“Outlast” revolves around the mysterious Mount Massive Asylum and the strange happenings going on in this so-called abandoned facility. Mile Upshur is a freelance journalist who players control to investigate leads on inhume experimentations. Armed with a video camcorder, the players must find their way through the game, collecting confidential files that document the nefarious activities of Murkoff Corporation.
“Outlast” is an adrenaline filled environment where escape is the only option in a place overrun with disfigured inmates, cannibalistic twins, the monstrous giant known as Walker, crazy doctors who cut off various body parts in the name of science, and a supernatural entity kept deep in the bowels of the asylum, the Walrider.
The game has great appeal to the classical horror settings of an asylum. “Outlast” is divided into four areas within the building so players do not grow bored of the simple indoor gameplay. The lobby, the asylum, the sewers, and the high tech labs take the player through four different horror gaming experiences.
The Mount Massive Lobby takes the generic setting of an office and flips it to reflect the gruesome game with blood splatters, long hallways, flickering lights, and barred-up doors. The second level brings the players into the inner workings of the asylum where it is overflowing with grotesque inmates, mountains of bodies, bloody floors, and unsanitary structures.
The two next floors are more action-packed and deal with a lot of fast-paced running. The third level goes into the bowels, more specifically, the sewers, which are flooded with questionable substances. The final level takes the players to the high-tech, gleaming walls of Murkoff Corporation’s experimentation facilities.
The gameplay is focused on a single-player, first person perspective where the player can do nothing but use the power of sneaking to bypass the usually violent inmates. Instead of a health bar, the player gets one chance to get caught before being killed in a variety of ways depending on which character is the fatal second hit. The game is very simplistic in its storyline.
Those who have not experienced the horror genre of games have to take into consideration that there are scenes that could be considered offensive. It is a gory game and there are an abundance of nude characters throughout the gameplay. Just as a forewarning as well, there are some scenes where it deals with, though not graphic, sexual content. “Outlast” is a memorable gaming experience for those who are in the holiday cheer of fear and nightmares. The seasonal game is great with the right amount of scares and suspense. I would rate “Outlast” as a 4/5 because, while it is a good game, “Outlast” is only fun as a one-time play through.
