RetroSpace Mutamods: Every Mutation, Slot and Side Effect
Mutamods we have seen
| Mutamod | Slot | Effect | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhino Body | Passive | More strength and physical resistance, but only while you hold a melee weapon. The July demo patch made that condition visible in the menu and raised the bonus. | 2nd Major Demo Update; Splattercat and ProRogueBear videos |
| Unicellular | Active | Creates a decoy clone of yourself, "a fake clone built from a unicellular organism", to pull enemies away. | Dev Blog 09; Splattercat video |
| Skunk Bomb | Active | Offered as one of the three starting picks. Its exact effect is not shown clearly in the recordings we have. | Splattercat and ProRogueBear videos |
| Bat Ears | Passive | Ultrasonic hearing that lets you sense enemies through walls; the in-game ad calls it the end of hide and seek. | Dev Blog 09; ProRogueBear video |
| Light-healing mutation | Passive | Bright light heals your wounds. Name not legible in the recordings. | Wanderbots demo video |
| Light-charging mutation | Passive | Stand close to a strong light source to recharge batteries. Name not legible in the recordings. | Wanderbots and ProRogueBear videos |
The other four Mutamods are not named in any source we can check yet. The developers mention tentacle arms, mind control and "shadow-lurking" on the store page, and invisibility, electric traps and barricades in Dev Blog 09, but they do not say which of those are Mutamods and which are gadgets, so we have not filed them in the table.
Mutamod list checked:
Your first pick
The opening offers three free choices: Skunk Bomb, Rhino Body and Unicellular. If you lean on the wrench, as most players do while ammo is scarce, Rhino Body is the steady option because it boosts exactly that. Unicellular's decoy suits a sneaky run. Whichever you take, later Mutamods cost credits, so do not spend everything at the food machines.
Three currencies, three jobs
| Currency | Spent on | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Credits (cash) | Vending machines (food, beer, items), Mutamods, fixing cloning errors at a Helo Dome chamber | Some is lost when you die, per Charl's demo video |
| Scrap | Tech gadgets and weapon upgrades | Scrap junk you do not need from the inventory |
| DNA / bio matter | Upgrading Mutamods | Extract genes from bodies, including your own |
A developer summed it up on the Steam forum: "DNA (or bio matter) will be used to upgrade Mutations, while from scrap you can buy tech gadgets and weapon upgrades." The gene extractor you use on corpses is the same tool you use on your own body after a death, which is covered in cloning errors.
Tech gadgets
There are 10 gadgets, bought with scrap once a survivor in the Janitors' Haven opens the gadget shop. Dev Blog 09 also mentions a helmet add-on that helps you track noise. The Tech-guru achievement wants all ten at least at level 1, and Muta-Freak wants all Mutamods; both are in the achievement planner.
Mutamod questions
How many Mutamods are in RetroSpace?
Ten, and the same number of tech gadgets, according to the developers' deep-dive video. The Muta-Freak achievement asks you to buy all of them at least at level 1.
How do you get Mutamods?
From Mutagen vending machines, paid with credits. Your first one is free; recordings show the next one costing 200. You then upgrade them with DNA (bio matter) extracted from bodies.
How many Mutamods can I equip?
ProRogueBear's full-game recording shows one active slot and two passive slots. The developers say there is a limit so you have to plan combinations.
Do Mutamods have side effects?
The store page warns that they "may have unexpected and irreversible side effects", and an in-game ad says overuse can give you a monstrous appearance. Cloning errors are a separate system tied to death.