Retrieve Extract and Profit Operation (R.E.P.O.) is an online multiplayer, physics-based horror game that prioritizes teamwork, survival tactics and productivity.
Released in February of 2025, it was developed by semiwork as an “early access game,” meaning that it’s unfinished and releases constant updates and patches; however, it’s released to the public for potential funding and feedback.
The objective of the game relies on one to six players retrieving expensive random loot and extracting them for a specific amount of profit. This overall operation has randomly generated levels and maps. The adversaries you encounter are various creatures, while you primarily escape and hide from “The Taxman.”
The main foundation of the game is in no way original, as the premise is widely reused and is almost a direct copy to another early-access co-op horror game called “Lethal Company” that came out in 2023.
But what makes up for “R.E.P.O.” are the creative choices. You play as a bean shaped figure with large round eyes, a “Muppet” style mouth, with little arms and legs, equipped with a flashlight.
The randomly generated maps incorporate a mixture of almost realistic settings and objects, while the lobby you spawn in features an almost futuristic, grimy cartoonish element. They are dark while your flashlight is your main source of light, which can be a challenge as if you or your whole team dies, you have to restart all over again.
While there is an option for single players, the game is much better with a party, whether that be a local co-op with your friends or jumping into a public server. Communication is key as this game is open mic.
If you are concerned about using your real voice, don’t you worry. A robotic voice filter is applied to your voice when you communicate on text chat. If you don’t have a mic, no worries, you’ll survive.
Freshman Chaz Bocker, a frequent player of the game enjoys the chat feature as well as the game.
“I liked the proximity chat; it made for funny moments,” Bocker said.
Within singleplayer it is a challenge to load the items one by one into your C.A.R.T., while constantly having to worry about an adversary popping out when continuing into the map. Playing with a team, the party can then swiftly enter a level, have multiple players grab items or distract a creature and move on into the next level.
What comes at a heavy price for younger gamers and their attention spans is the fact that if your entire party dies within a level, your entire campaign, regardless of the level, restarts entirely. So, play with confidence and teamwork.
Overall, this game comes highly recommended, only if you are part of a party, as playing alone will leave you bored and frustrated.
