic overlays (“KABOOM!”) during major collapses. Shockingly lettered menus and retro fonts complete the package, making it clear the developers love classic monster flicks as much as players do.

Performance is generally stable, even in the most catastrophic scenarios when dozens of tanks, helicopters, and panicked citizens fill the screen. On high settings, particle effects from explosions can be overwhelming yet mesmerizing, and the draw distance is impressive—you can hear military sirens echoing from blocks away. A few occasional frame dips occur in the largest cities, but they rarely detract from the havoc and hilarity unfolding beneath your massive feet.

Story

Story in “I Was an Atomic Mutant!” is more homage than epic saga, embracing the campy charm of 1950s monster movies. You don’t meander through complex character arcs; instead, each mutant receives a brief, grainy black-and-white vignette explaining its origin—radioactive experiments, interstellar hatching, rogue robotics—before thrusting you into chaos. It’s light on exposition but heavy on style, and that’s exactly the point.

Between levels, short interludes depict horrified townsfolk fleeing in slow motion, radio broadcasts panicking over the monster’s next target, and generals barking orders from metal bunkers. These snippets stitch together a loose narrative framework: humanity’s futile attempts to quell your rampage only fuel your destructive instincts. The result feels authentic to mid-century sci-fi tropes, where science runs amok and the world trembles at the feet of unstoppable behemoths.

While veterans of story-driven games might find the plot skeletal, fans of B-grade aesthetics will appreciate the tongue-in-cheek approach. The characters you control aren’t heroes or villains in the traditional sense—they’re forces of nature, unleashed by accident or design. As a result, the “plot” serves primarily as a backdrop for mayhem, and it succeeds admirably at keeping the mood playful and campy throughout your rampages.

Overall Experience

Playing “I Was an Atomic Mutant!” feels like starring in your own retro monster movie, complete with goofy sound effects, over-the-top destruction, and endless cinematic flair. Whether you’re a solo rampager or teaming up with friends in co-op mode, the game delivers pure destruction therapy. There’s a visceral thrill in leveling landmarks, knocking tanks into would-be heroes, and watching the city burn under atomic fury.

On the downside, the lack of deeper narrative may frustrate players seeking a strong emotional hook, and the repetitive nature of “destroy everything” can wear thin after extended sessions. However, regular introductions of new enemy types, environmental hazards (such as toxic swamps and seismic rumblings), and unlockable mutant skins help maintain interest. Side objectives like protecting mutant spawn points or collecting rare radioactive artifacts add optional challenges that spice up the formula.

Ultimately, “I Was an Atomic Mutant!” is a joyful, unpretentious romp tailored to fans of monster-movie nostalgia and overpowered destruction sims. Its strong thematic presentation, varied mutant abilities, and explosive gameplay loops make it a standout among action titles looking for a quirky edge. If you’ve ever dreamed of smashing entire cities while roaring at helpless soldiers, this is the game for you.

Retro Replay Score

6.4/10