Announcing Our Co-Development Partnership on Milo

We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Rat Cream Games as co-development and publishing partner for Milo, a high-intensity FPS roguelite that asks the question: what are you really made of?

A Nightmarish Vision

Milo isn’t your typical shooter. Set in a WWI/WWII-era hellscape, players must survive endless waves of milk-obsessed cultists while crafting devastating weapon synergies in the style of Risk of Rain 2’s addictive progression. It’s Call of Duty’s gunplay meets roguelite chaos, wrapped in a deliberately unsettling aesthetic that’s equal parts horrifying and hilarious.

The game began as creator John Szymanski’s deeply personal exploration of trauma, addiction, and recovery—themes woven into every aspect of the game’s design. What started as a solo passion project has evolved into a full-scale commercial release, and we’re honored to help bring John’s vision to life.

Our Role

As co-development partner, Yarrawah Interactive is contributing across the full production pipeline:

Weapon Arsenal

We’ve created the complete weapon pipeline for Milo’s WWI/WWII-era arsenal:

M1 Garand: Iconic semi-automatic rifle with satisfying ping
Thompson SMG: Classic submachine gun for close-quarters chaos
Kar98k: Bolt-action precision for skilled players
Chauchat: Support weapon with punishing recoil
S&W .38 Revolver: Reliable sidearm for desperate moments

Each weapon features custom modeling, high-resolution texturing, advanced rigging, and complete animation sets for reload, fire, and inspect animations. We’ve obsessed over period accuracy while ensuring every weapon feels incredible to use.

Character Development

The game’s cast of disturbed cultists and player characters required extensive work:

Complete character redesign with enhanced visual detail
Advanced rigging systems for fluid animation
Custom animation sets for movement, combat, and interactions
Procedural systems for dynamic enemy behavior
Performance optimization for intense horde scenarios

Technical Excellence

Bringing Milo to Unreal Engine 5.5 required significant technical work:

Full engine migration from earlier UE versions
Core gameplay systems and mechanics implementation
Advanced AI behaviors for cultist enemies
Optimization for smooth performance during 100+ enemy encounters
Blueprint frameworks for mod support and content expansion

The Demo Response

Milo’s free demo has resonated deeply with players:

Current Stats:

30,000+ Steam Wishlists and growing daily
91.5% Positive Reviews from players
130+ Demo Reviews praising the unique blend of horror and gameplay

What Players Are Saying

The response has been incredible:

“11.9/10. F’ing great game and can’t wait for more with Co-op and more maps” — Steam Review

“It was fun.” — MoistCr1TiKaL (6.5M subscribers)

“Milo might be absurd. It might even be grotesque. But behind its chaos lies a rare kind of clarity. It’s a game that embraces the weird, the personal, and the painful, then turns it into something unforgettable.” — OtakuKart

Media Coverage

Milo has captured the attention of content creators and press worldwide:

Featured By:

Alpha Beta Gamer (1.7M subscribers)
MoistCr1TiKaL (6.5M subscribers)
MrTLexify (2.1M subscribers)

Press Coverage:

80.lv
OtakuKart
Z League
Alpha Beta Gamer

The game’s unique blend of serious themes and chaotic gameplay has made it a favorite among content creators looking for something genuinely different.

Why We Believe in Milo

This project represents everything we value in game development:

Artistic Vision

John’s uncompromising creative vision results in a game that feels unlike anything else. The decision to tackle difficult personal themes through gameplay rather than just narrative creates powerful moments of connection.

Technical Challenge

The combination of horde-style combat, roguelite progression, and period weapons presented unique technical challenges. Optimizing for 100+ enemies while maintaining 60fps on mid-range hardware required innovative solutions.

Player Experience

At its core, Milo delivers what every great game should: moment-to-moment fun. The satisfaction of chaining perfect headshots, discovering overpowered synergies, and barely surviving impossible odds creates “one more run” compulsion.

Community Building

The passionate community forming around Milo validates the decision to embrace the game’s weird, wonderful identity. These are players who appreciate games willing to take risks.

What’s Next

The full release roadmap includes exciting additions:

Planned Features:

Full Campaign: Story-driven progression through nightmare scenarios
Co-op Multiplayer: Survive the horde with friends
Additional Maps: New environments with unique challenges
Expanded Arsenal: More period weapons with unique mechanics
Advanced Progression: Deeper meta-progression and unlocks
Mod Support: Community content creation tools

Try It Now

Milo’s free demo is available right now on Steam. Experience the chaos firsthand:

Download the Demo

Wishlist the Full Game

The demo includes:

Complete tutorial introducing core mechanics
Multiple weapons to discover and master
Endless survival mode testing your skill ceiling
Progression systems showcasing roguelite elements

Join the Community

Connect with other survivors and stay updated:

Official Website - Dev blogs and updates
Discord Server - Community discussion and support
Steam Community - Forums and guides

Developer Insights

Working on Milo has been transformative for our team. The project’s unique blend of horror, humor, and heart required us to think differently about every aspect of production:

Weapon Feel

Creating period-accurate weapons that feel modern required extensive iteration. We studied real firing footage, analyzed competitor games, and playtested endlessly to nail the weight and impact.

Character Performance

The cultists needed to feel simultaneously threatening and pathetic. Advanced animation blending and procedural systems create enemies that feel alive (even when they’re anything but).

Optimization Magic

Maintaining performance with 100+ active enemies meant creative solutions—LOD systems, animation budgets, and aggressive culling all working in harmony.

What This Means for Yarrawah

Milo represents our evolution from asset creation to full co-development partnerships. While we’ll continue our Humble Bundle work (16 bundles and counting), projects like Milo allow us to contribute at a deeper level—shaping core gameplay, solving complex technical challenges, and helping realize bold creative visions.

The Road Ahead

Milo launches in 2025, and we couldn’t be more excited. Every day brings new challenges, discoveries, and moments of “did that really just work?” magic that makes game development endlessly rewarding.

This is just the beginning. John’s vision for Milo extends far beyond the initial release, and we’re committed to supporting that vision with the technical expertise and production values it deserves.

Thank You

To everyone who’s played the demo, shared feedback, created content, and joined the community—thank you. Your enthusiasm fuels our commitment to making Milo the best it can be.

Find out what you’re made of. Wishlist Milo today.

Play Demo: Milo Demo on Steam

Wishlist Now: Milo on Steam

See Our Work: Milo Project Page

Follow Development: Rat Cream Games on Twitter