Highlights
- The Outlast Trials, a co-op horror game, is currently in early access and has received positive fan response for its terrifying gameplay.
- Updates are planned for the game, including bringing it to PlayStation and Xbox consoles and potentially adding crossplay functionality.
- The game features intense puzzles, psychotic enemies, and a sense of dread even with multiplayer, making it a must-play for horror gaming enthusiasts.
Co-op horror game The Outlast Trials has released a developer statement regarding the current state of its early access along with a number of planned updates. This terrifying multiplayer experience is the latest addition to the Outlast video game franchise.
Released in early access in May of this year, The Outlast Trials is an online multiplayer co-op horror game that places a team of four players through a series of horrifying challenges which serve as the titular trials. The game has already garnered positive fan response, and this new developer update promises even more amazing psychological horror gameplay to come.
While still in early access, the game's director shared a look at what the team at Red Barrels has been working on to bring the game to full launch. The most notable of the updates pertains to consoles and crossplay. Currently, The Outlast Trials is only available on PC, but developer update states that the team is working to bring the game to PlayStation and Xbox. It is also noted that the team hopes to bring crossplay to the game, though they cannot be certain at this time if such a feature will ever be available. Other key updates coming to The Outlast Trials include increased XP centered on performance, an upcoming reporting system to counter griefing, and a limited special event for Halloween.
The Outlast Trials enters players into a series of truly horrifying levels that revolve around solving a set number of puzzles to unlock an escape route. However, the true challenge comes in the form of solving these puzzles while evading a variety of psychotic enemies who will hunt the players down and try to prevent them from escaping. Players need to utilize the in-game proximity chat to communicate with one another, solve the puzzles, fend off the lunatics, and escape the trials. To aid the players, various loadout and skill unlocks, which can be upgraded over time, can be equipped at the beginning of each trial.
The original Outlast game and its sequel Outlast 2 are often lauded as some of the best psychological horror games of all time. They prioritize atmospheric horror and storytelling with a strong emphasis on hopelessness and isolation. In contrast to the lone survivor horror of the first two games, The Outlast Trials foregoes terrifying players with loneliness and instead forces them to survive in multiplayer. While some may anticipate a lessened horror impact with co-op gameplay, The Outlast Trials does an incredible job of ramping up the anxiety-inducing puzzles and maintaining a sense of dread even with allies assisting. Fans of horror gaming who have not yet tried The Outlast Trials should definitely keep an eye out for the game's full release next year.
The Outlast Trials is available now on PC and is scheduled to release early 2024 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Source: Red Barrels
