In this review of The Outlast Trials, we take a look at the game’s early access gameplay and take a closer look at how it’s evolved.
The Outlast Trials review (Early access) : The Outlast Trials, first encountered 6 years ago Outlast series The Outlast Trials, which hit stores with its Early Access version on May 18, had the opportunity to access the Early Access version a little earlier with the code provided by the producer, and we recently had the chance to see how the game evolved.
The Outlast Trials review / Early access
The Outlast Trials review (early access)
The Outlast Trials takes us back to the Murkoff Corporation experiments during the Cold War and lets us test them firsthand. When you say test, don’t expect multiple choice questions or things like “which honey tastes better”, here you get the chance to see how useful you can be in the face of events that will push your mental and physical limits. Moreover, you are not alone, there are other test subjects like you and you can take the tests together.
These Tests Kill Men
The first thing that comes to mind when Outlast is mentioned is probably the night vision feature, at least that’s what comes to mind for me. This time, instead of using extra devices like video cameras, we can see the surroundings with night vision goggles that have become a part of our bodies. Night vision can be a useful feature in the environments they leave us in, but in order not to use it unnecessarily, we need to use other things in the environment. It’s also important to be careful about toxins that disrupt our mental health, other people who have already lost their minds, and things that pose a direct threat to us (I couldn’t say people).
The Outlast Trials review (early access)
The parts I played were spent in Murkoff’s private facilities, each with different themed maps, filled with traps, props and dangerous creatures that fit that theme, and trying to survive the tests. Each of these tests promised me development points that would allow me to pass future tests more easily, and eventually, true freedom. That is, if I didn’t get beaten to death for accidentally stepping on the glass and making a noise.
We can create our own character and customize it within a certain limit. There are many different customization options such as hair, beard, clothing, visual features. It is not detailed enough to create the exact character you dream of, but our goal here is to survive, I think it is enough. Moreover, we even have a small cell that we can customize with items. It is still a cell, but oh well.
The Outlast Trials review (early access)
We first enter the tests empty-handed, but throughout the section we can find materials that will distract the enemies, medicines that will restore our physical and mental health, and gadgets that will turn the situation to our advantage. Murkoff doesn’t actually send us away completely empty-handed, the night vision goggles they “put” on our heads are free! There is also equipment that can stop enemies for a short time, restore our health, or allow us to see through walls. We can buy equipment that we can use in the tests from the center, and we can improve ourselves and our equipment with the points we get at the end of the test.
How Much Has Co-Op Impacted the Game?
The name of the game may be Outlast, but how good the second game is is open to debate. While playing Outlast Trials, I got a feeling similar to the tension and terror that the first game gave. There are many places where you get nervous when playing the game alone, and of course the jumpscare elements, which are indispensable for new horror games, support this. Fortunately, they didn’t exaggerate the jumpscare as much as I feared, which is a plus.
The Outlast Trials review (early access)
You might expect a game that stands out with its co-op feature to be poorly planned to the point of being annoying when playing alone (Redfall, for example), but the sections I’ve played so far haven’t bothered you even when playing alone.
It’s too early to comment on the co-op side of the game. I had a chance to test it out a bit in the beta released last October, but a lot of improvements have been made to that beta. I haven’t had the chance to experience any co-op during my time playing. I may play a bit more once the game is released as Early Access and update this section. Still, there were many points while I was wandering around where I thought, “What would we be like if there was another person here?” I expect it to be an enjoyable experience.
The Outlast Trials review (early access)
The Outlast Trials will be released on May 18th with its Early Access version.via Steam as well as via Epic Gameswill be available. The parts I’ve tried so far have given me my first Outlast vibe, and that’s a pretty good first impression. I think the co-op part will take some of the tension out of the game and balance it with the horrors of what your teammates are doing.
It is not yet clear how long the Early Access process will last, but the game seems playable even in its current state. The difficulty balance seemed off to me in some sections, but I feel like my lack of talent in stealth games also played a role in this. I also encountered some bugs, but these are all things I can accept in the Early Access phase. The game looks great in its current state, it has almost no problems in terms of performance, and its gameplay is quite enjoyable for those who love the genre.
The Outlast Trials review (early access)