Players control investigative journalist Miles Upshur, who finds himself in over his head after heading to the recently reopened Mount Massive Asylum after it is reopened by the infamous Murkoff Corporation. Once Upshur breaks into Mount Massive, he won't soon be leaving until its patients allow it. Upshur finds the asylum has been taken over by the mentally ill, and the nurses and workers have all been slaughtered at the facility as well as any police or military that dare to step foot inside the building. Plenty of monsters created by science experiments gone wrong and crazy folks litter the hallways of the building, and there is always something lurking around the next corner to scare the crap out of gamers that dare to pick up the new title. Outlast has a good storyline that is full of nonstop scares and is easily the most frightening game we've ever played.
Gameplay in Outlast is divided between two very different mechanics. The game is meant to played slow and stealthily, with the player crouching, staying low and out of sight of enemies, since there is no real way to defend against the inmates of the asylum. Players will need to quickly learn the layout of the current floor and find some good hiding spots or areas to lose enemies when spotted. Quickly sprinting around corners is only recommended when being pursued, since most enemies will make quick work of the players when pinned against a wall. On the other hand, some moments require less stealth and more fumbling around in the dark. Players main tool in the game will be Upshur's camera that features a night vision lens that can be used to see in the dark without fully revealing the player to enemies. The green tinted effect adds a really nice element to the game and makes for some of the most intense moments in the game while hiding from enemies in the dark all while the battery power in the camera continues to drain.
When not running from enemies or hiding in the dark, players will explore the many floors of Mount Massive solving puzzles and searching for helpful items. There are a decent amount of puzzles to solve during the game, and not all of the game's puzzles are as fun as they should be. Searching for hidden items in the game is very important. Though Upshur never really attains any helpful weapons to fight off enemies, it's vital to search for and stash as many batteries as possible to always have a way to see through the dark rooms in the game. With so many scary moments already featured in the game, the last thing you want to do is have your camera die in a pitch black room with enemies nearby!
Outlast is a fine looking game that uses spectacular lighting to set the mood for the game. Shadows and darkness are used throughout the game to spook players, while a fantastic cast of characters will chill players to the bone. There are several boss-like enemies throughout the game and Upshur meets with one special character early in the game that insists he must see the true horrors the asylum holds as foretold by a religious prophecy. Each character in the game has their own unique personality that comes to life with a great voiceover and many memorable performances. Of course, it wouldn't be a true survival horror game without a great soundtrack and plenty of spooky sounds, and you can be sure Outlast has plenty of those.
Outlast is the scariest game you'll play all year long. The game has its share of problems such as the lack of enemy variety, lots of repetition, and glitches. However, the game combines several key survival horror elements with parkour inspired platforming to make this a unique game that fright fans will love. The main drawbacks of the game are a short campaign that will only last most players around 3-4 hours the first time through that combines with a $20 price tag to make a poor deal when considering time spent in the game versus its cost. It can not be overstated how well the horror elements of the game are done in Outlast though, and survival horror fans are sure to be able to look past the price for all the fun they'll have playing the game alone in the dark or with friends to see who jumps more at the scares in the game. Download a copy of Outlast today if you dare!
Outlast is now available exclusively for PC via Steam and can be purchased for $19.99. For more information on the game, check out the official Outlast website.
Game Features:
Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Red Barrels
Available exclusively for PC (reviewed)
Release Date: September 4, 2013
