Outlast became one of the quickest-growing indie horror games, with the game focusing on the horrors of the mind while adding bloody body horror. The newest game, The Outlast Trials, gave die-hard fans a fun horror co-op game to play that is set during the Cold War era. With the new time setting, players are able to find files throughout that give more information about the past games, such as Outlast Whistleblower, Outlast, and Outlast 2, providing a look at the events that lead up to those games. The game also gives players a glimpse in its multiple endings as to what happens once a reagent is released into the world.
When going through the trials, players are given main objectives and secondary objectives. As they complete these objectives, players are then able to find hidden files that focus on the events surrounding Project Lathe Two. Not only do these files give insight into what is currently happening in the game, but they also reference what will happen in the game, and the prior Outlast games that have already been released.
A reference to the games being released is with the files regarding reagent 1616. Within that file, players are able to notice that 1616 is Knoth from Outlast 2. In the files, it shows that he is unable to keep his hands off of customers at the shoe store he works at. Yet when completing his Trigger test, it is shown as exceptional results. With this he becomes one of the most successful reagents that Project Lathe has released.
Another reference to a previous game is during one of the reagent endings that players may find, which shows how Dr. Wernicke has taken the released reagents and put them in a tube that is just like the ones that are shown in Outlast. This is in direct reference to the morphogenic engine that Dr. Wernicke created and was head of the project. It also indicates that the trials had a profound impact on the story for Outlast, Outlast 2, and Outlast Whistleblower.
Yet there are also references and hints to what could be the new season in Outlast Trials. There is a set of files called “Winter Kills.” Until recently, it was unknown what these files were going to be referencing, especially for console players who had to wait far longer than PC players for the event. One of the files states from Easterman: “It’s a giant blank spot in our tableau of cultural trauma. Sudden, mass-scale annihilation. Followed by a grinding, endless winter of ever-more pain.” With this little piece of information, players can speculate that a new set of trials will be focused on the so-called nuclear winter.
With the announcement of the Outlast movie, players can only wonder and speculate whether the movie is going to focus on the first game and follow the plot, or if the movie will follow a new plotline that could be hinted at from the trials. There is one file that I find particularly interesting and something that could lead into a potential movie plot. The file is called The Mines, and it discusses the unrest that is happening in Africa and how much uranium there is hidden. The transcription also states that there may need to be assistance from Murkoff to help the situation.
There is also a new character introduced during the Project Geister event, Amelia, otherwise known to the players as A. Amelia has escaped the horrors of the trials but has not left the other reagents. Instead, she has decided to stay behind and help the reagents see that the trials are not what they seem. She also leaves messages throughout the trials warning the reagents about Murkoff. When the files are found and read for the event, they show how there is concern about this new character escaping and not being found. Could this new character be introduced as a new prime asset once they find her, or will she become someone who we follow in the Outlast movie?
With so many new stories yet to be told and more connections to be shown in the Outlast series, it is exciting to see what new files will be added and where the Amelia story will go. With so many new projects to come, it’s no wonder why Red Barrels wanted to have The Outlast Trials come out first, to give better background on characters players have already seen and prospects for new projects to come.
