Mechanical, Dynamic, and Aesthetic (MDA) of Cooperative Horror Extraction Games A Deconstruction of R.E.P.O. and Lethal Company
Main Article Content
Abstract
With the online multiplayer games rising in popularity, one genre of Cooperative Horror stood out for its growing popularity. There remains a critical lack of formal analysis regarding the specific design frameworks that sustain this engagement, leaving developers and researchers lacking a clear understanding of the genre's appeal. This study analyses the emerging genre of cooperative extraction horror video games through a comparative study of the two most prominent titles: Lethal Company and R.E.P.O. This paper uses the Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics (MDA) framework for its focused analysis points on the game mechanics and the emergent experiences from said mechanics called Dynamics, and the Aesthetics which represent the emotional responses from the players for an understanding of why this genre is desired by players. This study explores the core game mechanics, along with the dynamics that rise from the combination of several mechanics, and the aesthetics to categorize the emotional responses of each game experience. The findings indicate both games offer largely similar mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics. However, the aesthetics are prioritized differently; Lethal Company prioritizes the sensation and challenge aesthetics from constant tension through its time pressure and environmental unpredictability. In contrast, R.E.P.O. emphasizes more on challenge and creative expression by rewarding player mastery of the physics engine and fostering emergent social experiences. The study concludes that even within the same genre of cooperative extraction horror, subtle design choices and slight mechanical adjustments lead to fundamentally different emotional responses and psychological experiences from the players.
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