The Outlast Trials is the type of game that clearly stands proud alongside the other episodes of a popular franchise, and yet manages to boast this unique identity. It’s a remarkable horror game that does what very few can, which is to deliver a frightening and atmospheric experience in both single-player and cooperative modes. However, multiplayer is not imposed on you, although it can considerably ramp up the excitement and change your approach to each stage. It’s The Purge meets Saw, doesn’t hold back on the gore and the mature content, but there are some frustrating moments making it fall short of brilliance.

Welcome to the Madhouse

Adopting an approach that somewhat ditches the narrative focus of the two previous main games, The Outlast Trials has a more fragmented take on the story, which isn’t to say that there isn’t one. You and other players are true lab rats at the Murkoff Corporation, subjected to various types of testing, and the successful ones will earn the right to be released back into society, unimaginable traumas be damned.

In a sense, this is a terrific excuse to deliver some standalone survival horror scenarios that are optimized to their fullest, no strings attached, no huge narrative arc or pace requirements hindering their design. Although there is a sequence to unlock the more advanced stages, you often get to pick from a couple of challenges, allowing you to take a rest from a particularly demanding map.

Before you reach the laboratory where all the human guinea pigs idle until they pick the next trial, there’s a tutorial of sorts introducing the main mechanics and overall atmosphere of the game. Far from a rushed and basic start, this is a little horror adventure in itself, claustrophobic and unnerving as few, setting the tone for what is to come. This is Outlast indeed, the same competent and gripping gameplay style, but with more hide and not seek, more confined, and playing with the shadows as it did before.

The facility is your hub, the place where you get a cell just for you. Unexpectedly, there is a little customization game in here, as you get to decorate the room with items such as carpets and assorted ornaments purchased with the money you earn after completing a trial. More importantly, this is where some NPCs will sell you augmentations of various types to use during the trials or plain and simple to enhance your abilities permanently.

The design of the locations is impressive, details abound and give each one an oppressive and deranged feel, like out of the most twisted of nightmares. From police stations to orphanages with an excess of mannequins who are creepy enough, let alone when they start moving in often shocking ways, there is a lot of detail to appreciate if you are into boundless horror. There are quests to achieve in order, sometimes with a few randomized elements (items in different places, doors locked, key locations…) to improve replayability, but you won’t feel lost and without knowing what you should be aiming for next; on the other hand, the maps end up being more labyrinthine than expected, and it’s incredibly easy to lose our bearings and run like a headless chicken more often than not. Even if the game does a good job at pointing out objectives in the vicinity, the amount of doors and passages in these enclosed spaces are simply too many, and a great ability to memorize the area is recommended.

When it gets dark, it gets dark. Night vision is your best friend, but handle with care because it drains quickly and you have to find batteries to recharge it. The angst of being completely in the dark, as you see the ghouly enemies creep by a couple of steps from you is second to none, and this is one of the things that the Outlast series is renowned for.

There will be lots of hiding, lots of running for your life and trying to find a dark spot to rest a bit and resume the quest, and this cycle is persistent. It is a stressful game, not recommended for players with a history of anxiety, you can really feel the nerves and this disturbing sensation settling in, a sign that it is doing what it was setting out to do. At times, it could be too much of the same thing, the urge to get back to our quest stopped by these persistent and pretty much unbeatable enemies, although you can use some abilities to halt their progress temporarily.

It’s also a difficult experience, most of the levels are fairly large, there’s little margin for error and playing solo is doable, but sometimes frustrating and definitely challenging. All the enemies will be on the lookout for you, and quitting halfway will erase your trial progress, which is problematic for those who were hoping for short sessions. The multiplayer experience is where you can take advantage of companions who are serving as bait, making for a different type of rush where it almost feels like no one pauses to take a breather. On the other hand, as you learn the layouts, the order of the objectives, and the little differences between each run, all of it becomes engraved in your brain and the potential for speedruns is unlocked, as this is a game where time and other factors are evaluated at the end.

Horror to Outlast

Based on an actually scary and not entirely fictitious tale – it’s easy to spot some influences here and there, minus the supernatural elements – The Outlast Trials is an unexpected but successful entry in one of the best horror series of the last decade. If you are wary of the multiplayer focus, don’t be, as these trials are great for atmospheric solo runs and gruesome sights that are not for the faint of heart, so do yourself a favor and become a human guinea pig if you like shocking experiences.

Score: 8.5/10

Pros:

• The scary hide and don’t breathe Outlast gameplay remains exciting
• Extremely gruesome and violent, with a terrific atmosphere
• Can be enjoyed both in solo or multiplayer
• Sound design is amazing

Cons:

• Solo can be a bit too challenging
• Some maps are too focused on labyrinthine design

The Outlast Trials review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.