The silence around Lethal Company has been palpable for its dedicated fanbase, with four long months passing since the last update. Developer Zeekerss had indicated a creative pause and a shift in focus to “Welcome To The Dark Place,” another project. However, exciting news has emerged, which we at Digital Tech Explorer are eager to share: a recent immersion in the increasingly popular co-op horror game REPO appears to have sparked fresh inspiration for the Lethal Company creator.
Zeekerss’s Renewed Vigor After Experiencing REPO
“I’m accepting the fact that Welcome To The Dark Place is taxing to work on for long amounts of time, and I need time to stew over my ideas,” Zeekerss revealed in a Patreon post (as reported by GamesRadar). “Perhaps playing REPO has also inspired me to switch back to Lethal Company. So I’ve begun work on V70.”
Zeekerss elaborated on their engagement with the new title: “For the past couple of weeks, REPO has been the game for me and my friends to play non-stop. I was the most excited to try it at first, but my first impressions almost made me abandon it. I’m glad I gave it a second try, because REPO’s ‘fun curve’ was a little more gradual than I expected it would be, and I’m still loving this game after 30 hours spent!”
Author’s Perspective: REPO as a New Co-op Horror Favorite
As TechTalesLeo, your guide here at Digital Tech Explorer for all things engaging in tech and PC gaming, I’ve previously shared my enthusiasm for REPO. It’s even managed to become my new favorite for co-op horror sessions with friends, nudging aside the acclaimed Lethal Company for that top spot. I find the mix of monsters, maps, and varied extraction points keeps the gameplay intriguing for extended periods. Plus, there’s a delightful level of chaos in REPO, which, coupled with the semibots, creates a fantastic slapstick horror experience.
Zeekerss Commends REPO’s Engaging Design Elements
It appears Zeekerss resonates with some of these observations: “With the multiple extraction points spread out across the map, each of which are too small to fit everything, and the limited arsenal of items, there is enough strategic depth to this that each level feels like its own story. The pacing feels just right to build suspense and let the game breathe.”
The developer also highlighted how REPO’s range of weapons and the ability to retaliate enhance enjoyment for players advancing in a run. The core loop of dodging threats and collecting loot remains compelling. “Lastly, I want to mention how hysterical the enemy designs are,” Zeekerss added. “I mean, some of them are just beautiful to behold. My favorite is Mr. Thunder Thighs–if you know, you know.”
Constructive Criticism: Zeekerss on REPO’s Challenges
However, the admiration isn’t without critique, and I find myself agreeing with Zeekerss’s points here as well. They raised concerns about a significant difficulty spike around level five or six in REPO, where the game overwhelms players with monsters: “The result is that you spend 10x as much time hiding, because that’s the only option left.”
Other issues Zeekerss identified include the potential to softlock a level by accidentally destroying too many valuables—a situation I’ve narrowly avoided myself—and a couple of problems with specific monster behaviors.
My primary frustration aligns with Zeekerss regarding the Huntsman, an enemy capable of killing players before they can audibly or visually detect him, which feels inherently unfair. “He can hear your voice and shoot you from outside the game’s default view distance, where you can’t see or hear him,” Zeekerss elaborated. “This is an unavoidable death. There is no ‘wind-up’ that allows you to duck for cover, as he seems to fire in the exact same frame that he notices you; even if he’s looking the other way, he will instantly snap back and shoot you.”
This single enemy is so oppressive that he totally kills any sense of casual fun or banter.
Zeekerss, Developer of Lethal Company
“My group will completely stop talking and only crouch.” Indeed, encounters with the Huntsman often lead my friends and I to eventually abandon attempts as he systematically eliminates us.
Whether the developers of REPO will incorporate this constructive feedback remains to be seen. However, for the multitude of fans anticipating news on Lethal Company, and for us here at Digital Tech Explorer tracking Zeekerss’s creative journey, the primary takeaway is overwhelmingly positive. This detailed exploration of REPO has evidently provided that crucial jolt of inspiration. “I wrote up a document outlining my basic vision for Lethal Company, leading to early access, and my energy level is suddenly very high,” Zeekerss shared. “Again, I don’t know if that’s seasonal or if it’s because I switched projects. It will be a little while, though.” TechTalesLeo and the Digital Tech Explorer team will be keeping a close watch on future updates, so stay tuned for the latest developments.