One robot, up to two PC players
Escape From Mandrillia is a local asymmetric horror game. One player wears the VR headset and plays as a robot trying to get out of an underground facility packed with giant alien monkeys called the Mandrillians. Up to 2 players at the computer join in on the same machine. They can either back up the VR player by piloting friendly combat drones, or switch sides and play as the Mandrillians themselves. Steam Remote Play lets you bring in Steam friends over the internet so they can take the PC seats.
What the VR player does
On the headset the game plays as survival horror with stealth and shooting. You move through the facility avoiding the Mandrillians or standing and fighting, though the odds sit against you. Your battery-powered Multitool can cloak you, ping nearby enemies, or stun them when they close in. Scattered around are over 20 unique weapons, ranging from regular firearms to flamethrowers, crossbows, and chainsaws. To reach the exit you hunt down keycards and clear minigames that open up new sections. In coop mode you also keep your drone allies running by maintaining, repairing, and reloading them.
What the PC players do
PC players control either the Mandrillians or the friendly combat drones. Playing as a Mandrillian, you track the VR player with monkey senses, move fast through the map using the air vents, and add cybernetic military upgrades to your abilities. The game describes this side as psychologically torturing the VR player like a true apex predator. Playing as drones means joining forces with the robot and fighting the Mandrillians instead.
Tuning the match
Match modifiers let you change nearly every parameter: HP values, how PC players respawn, loot styles and progression, and how monster weakpoints are calculated. Preset clusters apply a whole set at once. Mandrillian Bias gives the PC players an edge, Robot Bias eases the pressure on the VR player, Horror Mode strips you of starting weapons and makes the monsters almost indestructible, and Super Soldier floods you with endless Mandrillians to cut down with heavy weapons. You can mix and match these settings freely. The game carries dark, violent, and gore tags, so expect that tone going in.