Ripout: preview

Ripout is a horror FPS developed by Pet Project Games and published by 3D Realms. The game is currently in development and was released in early access on Steam on October 24, 2023. Several missions are already available to play, providing an insight into the game’s basic mechanics. Since its release, a patch has been issued based on community feedback. This patch has addressed various bugs, improved the balance of some primary weapons, and implemented other enhancements.

Ripout: space, monsters and pets

Humanity’s attempt to combat the alien invasion resulted in the creation of a biological weapon known as the Cell. However, the outcome was far from what was anticipated, as this weapon became a catastrophic downfall for the human race. The severe mutations caused by the Cell led to the downfall of humanity, leaving only a handful of surviving soldiers. Upon awakening from cryogenic sleep, our mission is to reconstruct the events and strive to reach Sanctuary, the last beacon of hope for our species.

Ripout is a first-person shooter game that revolves around missions set in abandoned spaceships. These missions require us to scavenge for essential materials and gather clues that will bring us closer to our ultimate objective. We can choose to play in single player mode or join an online co-operative game for up to 4 players.

Throughout our exploration, we will encounter monsters capable of enhancing their abilities to overpower us. Additionally, we will come across small neutral critters scattered across various levels. These creatures can be captured and utilized as symbionts, granting advantages to those who harness their potential, be it ourselves or our adversaries. Some of these symbionts possess the ability to heal, create protective shields, unleash energy beams, and more.

These creatures are not the sole resources at our disposal. Our most powerful asset is a biomechanical weapon, capable of launching direct assaults on our enemies. It can function as a rifle or be deployed in its pet form to target adversaries. Furthermore, we can utilize it to capture creatures and augment our own abilities.

Additionally, Ripout includes a crafting system that enables us to fabricate and enhance weapons and equipment using materials obtained during missions. These missions typically span 15 minutes and feature procedurally generated environments and adversaries that we must confront.

Needs Further Improvement

Ripout is an FPS game that introduces innovative gameplay elements by incorporating pets as weapons and power-ups, adding diversity to the adversaries we encounter. Despite the procedural generation of levels, the maps themselves suffer from a lack of distinctiveness, rendering the benefits of dynamic level creation useless.

Furthermore, the gun-play fails to captivate us, particularly due to the ineffectiveness of the main weapon and the frequent depletion of ammunition when attempting to eliminate a few enemies.

Regarding the enemies, we anticipated a more sophisticated AI system; however, their attack patterns remain uniform, solely targeting the player head-on. The lacks of involvement and chaos typical of FPSs like Doom, Metal Hellsinger or Serious Sam is disappointing.

Regrettably, the game’s atmosphere fails to evoke any sensations within us. While the intention was to create a horror ambiance, we were only confronted with an abundance of darkness and sporadic panels that abruptly opened, generating noise without any meaningful impact.

The graphics of the game are satisfactory, however, there is room for enhancement in the sound department. Specifically, the sound of the enemy’s demise is delayed and can be heard after a considerable amount of time has passed since the enemy was defeated.

A significant drawback is the lack of subtitles and closed captions. However, at least there are options available for color blindness.

The title, overall, did not leave a lasting impression on us, except for the pet system. However, considering that this project is still in development, we remain optimistic that all opportunities for enhancement will be utilized to enhance the overall experience and make it more enjoyable.