Outlast PS4 Review

Review

February 8th, 2014 by Maya Mayfield

Outlast is a survival horror game from Red Barrels a team of experienced developers from Canada. Outlast was originally released on PC last year September but Red Barrels has since shifted their survival horror title to the Playstation 4, where PS plus members can download it for free. Outlast is a straightforward port from the PC version and there is little variations between the two versions apart from the inclusion of the DualShock 4, which operates perfectly with the game.

You take on the role of an investigative reporter Miles Sulphur, who after a tipoff from a stranger decides to take a trip to Mount Massive Asylum, situated around some shadowy mountains. The Asylum is owned by the Macabre Murkoff Corporation, a wicked group involved in evil activities.

The tipoff from the secret stranger, which Red Barrel has confirmed will be an additional expansion to the story via  downloadable contents in the near future - claims the company is up to no good and they must be exposed. Armed with only a handheld camera and batteries Miles Sulphur heads to the abandoned asylum, where he soon learns that something very awful has happened. At the facility Miles is shocked to discover there are loads of corpses, and human entrails littered throughout the wards and the few remaining survivors are either too insane to comprehend their terrible predicament or hostile. What has happened here? These are the things you must uncover as you explore the dark lit corridors and hallways of Mount Massive.

Outlast isn't for the faint hearted as the game is incredibly violent and intensely gory. If this doesn't sound like the type of genre's you enjoy then we suggest playing another game. If you are up to being scared, then Outlast is a perfect mind bending title filled with eerie spine tingling atmosphere and a twisted terrifying story to uncover.

You will need to inspect a variety of grungy dark, blood stained locations in your search for the truth armed with just your camera. The camcorder is your only equipment. When equipped it showcases user interface, listing options like aperture on the screen. The camera also features night vision, which is the only way for you to see in the pitch-black locations. It is worth noting that turning this feature on will drain your camcorders battery life faster so you have to use it wisely.

As you record the horrible locations on your camera's memory stick, you will have to solve a combination of relatively easy puzzles to avoid danger. The game doesn't feature a combat system so your only way to survive is to hide from enemies, which you will be doing quite a lot, but this adds to the titles suspense. The basic structure of the campaign has you maneuvering from one location to the next, which may appear a little monotonous at first but the eerie environment and tense atmosphere is enough to keep things appealing.

The titles audio and sound effect also adds to the chilling suspense as you hear floorboards creaking and random objects rattling in the distance. The music score produced by Samuel Laflamme compliments the atmosphere perfectly, with the inclusion of strings and effects that claw at your already unsettling nerves.  The most important thing in a survival horror game is the ability of the developers to make it scary and Red Barrels seems to have gotten this combination just right.  Utilizing a mixture of jump scare tactics, subtle scenes and some really horrifying moments.

We did experience a few frame drops, and extended loading times as we moved from various locations which could affect the mood and tension slightly. The gameplay is at least six hours, which for some may feel a little on the short side, but there are enough things to keep you preoccupied from collecting clues, notes and documents which could make the game appear much longer.

Overall 

Outlast may not be perfect but is still a very very good survival horror game, excelling well in its genre. You will need balls of steel to get through the campaign, but if you can stomach it and deal with various scare tactics and graphical content, then this will be the perfect title to get your hands on.

Score 4/5