Hello ladies, gentlemen and those of a non-binary nature, my name is Daibhi and this is the Gamerhub community. When I reviewed the first Outlast game a week ago, I said that it was undoubtedly one of the scariest games I have ever played. This game, which I played through in the last few days might very well have surpassed it. Outlast 2 is a sequel (obviously) to Outlast, a survival horror game that was released in 2013 by Red Barrels Entertainment. This sequel is available on all major videogaming consoles, except for the Nintendo Switch, PC and the reason I have got this game played through and reviewed is that there is news of a third game in the works. So, armed with my rule of playing these games in daylight hours, plenty of tea and a rule of not playing for too long at any one time, I set out to play Outlast 2.
As I said before, this game is a sequel. I am aware of Whistleblower, and that game was so good that it is getting a review all to itself in the near future. This game is a masterstroke of psychological horror, pushing the boundaries of what I could explore visually and emotionally. I have played some games like this before, but none of them have ever got me quite so close to ringing up professionals because of the emotional impact the game had on my psyche.
The narrative of Outlast 2 introduces gamers to Blake Lagermann, a journalist whose investigative story leads him to an isolated village called Temple Gate, in the middle of a desert in Arizona. This isn’t your average trip into the Midwest of the USA and don’t let the first sentence in this paragraph fool you: It isn’t in Deliverance territory either. There’s no duelling banjos here, just the absolute worst of humanity committing heinous crimes and trying to murder you. Lagermann’s quest to uncover the truth takes a nightmarish turn as he becomes entangled in cultish practices and the malevolent forces that plague this small town in the desert. The storytelling in Outlast 2 is unsettling (to say the least), often making you question whether what you’re seeing is real, or another hallucination. It’s honestly the closest a videogame has ever got to being trapped in a waking nightmare. I have to admit, gamers, that this game was so good at that particular trick that I had to take a day off without games, just to anchor myself back to reality.
One of the highlights of this particular video game is the game’s uncanny ability to create an overbearing atmosphere of sheer, unrelenting tension. It weaponizes darkness, oppressive sound design, and grotesque imagery in order to immerse gamers into a hellscape, dripping with dead and fear. The cult members’ deranged chanting, eerie whispers that seemingly come from nowhere contrasted with blood-curdling screams abundant are bound to send shivers down your spine. The attention to detail in this game is some of the best I’ve seen in years, with each location having it’s own tragic-yet-horrifying story. You know I told you not to think of Deliverance? That’s because this game is basically Outlast-meets-silent-hill, and I’ll be honest, I’m somewhat underselling that.
The gameplay in this game might be similar to the predecessor, but this time, it’s been ramped up. Outlast 2’s gameplay really is a masterclass in showing the power of powerlessness. You cannot fight, nor can you duck. All you can do is run. You can’t wield a weapon, not even a table leg or a handy piece of two-by-four. This intentional vulnerability ramps up the immersion and creating this overwhelming sense of dread and helplessness that permeates throughout every moment of this game. Instead of combat, the primary mechanics revolve around evasion, stealth and exploration. I found myself, whilst playing through this game, frequently hiding behind barrels, under beds, desperately hoping that the creatures and horrors planning to turn me into shoes didn’t discover my location. The tension is palpable as I sat there, listening to my pursuers, the pounding of my own heartbeat and the laboured breathing of the game’s protagonist due to standout sound design that really should have won the Golden Joystick Awards.
To get around this godforsaken town in the middle of the desert, Blake has his trusty camcorder. This device serves not only as a means to document the horrors he encounters, but as a lifeline in the oppressive darkness that encapsulates the game. The camcorder has very limited battery life, but it does have night vision. This night vision is both a blessing and a curse. When used, everything is bathed in a bright green glare, revealing far more around you than you initially realise. However, as in the predeceasing game, using this feature will rapidly drain your battery life and plunge you back into darkness. This makes the game frantic and anxious, as running out of battery life in the wrong place can often be a death sentence. This dynamic pushes you to be strategic as to when and where you use this feature, whether you decide to keep it on in areas you can risk, or whether to conserve the night vision to uncover hidden paths. The suspense you feel when running around in the darkness ensures that this game is decidedly not for the faint-of-heart.
One of the things that this game doesn’t get enough praise from is the environmental storytelling. This game ups the ante from last time around in a way reminiscent of the Silent Hill franchise, as well as the underwater necropolis that is Rapture from Bioshock. Each location has its own chilling story, revealing the horrors that occurred there before you arrived. The grim scenes and disturbing notes dotted around the game provides insight into the deranged mindsets of the cultists and the paranormal activity surrounding Temple Gate. As you explore this town seemingly that god himself forgot, you’ll uncover truly gruesome tableaus and unsettling evidence of what the cult’s got up to, adding to the unnerving apprehension rife in the game.
The game also incorporates environmental puzzles that require both initiative and lateral thinking, as these puzzles have deadly consequences. They blend almost seamlessly into the narrative of the game, and have a wide variety. Whether you have to navigate through treacherous and unforgiving terrain, finding hidden keys to unlock doors, or manipulating machinery, these puzzles add an extra layer of tension to the gameplay.
Outlast 2 isn’t for the faint of heart. The game is rife with graphic and explicit content, including and not limited to: Gore, sexual violence, disturbing imagery, jump scares, violence, themes of a sexual, religious and gruesome nature. I think this game was actually too much for me, and I review video games for a living, so be warned. This game is best not played all in one go, and make sure you have something positive around you if you fancy playing this game. For those who relish the challenge of navigating a world of horror, this game will deliver a simply unforgettable experience. This game challenges both your mental and emotional resilience, as it confronts you with challenging themes about religion, fanaticism and the darkness encapsulated within the human psyche.
In terms of major nitpicking and criticism, the pacing in this game is the only thing I can really fault. It’s uneven, with moments of extreme intensity followed by dragging, long-winded segments of exploration that honestly doesn’t keep the game going as well as it maybe should do. The ambiguous nature of the ending, particularly with an open-ended conclusion (which I won’t spoil), may also have you hankering for more concrete answers. Answers which, I’m sorry to tell you, the game doesn’t provide despite repeated playthroughs.
In summary, Outlast 2 is a major triumph of the horror genre. If the first game was Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, this is Spider-Man 2. It takes what works in the first game and dials it up a notch. It will haunt your thoughts and dreams after you finish playing it, and I do advise being careful not to get too absorbed in the game and the lore. If you’re willing to step into the abyss of terror and insanity, it’s an unmissable experience. However, be prepared to be confronted with your worst fears, as Outlast 2 is a relentless and sincerely unapologetic descent into the heart of darkness.
I give this game 4.5/5 Joysticks
For the Gamerhub community, I’ve been Daibhi and you are all legends.
Now to go play something fun to review. These horror games are starting to have a toll on my mental health.
