R.E.P.O is the latest game causing a commotion with players who enjoy horror and having a fun time.
R.E.P.O.?
This co-op horror game asks players to explore abandoned areas to retrieve items that total a certain amount of money. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.
The game uses real-world physics, adding a layer of difficulty. Small items like plates and ocarinas are easy to carry, but heavier items like pianos and computer servers require teammates to safely lift and transport. Damaging items causes a loss in value, so players need to be careful when transporting. As players collect items, they have to be on the lookout for the supernatural creatures lurking in the shadows.
At the end of each level, players gain access to a store where they can buy upgrades, additional carts, and weapons.
The Scared Crying
The game can be played solo for a prime horror experience. Walking around alone in an abandoned building is unnerving on its own.
What’s more unnerving? Imagine walking around an empty, decomposing building filled with radioactive chickens, floating heads, and murderous babies while you’re trying to loot the place. The ticking clocks and creaking floorboards paired with the eerie music in each level adds to the atmosphere, freaking out solo players.
The difference between a game over and survival is quick thinking. If you’re too slow, there’s nothing to save you from a monster chicken blowing your brains out with lasers. As you wander the level, it’s important to take note of potential hiding areas and dead ends, so you can make a quick escape.
The Crying and Laughing
However, the game is much more fun when playing with friends, especially if you’re all goofing around and not taking the game super seriously. By using your mouse, you can lift, drop, push, and pull items. The second you let go of your mouse, items fall to the floor. Coordinating with your friends to move heavy furniture and screaming at them to stop dropping items can be both rage inducing and a fun time.
There are special items that trigger reactions out of players like an hourglass that slows player movement and speech, adding to the fun. Discovering this feature was fun. When I picked up the hourglass, I moved incredibly slowly. I thought this was because the hourglass was too heavy for me to pick up alone. My friends burst out laughing when they saw me, which left me confused. It wasn’t until my friend took the hourglass from me that I realized why everyone was laughing.
Speaking of heavy, all furniture loses value when it’s damaged. Teamwork is important if you want to move heavy furniture safely. However, it can be hard to keep it together when you’re trying to coordinate and failing miserably.
Don’t be too loud though! Enemies lock in on you through sound and movement. Once your team comes face to face with the supernatural horrors, you’re suddenly running and screaming for your life…or laughing when one of your friends gets killed by a duck. Then you’re screaming because the duck focuses on you.
Then you’re dead and at the mercy of the living, who can put your head in a toilet.
Early Access Features
R.E.P.O. is currently in early access. The game has 3 playable levels, 19 enemies, 29 pieces of equipment, and 8 player upgrades. The team at semiwork is “locked in” and working on the next update, which includes a new level.
They would like to add a matchmaking system, but they do not want modders to be affected by anti-cheat systems. I hope we get match lobbies at some point. While there is no definitive date for the next update or this matchmaking system, the team at semiwork eagerly awaits feedback on how to make their game better.
R.E.P.O. is currently available on Steam.
