How to deal with the Hidden Ghost in R.E.P.O.

The Hidden is one of R.E.P.O.’s delinquent pupils; a fan of ruining your round and being a downright menace to society, this monster requires a bit of strategy before you take him on.

Being one of R.E.P.O.‘s many monsters, the Hidden is an invisible entity that doesn’t have a physical form we can see. But this doesn’t mean he’s all-powerful. While he appears like a vengeful spirit, attempting to possess you and your friends, there’s something more mischievous going on. Here’s everything you need to know about the Hidden in R.E.P.O. and how to deal with him.

What does the Hidden do in R.E.P.O?

The Hidden can appear across all maps. But he’s best known to show up inside Headman Manor or in pairs at Swiftbroom Academy (from level three). This monster is a nuisance, much like the Rugrat, Gnome, and Animal. He cannot hurt you, but that won’t stop him from trying. The Hidden’s only method of attack is to pick you up and take you to the furthest point from where you started.

To onlookers, the chosen one lifts into the air, in a crouched position. The shortening of the body appears menacing, paired with the erratic breathing and laughter from the Ghost you cannot see. With only the flying player running towards you, it feels like your teammate is possessed. Powerless and unable to hold items, they are forced to endeavor the journey to unknown territory, possibly being dropped in front of a deadlier monster that can one-shot you.

How to evade the Hidden in R.E.P.O

The Hidden’s invisible move is incredibly annoying as you can’t do anything about it if you’re solo. However, those playing with friends can save whoever is possessed by grabbing them as they’re running. The person being picked up and carried by the ghost turns into a carriable item. You can pick up crouched teammates whenever you want so long as they have used “Ctrl” or “Q” to shrink their body down. Use this to your advantage and pluck your teammate out of the air. It’s best to attempt this in narrow corridors or doorways.

Knowing when the Hidden is in front of you is important. Keep a safe distance and watch out for any doors opening towards you. The Hidden’s breath is always on display, with footprints appearing underneath as he wanders around. He occasionally exhales, showing a massive breath cloud, but this only happens after completing a route. If you need a more consistent warning, you must stay alert for his breathing animation, footprints, and breathing sound cue. You can’t hear any other monster breathe in R.E.P.O.

There are three distinct cycles for the Hidden, these are:

• Standing still and exhaling: Large breath cloud is seen here.
• Walking around: You can hear the breathing, see his breath and his footprints as he moves around.
• Running and laughing: The Hidden will only run when he’s seen you and wants to grab you. He will maniacally laugh and wheeze as he approaches your location.

You want to avoid the third phase unless you have stamina and high enough speed stat to evade the Hidden by weaving in and out of the adjacent rooms. We recommend being on the lookout for opening doors, his tell-tale signs, and staying back when you spot him. The Hidden will always run off after placing you down.

Finally, you can use the Hidden to your advantage. As he always moves you to the furthest position from when you started, you can purposely get picked up by him after completing your final extraction point. We’ve had this happen to us, where the Hidden picked us up and dropped us at the truck. This meant we avoided other monsters as they cannot harm you when the Hidden is carrying you to his destination. It’s not guaranteed and is risky, but it could work out in your favor.

Can you kill Hidden?

It’s a different story when you’re playing R.E.P.O. solo. As you cannot do anything if this entity grabs you, we recommend equipping yourself with a Tranq Gun or Stun Grenade. You can sedate the Hidden and swap to a melee weapon (Frying Pan or Baseball Bat) to finish the job. As you know, the Hidden is incredibly hard to see, so keep looking out for his breath and refer to your cursor as it’ll turn yellow when you can interact with something. If this appears, but there’s nothing ahead of you, then it’s likely the Hidden you’ve sedated. This effect lasts between 12 to 15 seconds.

Alternatively, the Gun can kill the Hidden with a single bullet. You can also bait the Huntsman into shooting the Hidden. All of these methods kill him, giving you approximately $3,000 as his life orb drops onto the ground, replacing his previously invisible form.