Outlast is a survival horror video game presented from a first-person perspective, marking the debut project of Red Barrels – a studio founded by veterans from major gaming publishers and development companies. The game was released in September 2013.
The plot follows journalist Miles Upshur, who sets out to gather information for a sensational story. The setting is the Mount Massive psychiatric hospital, where, according to rumors, horrific events are taking place. The protagonist ventures there at night without any weapons and leaving a flashlight in his car. Thus, in complete darkness, Miles makes his way into the clinic, which, it turns out, is entirely unguarded, and almost immediately stumbles upon a “sensation” that would make any normal person flee without looking back. But no, Mr. Upshur is no fool – suppressing fear and disgust, he proceeds deeper into the asylum until he corners himself. Blood, guts, monstrous creatures, naked men with knives, and severed heads accompany his dangerous journey. Will he manage to make it back? Will he publish the material that will bring him fame? Or will he meet a foolish and brave death in the dark corridors of the asylum? Players will only find out after completing Outlast.
At the Mount Massive hospital, as previously mentioned, visibility is poor due to terrible lighting, and Miles, not having even brought a flashlight, must navigate using a handheld video camera equipped with night vision. Therefore, most of the time the protagonist moves with the camera on, which connects Outlast to horror films styled as pseudo-documentaries (“The Blair Witch Project,” “Paranormal Activity,” etc.), enhancing the sense of presence and intensifying the atmosphere of terror. In addition to the camera, which the hero uses to record the events, there is also a notebook where Miles writes down important information. As the game progresses, the protagonist finds various folders with data and a ton of other paperwork – through these info-sources, the details of the plot gradually become clearer.
The Mount Massive hospital, despite its oppressive silence, is not deserted – here and there, former patients, now completely deranged individuals, roam the halls. Some of them pay no attention to Miles and are engaged in their own activities: banging their heads against the walls, staring at a blood-soaked television, or digging through someone’s entrails. But there are also aggressive individuals, sometimes barely resembling humans. They can appear from any corner and start pursuing the hero, who is unarmed. The only chance to survive is to hide: in a closet, under a bed, or amidst a pile of rubble. Miles has an advantage – the camera with night vision, which allows him to track the direction his potential enemies have taken. However, the camera's battery drains from time to time, plunging everything into darkness, which heightens fear – realizing that a crazed half-naked man with a huge, bloodied cleaver is just a meter away becomes quite unsettling, to put it mildly.