The Outlast Trials for PlayStation 4

Survive sadistic human experiments

The Outlast Trials is a first-person POV horror survival game from Red Barrels, the developers of the hit horror games Outlast and Outlast 2. This is the third installment in the Outlast franchise, but it takes place during the Cold War, making it a prequel to the first two games. 

The Outlast Trials is the first game in the series to include action elements found in games such as Dead by Daylight. In this game, players can play solo or co-op with up to three other players, to survive the brainwashing and mind control experiments of the Murkoff Corporation. 

Get terrified with friends

Red Barrels has taken gameplay elements from other genres that make The Outlast Trials an entirely different experience compared to their first two Outlast titles. Unlike its predecessors, it offers multiplayer gameplay, which is miles different from the solo experience many players enjoyed. It also has action elements, as players are given tools to defend themselves, such as throwables that can slow down or stun enemies.  

Being a prequel, this co-op horror game enriches the Outlast lore. It introduces two new main villains in the form of Mother Gooseberry, a Leatherface-like murderous woman, and Coyle, a psychopathic former police officer. The wicked trials take place in several set pieces such as the Sunshine Orphanage, an amusement park, a doll workshop, and replicas of locations outside the facility.  

Technically and visually, this game is the best in the series. However, the elements it borrows from other genres can turn off fans of the franchise who mostly enjoyed the horror of being helpless and alone. The first Outlast games were hide-and-seek simulators where wits and the environment were the players’ only weapons. This latest installment is far different. Fortunately, it allows solo gameplay for those who prefer it. 

An array of challenges ahead

In its third patch update, The Outlast Trials has presented a substantial amount of new features, including major enhancements to the gameplay, as well as new content. The update includes a variety of fresh elements, such as a new trial titled Courthouse, MK-Challenges in Fun Park, Orphanage, and Police Station, and a themed event named the Program Geister Halloween Event, which boasts exclusive rewards and runs from October 27 to November 17. 

In the new Courthouse Trial, players are tasked to sabotage proceedings, silence witnesses, and revoke the authority of a judge. This trial also introduces unique gameplay elements like acid bucket retrieval, lockbox puzzle rooms, and a new objective enemy called the Scapegoat. There are also three new MK-Challenges spread across different programs, featuring unique objectives and settings. Meanwhile, the time-limited Halloween event, Program Geister, provides players a chance to experience experimental hallucinatory therapy, with the game variators offering an immersive and thrilling gaming experience. 

This event also allows players to unlock exclusive outfits and collectibles using Geister Tokens. The latest patch also ensures a continuously engaging experience with the introduction of Weekly Programs, which offer thematic trials and MK-Challenges. Alongside this, the update brings a new Sleep Room mini-game, Chess, which allows players to engage in a timeless battle of strategy against fellow Reagents. 

Players can also look forward to the new Performance XP system, which rewards active participation in Trials and penalizes non-participation. The changes to Solo mode also promise a more exciting gaming experience, with the reintroduction of limited respawns and the addition of new Respawn Pills exclusive to solo mode. Lastly, the game has now made it possible for players to report other players for misconduct.

Project Lupara

The latest and most substantial update for The Outlast Trials promises an even more demented cooperative horror experience. Dubbed Project Lupara, this update cranks up the tension with Franco, a shotgun-wielding foe who demands strategic cover use, and the addition of laser tripwire traps, only visible with night vision. A new sprawling map, The Docks, offers vertical exploration and unique symbol puzzles in Poison the Medicine story trial.

Project Lupara isn't just about fresh content. Players can now choose from four difficulty settings: Introductory, Standard, Intensive, and Psychosurgery. A revamped task system offers daily and weekly objectives, encouraging players to experiment with different items, such as rigs (special abilities) and trials. The update even throws its hat into the roguelike genre with Escalation Therapy. A streamlined catalog and raised level cap round out the improvements.

A different Outlast experience

The Outlast Trials is an Outlast game where players aren’t alone and are able to defend themselves. Purists of the franchise might say this isn’t Outlast anymore, which is true to a certain degree, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fun game. If anything, the new mechanics breathes a new life into the franchise. Like what the game itself says, “It’s better to soil your pants in good company.”