For many gamers, horror has a name: Red Barrels. The Quebec studio has once again lived up to its reputation The Outlast exams, a terrifying new experience that takes the saga to new – and nightmarish – heights. Sensitive souls do without…
Have you ever heard of the Outlast saga? Horror fans know it well, many of them having been branded by the previous chapters.
Montreal studio Red Barrels takes the popular term survival horror literally: the main objective of the game is “simply” to survive this adventure and not to decimate hordes of enemies using a full arsenal of barbaric weapons.
A task that is obviously much more complex to accomplish than some might think.
We only have the means [très] limited and rudimentary to browse the different tables without losing our skin. A potion or a cure can allow us to restore some of our vitality, while other accessories are meant to give us one [souvent mince] one step ahead of enemies.
Photo courtesy of Red Barrels
But forget about powerful weapons, indestructible armor or bladed weapons to survive these insults like in Resident Evil, Dead Space and other evils in this world.
The result: an immensely scary, breathtaking and, let’s face it, extremely immersive experience. And according to what Le Journal saw during a virtual presentation of The Outlast Trials game, this new offering will be no exception.
So it’s at the heart of the Cold War that Red Barrels is now parachuting players while the notorious Murkoff Corporation is conducting devastating experiments on guinea pigs, shall we say, not very voluntarily. Think brainwashing, physical torture and unspeakable massacres. The image should look the same as what The Outlast Trials has in store for you.
Photo courtesy of Red Barrels
attention to detail
The preview we visited allowed us to discover three grim and dark universes: a disused amusement park, a police station full of lobotomized patients, and an uninviting orphanage. Each place may have its own vibe, but one constant remains: the attention to detail, no matter how small. It’s polished straight to a shine, rendered with precision, and most importantly, brimming with gore, terror, and decay. In short, it’s divine, fans of the genre will say.
Photo courtesy of Red Barrels
It’s also easy to see the main influences, as varied as they are precise, that shaped The Outlast Trials, to name the cinematic universes of Decadence II, Cube or even 31, director Rob Zombie’s underrated work. There are also references to “A crime in the head” (The Manchurian Candidate) or “Stanford Experience”. We let you discover the others for yourself.
Note that now only PC users can get the Outlast trials in Early Access. A full review of the game – along with the traditional rating – will be available when it launches on consoles later this year. No date has yet been announced for this.
◆ The Oulast Trials is now available on PC.