If your game focuses on an ensemble cast of relatable characters and their small-town conflicts and dramas, don’t be surprised when you hear players ask for more. As the Community Manager for Mutazione , I’ve seen countless heartfelt requests for Mutazione’s story to continue. Players want DLC. They want a sequel. They want a trilogy! Since day one, it was always in the works to publish an update focused upon the characters and their stories. The Penpal Update does precisely that, though it might surprise players in precisely how.
Even in the tagline for Mutazione (“They can survive an apocalyptic meteor strike, but can they survive their small-town drama? ”) there’s that acknowledgement of drama and stakes. Sure – there’s an aspect of conflict that’s earth-shattering, as players unravel the mystery behind the ailing Papu Tree, but most of the particular game’s conflicts are interpersonal. Unrequited love. Personal trauma. Broken familial bonds. As Kai makes friends, learns secrets, and helps these characters solve each of those issues, our bonds with those characters deepen.
This makes the Penpal Update a little unique because it’s not about conflict or drama. It’s not a sequel – it’s an epilogue. It doesn’t continue the story of Mutazione , but rather puts a bow about it. Some players might be the little disappointed by this. There are plenty of plot threads at the end of typically the game that could spiral out into more conflict, more episode, and more story for Kai to come back to this island and resolve. But often the Penpal update’s focus is in the other end of that spectrum.
Kai saves Mutazione. Without going into any specific spoilers, Kai helping the good people in Mutazione resolve their conflicts is such a huge part associated with why the game is beloved. It’s almost like a friendship simulator, where your friends come to you with problems and you help them get past it. An important part of that process is the aftermath. Not just helping them in that moment but getting to see the follow through as well. Seeing how your actions helped someone in the long term will be just as satisfying as your act of helping them within the short term.
The Penpal Update is all about that follow through. It doesn’t introduce a new villain in order to beat, a new obstacle to be able to overcome, or a new conflict for you to manage. It just shows you what happened in the community after Kai left and returned to help the mainland. It’s been two years since Mutazione released and in that will time, Miu, Tung, and all the other friends you’ve made continued living their lives.
So, if you’re interested in reconnecting with your old friends, load up the new update and let us know what you think in the exact Akupara Games Discord.
Mutazione
Akupara Games
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