Chris InglisRIPOUT is a co-op sci-fi horror FPS currently in Steam early access by Pet Project Games and published by 3D Realms and launched on October 25, 2023. It throws you and your co-op friends into the terrifying depths of derelict spaceships overrun by grotesque mutants. The procedurally generated missions deliver a tense and atmospheric experience. Armed with your trusty Pet Gun companion, you’ll be lootin’ and shootin’ your way through this extraction-style gameplay and crafting better gear for subsequent runs.
The game’s atmosphere is tense and gritty, with panels exploding in corridors and monsters creeping up on you if you’re not listening carefully. Creaking corridors, flickering lights, and the ever-present threat of unseen horrors lurking in the shadows all contribute to a genuinely unsettling experience. The sound design is impressive, with unsettling groans and industrial clangs keeping you on edge and sparking electrical grates illuminating the otherwise dark halls.
Your primary weapon has a wriggling pet gun attachment that, when holding F to scan, you can send your pet off to attack distant monsters, weakening them so you can finish them off with your rifle or pistol. The pet gun can also be sent to capture other pets, bringing them back to you to provide you with temporary heals, missiles and other benefits. It’s quite a cool addition to the gameplay and adds some great versatility, especially in tight tussles with multiple monsters swarming your position.
Most games are much more fun when playing co-op with your mates and RIPOUT is no different with scaling difficulty. Strategising takedowns of hulking monstrosities and reviving fallen comrades in the flickering lights creates a thrilling sense of camaraderie, and the banter is always great. With each of you having the pet gun attachment, working together can achieve some creative problem-solving in some of the missions where there are blocked accessways or multiple monsters to deal with. Missions are action packed 10–20-minute monster romps which is just enough to get a few runs in and feel you’ve accomplished a lot.
The procedurally generated missions provide some good variation for missions, but they do start to feel samey after a while and problems you’ll face become predicatable and easy to overcome. I do like the fact you can find all sorts of loot to be able to craft things back at the base ship, and sometimes you’ll come across a terminal to gain a choice a three buffs. With ammo being scarce, some monsters are bullet sponges, especially when playing solo so careful use of ammo and your pet gun is required which does change up your approach at times.
Three major updates have been added to RIPOUT since it released in early access last year. There are still two more major updates planned on the game’s roadmap. The Take Cover update will add missions allowing you to stay under moving cover while traversing inhospitable halls, as well as a new mini enemy, new sidearm and new melee weapon. The Home Improvement update will add a new shooting range section of the hub ship. There will also be a new critter, new missions, new sidearm and another melee weapon.
Despite being in early access, RIPOUT offers a solid co-op sci-fi horror FPS which is best played in co-op. It has a tense atmosphere, unique Pet Gun system, and short, sharp and engaging missions the first time through. Missions can get repetitive after a while but each run nets you loot to crafting upgrades back at the hub ship, and they’re short enough to do 1 or 2 and feel accomplishment. Fans of FPS horror games will find something to like here.
This review utilised a key provided by Sandbox Strategies and RIPOUT is available now in Steam early access.
#roundtablecoop
Daniel Agius
