Outlast, a survival horror game developed by Red Barrels, is set in an abandoned psychiatric hospital swarming with monsters and rancorous patients that threatens the physical and mental stamina of the protagonist. As investigative reporter Miles Upshur, the player must navigate through the asylum, avoiding confrontations and staying alive. The game’s unique aspect is that players cannot fight the enemies; instead, they must hide, avoid detection, and survive. Dark and austere settings, with intermittent flashes of flickering light and shadowy corners, elevate the horror and anxiety levels of the game while the sound design is exceptionally creepy.

The Trapped Horror of Outlast – A Bloodcurdling Review of the Survival Adventure Game

Introduction

Outlast is a survival horror game developed and published by Red Barrels, a Montreal-based game development team in 2013. The game is set in an abandoned psychiatric hospital, which is crawling with deathly creatures and rancorous patients left to rot in the dark rooms, testing the mental and physical stamina of the protagonist.

Gameplay

The player plays as Miles Upshur, an investigative journalist who receives a tip from an anonymous source to investigate Mount Massive Asylum. The game takes on a first-person perspective, and as Miles, the player must navigate through the asylum and avoid any confrontation that may lead to death.

The gameplay borrows inspiration from other survival horror games such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill, but there is a unique aspect to Outlast. Players cannot fight off the horde of enemies that roam the asylum. Instead, their primary objective is to hide, avoid detection, and survive.

Sound and Visuals

The sound and visuals are a significant component in elevating the horror and anxiety levels of the game. The dark and austere settings, coupled with intermittent flashes of flickering light and shadowy corners, create an unsettling environment that encourages the player to maintain their guard at all times.

The sound design in Outlast is exceptionally creepy, featuring background noises like footsteps, deranged murmurs, and bone-chilling growls, that will send chills down the player’s spine.

Storyline and Characters

The story that drives the game is captivating, with a depth of uncovering the dark secrets that the asylum has kept hidden. The characters that Miles encounters are mentally disturbed and have violent intentions that add to the horror trope of the game.

The game’s progression is structured in a way that the player will always experience a sense of dread and consequential danger lurking around every corner. The game’s jump scares are not cheap tactics but well-crafted moments that keep the player on edge from the beginning to the end.

Conclusion

The Trapped Horror of Outlast is an exceptional survival horror game that provokes emotional response from the player. With its riveting story, chilling sound and visual design, and terrific gameplay mechanics that demand the player’s full attention, Outlast is a game that should not be missed by hardcore horror fans.

The game is not for the faint-hearted or those prone to anxiety attacks as it is incredibly bloodcurdling, cruel, and utterly terrifying. But if you are up for the challenge, Outlast is a game that will leave you quaking and shaken, questioning your every move and decision.