Outlast Trials doesn't really accomplish anything of merit.

The graphics are competent, and the visual horror is strong but that's completely par for the course compared to the previous games.

The actual gameplay ends up mind-numbing after the first few trials - go to the place, push the cart, bring object here, run to the exit. Do this 4 times over and repeat the entire campaign with modifiers added. Get frustrated that you can't take in the world because you're too busy having to drag enemies away from points of interest.

It doesn't give off much of a strong presentation for being a narrative coop horror game. Leaving anything interesting buried in notes. No focus is given to the overarching experience of you being a Reagent. They could've gone full on Kubrick with this - fixating on the degradation of the player character. It's not a scary game - it's a shocking game. And shock value disappears very quickly.

The trials can be novel upon first glance - but it loses its luster pretty fast after running it for the 3rd or 4th time. Subtrials are just incredibly short mini missions that can be knocked out in 10 minutes - with no new objective apart from what already exists - just shuffled into a different order. It's an efficient use of resources, but the game isn't better for it.

It's nice they are not doing microtransaction hell - but the game is still a pretty big nothing-burger. The same base enemies will occupy every trial, the objectives are quirky but become dull fast, and it just doesn't go anywhere - even after being Reborn several times you just get a different cutscene.

There arent really any solid unique mechanics that are in line with the world of Outlast, nor does the game develop as you go deeper - the game suffers for it greatly since it lacks a well presented and solid narrative to overcome this. Throwaway dialog that is buried in menus doesn't count. I should be getting pulled aside into debriefs or therapy instead of asking Nurse Dorris to give me a hug.

This game appears to have been in hell behind the scenes (Datamined content from beta included a 3rd prime asset, Molotov Enemies, and a much larger variety of trials) They'll probably come in later - but this should have been completed in Early Access - not cut off to maximize the engagement quota at a later date come Halloween.

As it stands right now - I feel like this is a very incomplete game that was rushed out for console markets - not to deliver a strong new Outlast experience.

Outlast Trials doesn't really accomplish anything of merit. The graphics are competent, and the visual horror is strong but that's completely par for the course compared to the previous games. The actual gameplay ends up mind-numbing after the first few trials - go to the place, push the cart, bring object here, run to the exit. Do this 4 times over and repeat the entire campaign with modifiers added. Get frustrated that you can't take in the world because you're too busy having to drag enemies away from points of interest. It doesn't give off much of a strong presentation for being a narrative coop horror game. Leaving anything interesting buried in notes. No focus is given to the overarching experience of you being a Reagent. They could've gone full on Kubrick with this - fixating on the degradation of the player character. It's not a scary game - it's a shocking game. And shock value disappears very quickly. The trials can be novel upon first glance - but it loses its luster pretty fast after running it for the 3rd or 4th time. Subtrials are just incredibly short mini missions that can be knocked out in 10 minutes - with no new objective apart from what already exists - just shuffled into a different order. It's an efficient use of resources, but the game isn't better for it. It's nice they are not doing microtransaction hell - but the game is still a pretty big nothing-burger. The same base enemies will occupy every trial, the objectives are quirky but become dull fast, and it just doesn't go anywhere - even after being Reborn several times you just get a different cutscene. There arent really any solid unique mechanics that are in line with the world of Outlast, nor does the game develop as you go deeper - the game suffers for it greatly since it lacks a well presented and solid narrative to overcome this. Throwaway dialog that is buried in menus doesn't count. I should be getting pulled aside into debriefs or therapy instead of asking Nurse Dorris to give me a hug. This game appears to have been in hell behind the scenes (Datamined content from beta included a 3rd prime asset, Molotov Enemies, and a much larger variety of trials) They'll probably come in later - but this should have been completed in Early Access - not cut off to maximize the engagement quota at a later date come Halloween. As it stands right now - I feel like this is a very incomplete game that was rushed out for console markets - not to deliver a strong new Outlast experience.