When I learned the third game in the Outlast series was to be an online survival game, I was admittedly sceptical. As a fan of the first two games, I wasn’t sure multiplayer would be a great fit; what made the originals so terrifying was the isolation you felt being trapped in a dangerous location, with no one to save you from the murderous fiends out for your blood.
Take a look at the spooky trailer forOutlast Trialsbelow
The idea of adding allies to the mix led me to believe it’d take away the effectiveness of the spooks and scares, and I’m pleased to say I was wrong to feel this way.Outlast Trialsis horrifying and a fitting continuation that takes the series in a new, fresh direction.
Advert
Advert
To put it briefly, players create their own character who’s been drafted into a series of experiments that test the resolve of the human mind and body. After a brief introduction cutscene and tutorial which you can skip if you prefer, you’re thrown into an institution that acts as a hub world to select missions from, also known as trials.
These trials are set across a number of different locations, all of which are purpose-built testing grounds for you, the labrats, to explore whilst accomplishing objectives. These objectives typically involve committing an atrocious act in the name of science, like the first trial, which forces you to wheel a snitch through a police station to be electrocuted to death.
Red Barrel
You can play trials solo or with up to three other players, who can be people you know, or randoms. Crossplay is also supported, but was unavailable during my time with the early access version of the game. The environments the developers have put together are all fantastic from what I’ve seen so far. Graphically Outlast has always looked fantastic, and with the power of new-gen hardwareOutlast Trialsis the prettiest look at the psychosis-filled world so far. I particularly loved how you could see glass windows in various parts of the facilities with scientists on the other side examining your progress and recording your reactions to the horrors you’re being subjected to, in addition to the broken bodies of your fellow test subjects who weren’t lucky enough to escape.
Advert
Advert
Trial difficulty and complexity scales with the amount of players, like having to switch on two generators in a group of four, whereas two players or less would have to switch on just one. This ensured each game felt fair and didn’t ask too much of the players involved, whilst still providing a decent enough challenge.
Red Barrel
Advert
Advert
The default enemies are typically rabid attackers with sticks or blades, but each mission features a more memorable antagonist. Highlights include a police officer with a taser, and a woman with a puppet that tries to stab you to death. Some enemies were more intimidating than others, but when it came time to run for my life and I could feel them breathing down my neck as I ran? They all felt equally terrifying.
While you can’t fight back there are a few things you can do to evade them. Enemies can’t see in the dark but you can thanks to your night vision goggles, which have been helpfully screwed into your skull. You can also throw bottles and bricks as distractions or at the enemy directly to stun them, as well as hide inside and under various parts of the environment.
Your character isn’t just vulnerable to physical damage though, you can also be psychologically damaged leading to hallucinations of the Skinner Man. Low-level psychosis will see this spector lunging at you from around corners, which scared the socks off me at times, but if your psychosis becomes too much to bear he’ll become volatile and hunt you down until you’re either dead or can find an item to cure yourself. Because he’s basically in your head no amount of running or hiding will make him lose track of you, making him the most terrifying enemy in the game.
Red Barrel
Advert
Advert
My overall experience with the trials themselves was good. Outlast games have always excelled at creating an atmosphere and shocking the player with its body horror andOutlast Trialsis no exception to that rule. There were several moments where I nearly jumped out of my skin thinking I’d lost my pursuer, only for them to be on the other side of a door I’d opened or emerge from a corner I didn’t see before. That being said, it does become quite easy to evade an enemy once you’ve been spotted since, as terrifying as they look, their AI isn’t very clever.
Red Barrel
Advert
Advert
The Outlast Trialsis an example of a beloved series trying something new, and for the most part it works. The trials themselves are enjoyable, with huge maps to explore, memorable psychos to avoid and enough spooks and jumpscares to keep you entertained for a long time. The game is made, and works best, with multiple players in mind, and while that does take away from the overall horror, what replaces it is a barrel full of laughs as you watch your friend get ripped out of a locker and smacked with a big stick, and that’s good enough for me.
Pros: Fresh spin on a renowned horror series, great visuals and atmosphere, escape room-style gameplay fits the series well
Cons: Remarkably easy with multiple players, often sacrifices the horror for cooperative play
7/10: Very Good
Topics:Xbox,Xbox Series S,Xbox Series X,PlayStation,PlayStation 5,PC
