Outlast 2 is a Survival Horror game for PS4, XBONE, and PC was first released in 2017, and was later ported to Switch in 2018, which was both developed and published by Red Barrels, and it is a sequel to 2013's first game titled as Outlast.
It's been 7 years since I've reviewed the original game which was considered as one the scariest video game that shook the f**k out of players thanks to frightening jumpscares, horrifying chase sequences, and disturbing horror elements that made the first game quite popular among with horror fans and gamers experienced the nightmare.
After the game's success, Red Barrel had decided to make an sequel titled as Outlast 2 to deliver another terrifying adventure once again with entirely new story and characters while retaining the same gameplay design as the first ones, so does that mean it's anything better than the original? well absolutely not, but it's still plays good entirely which is why I'm here to review this game to explore what are pros and cons about the sequel and how this compared with the first original in terms of horror design and atmospheres, as well as the story presentation.
So without go further do, let's start the review.
Presentation
The game set in Arizona desert, as it follows the Journalists named Blake and Lynn Langermann, who are both husband and wife, went on investigation mission to explore the murder of a pregnant woman only known as Jane Doe.
As they get separated in a helicopter crash, Blake has to find his wife who are missing while traveling through a village inhabited by a deranged sect that believes the end of days are upon them.
Now first of all, I thought the story should be sounds simple as you are just the journalist doing a job of uncovering the horrific scenes of dead pregnant woman that most likely linked to the satanic cults mass murder took place in a swarmy-looking village, but when the crash has started to land left you unconscious for awhile till you're finally awaken and start searching for missing wife which is likely being kidnapped, as well as uncovering the murder scene at near town which was inhabited by those satanic cult groups led by preacher Sullivan Knoth and the Heretics.
So that is sounds okay at the start till it gets weirdly confusing as you progress throughout the game, so you may get teleported into the random classroom segment during the hallucination where you'll be discovering the scenes of Blake's childhood past that seems to be out of place because it had nothing to do with the main plot of the game, so I wish they should stick to the main story that I've mentioned above to keep it simple, and you may also going to find the ending so unsatisfying as I can't really give you such spoilers till you reached at the end of the game to find out the outcome of the story.
I find Blake Langermann as protagonist are kinda sounds annoying when he makes irritating dialogue like "Gotta find Lynn", "Nothing matters but Lynn", and "I must be close to Lynn" I mean Jesus man just f***ing get on with it and please will you stop making panicky one-liner while being chased after.
Unlike Miles Upshur from the original game just sticks with the breathing sounds and heartbeat convey his fear is what makes the character quite simple, but not being overly aggravating as Blake does in Outlast 2.
I also wanted to point out several of the villains in the game such as Laird Byron kinda look like a small deformed man being attached with big-tall dude, Marta is a tall-dangerous bitch wielding with her large pickaxe will chop your dicks out in brutal way, and Father Loutermilch is a long-ass tongue licker are just as horrifying as the ones on the original game really adds up creepiness of the game's presentation, so that's the positive part of the game I should say.
Speaking of presentation, the overall settings of the game are stunningly well done for its dark atmospheres and scare factor design of the game are just as top-notch as the first game has to offer.
You had these locations like empty looking farms and houses around the village filled with many dead human bodies, bloods everywhere on the walls and floors, and some dead animals are satisfying gory indeed, and there are some places like a church, lakes, and mines are filled with many disturbing things around the levels like bunch of satanic rituals gathered everywhere and some torture-tool methods which I described these themes as pure medieval created by these sadistic cultist does many horrible stuff to innocent people that doesn't deserve a cruel punishment which is why it adds the game's main shock values to scare-off players.
Speaking of scaring off players, I also wanted to give the game credit for its graphical effects in several of kill scenes as well as player's deaths especially with Marta just chops off your balls with a large pickaxe is just pure gruesome, and the game does give a great use of jumpscares with unexpecting surprises may going to shit your pants is what made Outlast being really known for back then.
Overall, it has slight average story and annoying protagonist, but does have creepy villains, dark atmospheres, and scare factor design are the highlights part of the game.
Gameplay
You're playing as Blake Langermann went searching for his wife as well as gathering information to uncover the terrifying secrets in Arizona desert.
So it plays in first-person perspective, as you'll be exploring around the villages to collect information and evidence such as document papers and recording footage, while finding its way to head at places where his wife was been held at.
Pushing the left and right thumbstick to move and look around, while pressing the cross button to jump through or climbing up the obstacles, and pushing the circle button to crouch while holding it to prone. You can peek through while standing behind the wall by holding the left or right triggers to lean left or right side of the wall, while you can peek through the door by holding the square button with slowly pushing the left stick forward, and you can also look behind by holding the left shoulder button.
Your main equipment is the camera which you'll be using it to record the footage as well as taking photos of evidence that are linked to cult's murder scenes, and you can also use these kinds of technologies may come in use for the game such as night vision that display the dark places, the mics that allows you to track and listen enemy's conversation, and has zoom-in features which allows you to see surroundings in long-distances.
You may also needed to pick up batteries in-case your camera went off when low on battery power, but be really careful not to waste many batteries otherwise you'll be screwed if you're out of battery then it'd be tough luck for you to go past the dark areas, so use it when it's necessary.
The game's main mechanics is relying on the stealth play where you'll need to get past through the level without getting caught by these monsters nearby, so the best way of avoiding these guys is to find the hiding spot such as lockers, barrels, pools, and bunch of grasses which reduces enemy's alert status.
If you get caught by these guys when they see you nearby they went chasing after you, so you had to run for your life till you find the hiding places that they can't easily find you.
If they managed to catch you while your health is on low then you'll be dead in action, so you may need to collect one of the items such as bandages to recover your health status by holding the triangle button.
The controls plays absolutely fine as it is should be straightforward to play, so you can also re-configure the default controls through the option menu to suit your playstyle.
The stealth gameplay are quite just as good as the first original where you can able to sneak past those monsters nearby such as finding way to escape without being caught in action and being able to hide somewhere they don't see you where you are, such as hiding behind the walls or inside the objects like barrels or locker while giving a quick peek through till you think its safe to go, so I think the way they design the game as a stealth horror are just worked pretty well throughout the game.
The enemy A.Is is somewhat pretty responsive in the game where they are really good at spotting you sneaking around even with the mid-range distance, and they are also really good at dragging you from below when crawling through holes and hiding inside the barrel or locker proves that these creeps are sure smart headed depending how they react and sees you in this level making the chase sequences quite intensing to play.
While the game has decent stealth gameplay and responsive enemy's A.Is during the chase sequences, I got to say that I'm grateful with the large open-space level where you can explore around the village is pretty new thing to the series, but sadly the main issue is that you may can get lost in the track quickly when you can't figure it out where you supposed to go making it quite frustrating for players to find the escape route which is not quite flexible as the original game has better overall design to keep the level much easier to navigate things.
So far, it's still plays good as long as the game shares with many great segments that does not slow down the pace of the game thanks to numerous of chase encounters and having to cover all the mysteries throughout the game is what keeps me playing the game.
Overall, it has decent stealth gameplay and responsive enemy's A.Is.
Graphics
The graphics are looking incredibly great especially on 8th-gen console which I am impressed with the environmental designs being bloody, but solid at the same time. The village has open-wide farm area, the church has medieval designs, the classroom are sure dark and empty, and the mines are quite looking deadly with rituals scattered around adding the game's creepiness.
The use of gorefest levels is quite mindf***ed seeing blood spattering around, several of sloppy organs spilled down, and getting their bone crunched up is just sickening, but terrific at same time watching people dies in pain.
The texture-mapping and background layouts is looking crispy and sharp, where as the use of smoothing effects including fog and mist particles adds the great balance of making the game's design look appealing.
The character's animation is just as remarkable as what you saw from the first original, and I also liked the lighting settings for the night vision mode with green and black coloured screen adding the game's realism.
Overall, it has solid environmental designs, terrific gorefest levels, and remarkable character's animation.
Music and Sounds
The music and sounds are very well done because it delivers the use of frantic sounds design really matches the scare factor design that starts to kicks in hard such as jumpscares and chase sequences with dramatic soundtrack and terrifying noises that makes you jump off the seat big time.
The sound effects are quite good with the surrounding noises such as pounding footsteps, creaking doors, falling objects, slamming stuff, and of course enemy's grunting voices adds the game's realism.
Despite the average plot wasn't the best part of the game, the voice performance are actually did a good job depending on which characters in the game are doing better in terms of acting, so I say they really nailed perfectly with the most of the casting villains are just as scary like the original game has to offer.
Overall, it has frantic sound designs, dramatic soundtrack, and good voice performance.
Special Features
The game does comes with chapter select and some galleries stuff including documents and video recording which is fine, but unfortunately there are no extra DLCs for new story chapters at the moment, so unlike the first original has their own DLCs story chapter called Whistleblower which serves as a prequel to the original game, but going back to this I heard the reason why the DLCs on Outlast 2 didn't happen is due to developer teams are still working on the project titled as The Outlast Trials which acts as prequel for Outlast 2.
Overall, quite shameful for those who owns this game are looking forward with the new DLCs.
Advantages
Intense chase sequences
Terrifying jumpscares
Decent stealth gameplay
Solid overall visuals
Terrific gorefest levels
Frantic sound designs
Dramatic soundtrack
Disadvantages
Slight average story
Annoying protagonist
Can get lost in track really easily
Lack DLCs content
Final Verdict
Presentation 7/10 - Slight average story and annoying protagonist, but does have creepy villains, dark atmospheres, and scare factor design.
Gameplay 7.5/10 - Decent stealth gameplay and responsive enemy's A.Is.
Graphics 9/10 - Solid environmental designs, terrific gorefest levels, and remarkable character's animation.
Music and Sounds 8/10 - Frantic sound designs and dramatic soundtrack.
Special Features 2/10 - Lacks DLCs content.
Overall 7/10 - It is a good sequel, but it's nowhere near perfect as the first original game. Although the story and main protagonist aren't the best part of the game itself, you might want to give this game some credit for its great scares, discovering the horrific mysteries, and has insane amount of chases does add the game's charm.
I got to say the graphics and sounds are very well made filled with gruesome visuals and terrifying sounds are also positive indeed that are quite impressive for the 8th-gen console standards.
If the game should have got better story written and make protagonist less annoying, then I would have given it 8 instead, but I decided to give it 7 after beating it at the end.
So that being said, it's still an decent horror title that you might considering to give the game a try and see if you liked the sequel better or maybe stick it to the first original game instead.
The game cost between £23.99 and £26.99 at PS Store, Xbox Store, eShop, and of course both PC platforms such as Steam and Epic Games, where as physical copy for both PS4 and XBONE under the video game compilation titled as Outlast Trinity (which includes First, Second, and Whistleblower) should cost between £25 to £30.
I say for those who planning to purchase from digital storefront then I say wait for sales to go down, or you may want to get all three games in one package physically might be an better purchase solution which is not bad for the £25.
Hopefully, I will look forward to see another upcoming installiment of the series titled as The Outlast Trials to see if it's done anything better or worse, so finger crossed.
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