As Lethal Company players try to figure out the creepy monster AI, one expert eerily reasons that "the Bracken loves people walking backwards"

Lethal Company players are attempting to work out the AI behaviour that governs one of the game's most dangerous foes.

The Bracken is a silent, shadowy creature with glowing white eyes and black spikes. It knows where you and your team are at all times and will stalk you relentlessly. If you're unfortunate enough to come face to face with it, you can steal a glance but stare for more than a few seconds, and it'll attack, killing your character instantly and dragging their body to a random location.

Having seemingly met their end at the hands of this terrifying creature a fair few times, players have been studying its behaviour, and their findings will hopefully help the rest of us live to fight another day. Over on the Lethal Company subreddit, player Blubbpaule has constructed a diagram that shows how the Bracken reacts depending on where in your field of view it happens to be.

Bracken AI behaviour explained and how it works. from r/lethalcompany

As the player explains, if the Bracken is in the pink area, it will stop using cover and start to approach. If you turn far enough so that it's in the brightest red area, which is still outside your FOV, it will turn tail and flee. If the enemy enters your field of vision, shown here in dark red, it will freeze and give you a warning, at which point you need to break eye contact. "He knows he has been noticed and retreats for a random amount of time," the player explains. "For most of my tests this was about 15 - 30 seconds before he actively entered the stalking phase again."

The biggest piece of advice Blubbpaule has for encounters with the creature is to not back away from the situation. "Do NOT. Never. Walk backwards," the player warns. "The Bracken loves people walking backwards."

So there you have it; if you happen upon the Bracken, try to keep it just outside your field of vision and under no circumstances attempt to teach it the moonwalk.

In under 6 weeks, co-op hit Lethal Company passes Baldur's Gate 3 and Resident Evil 4 to become the highest-rated Steam release of 2023.