Summary
One of the most terrifying game franchises just unleashed a new level of dread.The Outlast Trials, the latest release in the acclaimed horror franchise, follows in the footsteps of the series while veering into coop territory. With these new conditions come new rules.
InThe Outlast Trials, players must escape the dreaded Murkoff Company’s “rehabilitation center,” whose commitment to ethical social work is predictably questionable. Caught in a horrifying Cold War-era experiment, players must avert gruesomely mutated patients. Adding insult to brain injury, players must also escape the clutches of the game’s main villains: Mother Gooseberry and Officer Lloyd. Yet it’s the game’s cooperative multiplayer capabilities that makeThe Outlast Trialstruly stand out. The unwritten rules for success inThe Outlast Trialsdeal with how to grasp the chaos and unhinged fun of a multiplayerOutlastgame.
Outlast Trials’ Unwritten Rules
Navigating The Outlast Trials’ Enemy AI
The enemy AI is very aggressive in this game, and facing these nemeses alone is very hard. On top of that, the Procedural Generation changes the location of objects and doors that a player’s health can hinge on. These difficulties underscore the importance of keeping general objectives in mind. Whilethe story ofThe Outlast Trialshas some fun Easter Eggsthat reference past events in the series, spending too much time exploring can be less advantageous than in otherOutlastgames. Enemies are everywhere, so staying focused on the actual objective at hand will enhance the chances of survival.
Night Vision, Hiding, and the Pharmacy in The Outlast Trials
As survival is the overarching goal inThe Outlast Trials, it’s important to maximize one’s ability to escape the clutches of Murkoff spawns. Be mindful of the night vision goggles' battery life. Also, the damage wrought by watching so many gruesome events can impact a character’s mental health. Keeping an eye on this metric makes a big difference for a character’s playability.
Stash space is limited to a paltry 3 items, which means it’s important to know which items to be on the lookout for. Reappearance pills also give players extra life, while syringes aid dying fellow combatants. Players earn 10,000 credits per completion of each challenge, which goes a long way at the Pharmacy. InThe Outlast Trials,players can visit the Pharmacyafter each trial, and purchase prescriptions that don’t dissipate over time, unlike upgrades purchased from the Engineer. Here, players should make sure to pick up the Noise Reduction upgrade, which aids in situations that call for quiet and narrow escape.
Noise Reduction is a powerful purchase from the Pharmacy. This lessens the likelihood of getting discovered while hiding from enemies.
Relish The Coop Mode In The Outlast Trials
AsThe Outlast Trialscontinues, the enemies become only more formidable. This increasingly potent enemy presence displays the importance of thehorror game’s multiplayer co-op mode. It’s much easier to survive while playing with others. Players are encouraged to both act as a group and be ruthlessly self-preserving. They must decide where they should go, whether they should split up, and whether they should go into the spooky corridor or avoid it. This givesThe Outlast Trialsall the spectacular fun of a horror movie.
WhileThe Outlast Trialsis a multiplayer game, it doesn’t have to be solely shared between friends. The group finder mode really livens up the game by adding an extra layer of chaos. Trying to survive the demented patients of Murkoff with random players is a truly singular experience.
WhileThe Outlast Trials' game play is relatively quick, getting through each level is a wild ride. Players should stay committed to the objectives to survive, while keeping mindful of character health and stash/hiding abilities. Last but not least, playing with others makes for a scary good time.
The Outlast Trials
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Barrels invites you to experience mind-numbing terror, this time with friends. Whether you go through the trials alone or in teams, if you survive long enough and complete the therapy, Murkoff will happily let you leave… but will you be the same?Set in the era of the Cold War, human guinea pigs are involuntarily recruited by the good folks at the Murkoff Corporation to test advanced methods of brainwashing and mind control. In a world of distrust, fear, and violence, your morals will be challenged, your endurance tested, and your sanity crushed. All in the name of progress, science, and profit.Ultimately, your goal is to complete Murkoff’s therapy and earn the right to be released back into society. In order to do so, you must complete the Trials and the MK-Challenges.Trials are immersive story driven therapies that take a certain time to complete. Mk-Challenges are shorter therapies occurring in modified or redesigned section of an existing map.
