Horror Game Reviews: Outlast

Outlast is an FPS horror/survival game which was released back in 2013. It was developed and published by Red Barrel Games, and released for the PC originally with a later release in 2014 for the xbox and playstation consoles. This game was easily one of my favorite horror game of 2013, if not my favorite entirely. It really got me back into being interested in the horror genre after feeling a bit stale from mediocre titles being released around that time in gaming. It was a consistent game overall that never let up with it's horror aspects, constantly trying to leave you shocked and bewildered. The version of the game that I will be reviewing today is the PC version, though I hear the ported console versions are similarly well received without any big issues. 

The game is set in the dark and dreary environment of Mount Massive Asylum, an insane asylum which also happens to be overrun by said insane patients. The main character which we're playing in this game is a determined investigative journalist who is named Miles Upshur. The reason for him coming to Mount Massive Asylum is to try and uncover and expose a corporate conspiracy that is underway inside of the asylum itself. The only thing which Miles is armed with is the camcorder that he brought along with himself at the start of the game, which obviously doesn't make for a very good weapon. Especially when you're throwing yourself into the world of torture loving doctors, naked homicidal patients, and just plain old fashioned psychopaths. 

This is certainly one of the more gore filled/graphic horror games to be released in the past couple of decades, to say the least about the visuals. There is plenty of gore and mutilation, moments involving necrophilia, as well as sexual imagery and plenty of nude murderous patients running about. To me, it never gets too ridiculous to the point of being silly or dumb like you see with bad B-horror movies or splatter pieces. The creepily designed environments and the pacing of going from slow to fast without skipping a beat help it a lot in this aspect, so it doesn't have to fully rely on these messed up visual things to keep you on your toes while being scared. The settings and events that happen themselves are plenty to get you freaked out, even without the intense gameplay and horror filled visuals. 

Much like I previously mentioned, the only thing you have to use at your disposal is your camera. So, in a way, Outlast is similar to previous horror titles that have come out in recent years (Such as Amnesia) where you must rely on trying to use stealth along with your wit to avoid contact with enemies. There is a lot of hiding in vents, closets, and other dark and cramped areas when trying to escape from the antagonists of the game. There really is no combat system to speak of in the game, besides the occasional shoving people away from you. You'll find this out very quickly after entering into the asylum, as the game does not hold your hand for too long before tossing you into the the hands of the crazy inmates. 

The camera which you have with you in the game can come in handy in quite a few different ways with a few of its features. The first and probably best one being the night vision capability it has, as some of the places you venture in the game have no lighting at all and require you to use it so you can actually see around you (Because unfortunately, Miles isn't part Bat). This cannot be abused for too long, however, as your night vision requires batteries which it drains quite quickly. You thankfully can pick up more throughout the game to keep yourself supplied. Another useful feature is the HUD that it brings up and when prompted throughout the game. You can use it to record certain areas, objects, and events which trigger notes and dialogue for pieces of the story as to what's going on and what has happened. This is what will help fill in the gaps and cracks of the story for you, and make some sense of what to do. 

I'm sure this will come as no surprise to anyone considering the genre and type of game that this is, but jump scares do of course happen throughout the game and are unavoidable. These days, it seems to have become a core element to horror games which can be a little irritating at times. However, in this game they're done right where I feel that it actually adds something to the creepiness and terror of the game without ruining it or taking away from those elements. And, as I said before, there is plenty else in the game to scare you or leave you bugged out besides the jump scares. 

Speaking of being bugged out, lets briefly talk about the creepy characters, dialogue, and environments that you will encounter throughout the game which can be much more scary and nerve wracking than any jump scare you'll find. Some of the crazed antagonist you'll encounter again and again are characters like the hulking giant man who laughs as he hunts down his victims and tears them to pieces while calling them piggies, the twin brothers who lack any clothes and speak of such sweet things like cutting out your liver and tongue to feast on them, or the manipulative, psychotic Doctor Trager who is obsessed with mutilating and torturing people to fuel his unseemly and unquenchable thirst for biology knowledge.

There are other characters as well who are just as crazy or bizarre as the antagonists mentioned. You'll find some of the story of the game to go off the rails as you proceed and encounter more information and characters, especially towards the ending of the game. However, I think the story is quite well done for the genre and did things much better than most other horror games at the time of its release. The creepy characters and grim, dark setting of the game only help further the storyline and how you feel about everything in general. Speaking of the grim and dark setting of the game, I do have to say the game sports some beautiful graphics despite all of the graphic materials presented within. There are some hauntingly beautiful areas in the game, usually when you find yourself walking around outside. 

Outlast does have a few downfalls however that I think keep it from being a perfect game in the horror/survival genre. The first being that some of the scares can be predictable, such as when you encounter a guy sitting in a wheelchair at the start of the game, or during certain puzzles where you have to find and turn some valves and an enemy pops up right after you turn the first valve. I won't go as far to say this is a lazy design or anything, but it is repetitive and takes away from being scared at times while you play. I guess this could be expected from jump scares, however. Which is one reason I'm not the biggest fan of them. 

Another issue I think everyone would probably notice when they play is how unintelligent the enemy AI can and probably will be during your playthrough. Most of them seem to have big blindspots where you can just sprint through the situation if you want without them even noticing. The enemies who don't have this flaw still tend to look in every nook and cranny besides the one you're hiding it, like checking every closet door besides the one you're in and then leaving the room. After some time, it takes away some of the tension and fear that I think would make the game more enjoyable. Although the gameplay would get more difficult, I really think had this been addressed and fixed in an appropriate way that the scary factor would have been ramped up even more.

However, despite the issues that are present within Outlast, it is still quite an unnerving, beautiful game that makes you feel urgency and tension pretty much the entire time. It utilizes the tricks of the trade to their fullest potential, which I applaud. Having gruesome deaths for your character, using the jump scares and other types of scares correctly, and bringing in interesting and difficult antagonists with a tragic story around every corner are all things that a lot of horror games have lacked at the time.  

The bottom line for me is that Outlast was one of the best horror games to come out in the last couple of years, though I can't say it's the best. It can be very creepy and disturbing at times, but builds on this to create great tension. The graphics are beautiful, and the story although a bit strange and slightly cheesy is interesting and entertaining. If there were less predictable scares and a better AI, this game could have been a masterpiece of the horror/survival genre, however. Even with those downfalls, I highly recommend this game to anyone interested who hasn't tried it yet. 

Thanks for checking out my review! Hope you've enjoyed it!