14 DAY TRIAL // A crazed torturer with an electrical stun stick is chasing me through the underground, where I’m supposed to find two generators and the stockpiles of gasoline that can power them back up. Once I do that, I need to return to a snitch I left upstairs when the electricity cut out and find a way to get him out of a police station.
My biggest problem is low health, the direct result of an encounter with another violent encounter with a prowler. I managed to escape him by hiding in a garbage bin. I took a peek out every thirty seconds until he left the area. I then filled two of my three item slots with bottles I can use to distract other potential attackers while I sneak around them.
The space around is dark, making it easier to avoid weirdos as long as I stay in the shadows. But constant use of my night vision is taking a toll on its battery. I know where an extra charge is and I even located a medicine cabinet. So I need to get a lockpick, bring up my health, observe my opponent’s movement patterns, and then get the generators going.
The Outlast Trials is both developed and published by Red Barrels. It is currently in Early Access on Steam. The title is built around sneaking and hiding mechanics, with a horror theme.
The action takes place during the Cold War and players become a subject for the experiments of the Murkoff Corporation. They are trying to experiment on people society doesn’t miss to try, aiming to brainwash them and control their actions. Players will customize their own patient and try to complete the horrifying trials to escape the company’s facility.
The game’s prologue efficiently sets a tone and explains the core mechanics. The player’s avatar isn’t e fighter. The only way he can achieve his objectives is by sneaking and hiding. Move slowly and keep to the shadows to avoid enemies. Run and find a place to lay low once spotted.
Players have a trusty set of night vision goggles to help explore the darker areas and the ability to pick up other items from the environment. Lockpicks will offer access to healing or antidotes. Bottles will distract prowlers while bricks will stun them.
They can be useful but the gamer’s superpower is the ability to observe and plan. Watch enemies, try to move around them, and keep in mind the closest hiding spot. The title creates a tense horror atmosphere that encourages impulsive action but to succeed one must resist it.
The Early Access version is feature complete and all the mechanics work well. The game's biggest challenge is to offer variety when it comes to scenarios and to offer gamers tools to customize their approach.
The Outlast Trials delivers some grisly sights. Blood, viscera, and dead bodies are everywhere. Darkness always feels threatening, even when using night vision goggles. The gore is sometimes so over the top that it’s hard to take the situation seriously. The sound design is equally good at creating a horror atmosphere. Little touches, like the sound of broken glass underfoot, are scary good at maintaining tension.
Conclusion
The game’s biggest achievement is its overall horror atmosphere. I always felt tense and weak, even when I had a plan and the items to execute it. The Outlast Trials doesn’t break any new ground but has solid gameplay and a narrative setup that can deliver interesting twists.
A preview key was provided by the publisher
