Set at the height of the Cold War, The Outlast Trials is a multiplayer spin-off of the hugely popular Outlast series. The chilling nightmare continues within the confines of the shady Murkoff Corporation’s recruitment program, where vagrants and outcasts are coerced to sign up for deadly trials with a promise of restarting their lives anew.
Either alone or with other survivors, the players must undertake a series of gruelling challenges if they hope to escape the horror.
Developed by Red Barrels, the company behind the original series, The Outlast Trials is a horrifying, visceral experience [1] that is never better than with friends. Thanks to smart level design, immaculate world building, and a terrific balance between stealth and terror, it achieves a rare momentum that is scarier with company [2].
Played solo, The Outlast Trials loses some of its effectiveness. It’s still a terrifically scary experience, but without the nauseating sensation of realising that you’re stuck between saving a friend or escaping the level. With a full party of four, the tension ramps up even further.
The emergent gameplay, complete with moral dilemmas and pitch black humour [3], is some of the most intense you’ll find in the genre. With like-minded company, it’s an intense thrill ride well worth taking.
