As the nights get longer and the days get colder, what better time than to release a horror game? Red Barrels will release The Outlast Trials just in time for spooky seasons! The game is the third entry in the Outlast video game series, which began in 2013 after Red Barrels released the original Outlast game. They followed this game with a sequel called Outlast 2 in 2017, although it was not a direct sequel to the first game’s plot. This entry upped the horror and gore from the first Outlast game to make another horrifying video game! With the release of The Outlast Trials, it seems like Red Barrels has perfected the horror genre. In this upcoming game, they’ve taken the bold step to go even more into the supernatural realm.At Gamescom 2022, Red Barrels showed off a teaser trailer for their upcoming title, The Outlast Trials. The Outlast video game series is pretty unique in its gameplay, while the plot is similar to some found-footage movies. In the original Outlast game, players could use a video camera to make sense of the world and reveal certain scary details. There was a sense of twisted realism as players continued their terrifying experience through the supposedly-abandoned hospital. Like most horror games, Outlast is a first-person psychological horror game.In the second entry, Red Barrels swapped the hospital for a remote village in the Arizona desert. However, they kept the feeling of mind-numbing terror the same – if not worse! Although the game was set in the Outlast universe, it had no story connections to the first game. It remained one of the most disturbing games we’ve ever played. It seems The Outlast Trials will continue that trend!
Outlast Video Game Series
Image: Steam
Like in the first two games, players need to use a video camera to see the world around them. You’ll have to put your fear aside as you explore underground tunnels that were part of bizarre experiments in the Cold War. However, it’s unknown if The Outlast Trials will continue any plots from the previous games. Perhaps it’s a spin-off or a title set in the same universe as the other games.
The original Outlast game was hardly revolutionary with its plot, but it certainly made up for it with its nature of fear and terror. Unlike other spooky game franchises, players did not get to shoot or defeat their enemies with weapons. Instead, the horrifying series was similar to the video game Alien Isolation. Players needed to run and hide, using steal tactics to remain hidden. As such, this helped tie the game into the horror movie genre and being part of a first-person survival series.
That’s not to say the game series is short on jump scares – far from it! Players must suck up their fear and explore the rest of the location to make it out alive. The Outlast Trials seem to continue this trend, focusing on exploration and stealth over guns and weaponry.In the second game, the Outlast developers delved more into the supernatural world. Instead of biological experiments, they focused on witchcraft and unexplained events. By the end of the game, the developers revealed that supernatural occurrences had happened. Apparently, The Outlast Trials will be a blend of the first and two games’ styles and mythology.
The Outlast Trials Plot
Image: Steam
The Outlast Trials will revisit some of the original game’s themes as it will explore secret experiments during the Cold War. This involves brainwashing and mind control, similar to the real-life MK Ultra experiments. From the trailer, it appears that the game will have some more action elements to it than the other games. Additionally, the game developers appear to be exploring the fantasy world over reality, which may be frustrating to some players.
However, it’s important to remember that The Outlast Trials is not a direct sequel to Outlast II. Instead, it’s set in the same world – Outlast III will be a separate entry. Perhaps we’ll see some more realistic gameplay in that one.
You can catch the closed beta for the game between October 28th and November 1st, 2022. Red Barrels is yet to announce an official release date for the full game.
Hi! I'm Arvyn, and I'm an English teacher from the UK. I've been teaching English online for over 4 years to students from all across the world and all ages. Outside of work, I'm a huge fan of reading, video games, and playing with my adorable kitties. See ya!
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