Outlast 2 makes a concentrated effort to join the ranks of “traditional” survival horror games and step back from the purely chase-based horror genre (populated by the likes of Amnesia, Slender, and many more indies on Steam). Environmental puzzles are more significant too, incorporating tried and true “find these things to interact with that thing” game design as well as old-school obstacle pushing to reach new areas.
Keeping the camera trained on key moments in the story actually records them this time, allowing you to look back over the footage on the camera itself as Blake gives commentary. The video camera has been upgraded quite a bit, with a new directional microphone attachment that drains battery life just like the night vision mode (having both on at the same time with suck your batteries dry in seconds). Taking damage no longer fixes itself after a few seconds, meaning maintaining a supply of healing bandages that are scattered about the environment. Many new ways of hiding, running through obstacles, and buying yourself time by locking doors behind yourself take center stage as we try to escape from the newer, smarter enemies. While the original game had little more to do than run, film, and push buttons to start mechanical equipment, Outlast 2 makes a conscious effort to “gamify” itself. While settling myself in for another panic-inducing, sprint-filled journey through hell, I was surprised to discover quite a few additions to the Outlast formula. It’s a great place to start the story, feeling instantly fresh but also familiar to the opening of the original game, with the added drive to go deeper into the nightmare to find Lynn, rather than just happening upon answers like the original game’s protagonist, Miles Upshur. What he finds instead is a brutal, sex-obsessed religious cult, who have no qualms about murdering children en masse and raping women. Injured, panicked, and with nothing at his side but his night-vision enabled camera, Blake sets off into the night to find his wife in potentially hostile territory. Waking up in a sea of flames, Blake discovers that his wife is nowhere to be found near the wreckage of the downed helicopter. Searching for answers to the mysterious circumstances of her death, the crew’s helicopter experiences unexpected technical issues and crashes directly into the heart of the area they were investigating. We play as cameraman Blake Langermann who, along with his investigative journalist wife Lynn, rents a helicopter to fly over a region where a young pregnant woman was murdered. I’ll be damned if that’s not more or less exactly what Outlast 2’s problem is.
OUTLAST 2 EXPLAINED SERIES
Interestingly enough, when I was readying up to review Resident Evil 7 a few months ago, one of the primary concerns from fans was that the series was losing its identity by taking too much inspiration from other popular horror games. Outlast 2 suffers from what I can only imagine is a change in direction midway through development – a shift that almost totally abandoned what the first half of the game was trying to do. It’s stunningly gorgeous to look at, and the environments may be some of the most heavily detailed and painstakingly crafted this side of Resident Evil Remake – but it is also a very confused (and consequently confusing) game that has too many strange decisions to ignore.
It is a good game and I enjoyed my time playing it. Outlast 2 is good, let me get that out of the way. What did I think of its sequel? Well, it’s one of the most perplexing mixed bags I’ve encountered in a while. I loved the original game and was eager to sink waist-deep into the blood of this universe again. Red Barrels’ sequel to the infamously gruesome Outlast – a chase-oriented horror game that focused on a “found footage” aesthetic using a night-vision enabled camera – is finally hitting store shelves. After years of waiting, the day is finally upon us.
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