Co-op roguelite fans, sharpen your scalpel—and prepare to get messy. Independent developer One More Game has unveiled Meat Lab 6, the latest public playtest for SWAPMEAT, running from July 17 at 10 a.m. PT through July 23 at 5 p.m. PT. This hands-on test invites players to dive in and test-drive the game’s offbeat body-part swapping mechanics, complete with fresh clarity, battered bosses, and a deepened tutorial experience, according to a press release.

SWAPMEAT isn’t your typical shooter. It’s a co-op third-person roguelite where you harvest alien limbs mid-fight and graft them onto yourself—stealing powers on the fly. Up to four Meat Scientists can tear through planets, swapping torsos, arms, or legs to reshape their loadouts via Rangus Meats’ patented Smart Meat system. With fully destructible foes, elemental combos, and braggadocious bosses, every run promises emergent hilarity and tactical invention.

Meat Lab 6 serves two main goals: polish the base systems and widen the meat-centric sandbox. First-time users are greeted with a revamped tutorial that gently introduces the world’s Hunters, Smart Meat mechanics, even the legendary Carl Rangus himself. The prologue sets a sharper first impression—crucial for immersing new players in the bizarre world of Meat Lab.

Under the hood, the elemental damage system has been retooled. Enemies now register conditions like Burning, Electrified, Slimed, Staggered, and Chilled, each tied to specific weapon effects. Weapons and mutations react dynamically to those states, opening up combo potential but requiring careful planning. Speaking of mutations, players can now pick three per run from a pool of 15, reinforcing build diversity without overflowing menus. These mutations skew loot tables, elemental triggers, and passive buffs, offering bite-sized strategic depth.

Boss encounters have also received a gruesome facelift. Franken Beans, the Solar System 1 boss, enjoys a more open arena and refined move set, while the Solar System 2 boss—now officially named “Monday Night Midterms”—gets graphical enhancements and tightened mechanics for players to exploit. These improvements aim to let bosses shine as both performance slams and tactical showdowns.

Something that won’t go unnoticed? The HUD has been refreshed with polish and practicality, featuring a new compass, objective tracker, and interaction menus that reduce fluff and improve readability mid-fight. And for those who want a bit more flair, the new “Flair” equipment type slips in passive bonuses to bolster your next run—without feeling mandatory.

Over 20 new items have been added to the upgrade rotisserie, alongside weapons rebalanced to harmonize with the elemental and mutation fixes. Replay now delivers both unpredictability and reward—just what emergent combat ought to taste like. If you’re curious to see what Meat Lab 6 offers, tune into One More Game’s Twitch stream on Friday, July 18 at 4 p.m. PT. The devs will dissect the new systems and answer live questions—just make sure to bring a bib. All of these new features can be previewed in a recently released trailer prior to the live stream.

With SWAPMEAT aiming for release on PC, macOS, and Linux via Steam next year, this latest playtest is more than a demo—it’s community-driven refinement in motion. Whether you prefer solo experimentation or chaotic four-player swaps, Meat Lab 6 promises a squishy, strategic feast worth your time. Sign up at playSWAPMEAT.com and then sharpen those butcher’s knives.