Outlast 2

- Reviewed on Switch -

Outlast 2 released on April 24th, 2017. 

Set in the same universe as the first Outlast, Outlast 2 is a heart stopping, stress inducing nightmare for anyone wanting to play it. 

Filled with chases, puzzles, and of course, gore, Outlast 2 lives up to its predecessor. 

It might not be as scary as the first Outlast (in my opinion), but it is definitely worth playing to see the journey involved.

This review WILL have Major Spoilers so keep that in mind before continuing...

Red Barrels are the developers of Outlast and Outlast 2, and from the first Outlast game, I know they would hold nothing back in terms of disturbing horror. 

Scenes in Outlast 2 made me feel absolutely disgusted and uneasy. However, that is the point of making a successful horror title. 

Outlast 2 takes place in Northern Arizona where you play as Blake Langermann, the main protagonist of this ten-hour game. 

The game starts with you and your wife, Lynn Langermann, on board a helicopter, scoping the landscape and investigating the murder of Jane Doe. 

In classic horror fashion, everything goes wrong immediately and the aircraft crashes, starting your nightmare eminently. 

Beforehand, you are introduced to your main source of light and information... the camcorder. 

Making its return from the first Outlast, the camcorder is literally the most important item in the entire game. 

Outlast 2 is engulfed in complete darkness, so batteries and night vision is a must. 

The collectibles in Outlast 2 are unique, specifically the camera recordings. 

The game hints at you, that you should record everything, and they truly mean this, as there are plenty of specific scenes to record (for about 15 seconds). 

Once recorded, you can view the video in your files section of your camcorder. 

What truly blew me away, was that the actual collectible plays back the recordings exactly how you recorded it, not how the game wanted you to. 

The camcorder also comes with a microphone feature for you to hear more clearly what is going on around you. This helps with knowing when and where to make your move with enemies around. 

One last thing about the collectibles is that you can also find notes and books around that you hold up to the camcorder and then you can read (or reread) them whenever you want. Blake also gives special dialogue for when / if you view them again. 

Outlast 2 again takes place in Northern Arizona, however, unlike the first Outlast, Outlast 2 has multiple locations within the story. 

You will venture through towns such as Temple Gate, maneuver within enemy invested corn mazes, and even go through the deep mines to find your captured wife. 

Playing into the main story as well, Blake (you) will smoothly transition into a flashback (nightmare / dream) of being in a school and slowly finding out the horrors of his past. 

These flashbacks happen at random, intense portions of the game, especially at the end(s) of chase sequences. 

The main story as a matter of fact is all about finding and saving your wife Lynn from the brainwashed citizens and their leaders.

Outlast 2 has a nice, interesting view on enemies. For this title, you will have to survive three factions of enemies. These enemies are...

    - The New Ezekiel Followers

    - The Scalled

    - The Heretics

Each group of enemies have their respective leader. They include...

    - Sullivan Knoth

    - Val

    - Laird Byron

The designs of these villains (antagonists) are extremely diverse, and all have their own unique characteristics when encountering them. 

One boss can hold a bow and arrow that makes for intense chasing / hiding sequences, while another will be very quiet and good at sneaking up on you. 

The voice acting for all characters in Outlast 2 are believable and effective for their respective situation / characteristic.

The big turning point, in terms of believability, was the voice acting of Blake Langermann (the main protagonist you play as). Shawn Baichoo (the voice actor for Blake) created a truly believable character in terms of when to be scared, nervous, in pain, and even out of energy (breath).

Bandages and Batteries are your main items to look out for when venturing through these horrific locations.  

You'll be running for your life a lot in this game, especially in high intense chase sequences, you'll be hiding for long periods of time, and of course you'll have to figure out puzzles in a timely manner. 

All of these factors have one common aspect to them... fear. 

My biggest gripe with Outlast 2 is the horror aspect in general. 

With Outlast 2 as a standalone title... it's a horrific, scary experience. 

However, comparing this title to the first Outlast... it's sadly not as scary and heart wrenching.  

I adore the music selection and the realistic graphics (even on Switch) as well, and in terms of the Outlast series overall, Outlast 2 (as mentioned earlier) definitely lives up to expectations. 

Pros: 

    - Great Graphics

    - Intense Music Selection

    - Believable Voice Acting

    - Multiple Locations

    - Various Enemies and Characteristics

    - Good Story Development

Cons:

    - Not as Scary as its Predecessor

    - Occasional Frame Rate Drops (at least for me on Switch) 

My Rating for Outlast 2 (on Switch):

4 / 5

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Disclaimer

All Reviews, Ratings, Pros, Cons, and Opinions Shared on this Blog (Press A Reviews) are my (Connor Butler) own Thoughts and Feelings.