The mark of a great horror game is one that leaves people thinking about it years later, and in this regard, the survival horror game Outlast succeeds greatly. Released in 2014 by independent developer Red Barrels, Outlast was incredibly well received, with many labeling it one of the scariest games of that year, if not ever. It was the start of a new heavyweight franchise in the horror genre that spawned a feature-length DLC, Outlast: Whistleblower, and a sequel, Outlast 2. Two future installments have been confirmed, one of which, The Outlast Trials, is due to release this year.

In Outlast, the player assumes the role of Miles Upshur, an investigative journalist who receives an email from a whistleblower working in Mount Massive Asylum. The message claims that the asylum's owners, the Murkoff Corporation, are engaged in illegal and immoral experiments on the inmates. However, upon arrival, Miles finds the asylum in disarray, with most of the staff murdered and homicidal inmates roaming free. It doesn't take long before the quest for evidence turns into a frantic effort to escape. The story of Miles Upshur and the secrets within Mount Massive Asylum makes for one of the most terrifying horror games ever made. Here is why every fan of the genre should play it.

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Outlast's Story Is Incredibly Unique

Mount Massive Asylum as it appears in the first trailer for Outlast

The storyline of Outlast is original and crafted with such an intricate level of detail as to make it stand out from other contemporary horror titles. After Miles breaks into the asylum, he ends up being attacked by a monstrously large and deformed inmate called Chris Walker. However, just before he can escape the asylum, an inmate by the name of Father Martin incapacitates him and takes him deeper inside the building, claiming that Miles has a calling to fulfill. From here, players navigate the labyrinthine halls of Mount Massive, evading roaming inmates known as Variants and pursued relentlessly by Chris Walker. Miles only has Father Martin to guide him as a pawn in his plan, until he eventually discovers the true nature of Murkoff's experiments.

What really makes Outlast's story so unique is that, despite how things appear on the surface, there are no supernatural or paranormal elements to be found. It goes above and beyond typical slasher and gore-themed horror, with its seamless incorporation of monstrous creatures, dark abandoned ruins, bizarre scientific concepts, and gripping conspiracy fiction. It is even revealed at one point that the Murkoff Corporation was involved in the CIA's notorious MK Ultra program, in which the seeds were sown for the evil that Miles encounters. All of this comes together to ground the terrors of Mount Massive Asylum closer to reality, and the morbid bottom line of it all is a look inside the darkness of the human mind.

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Outlast Immerses the Player in Sheer Terror

Chris Walker attacks the player in Outlast

In terms of sheer scare factor, Outlast excels. Miles is a journalist, not a fighter, and he is armed only with a camcorder. This leaves running away and hiding as his only means of defense. Outlast is far from the first horror game to strip the safety net of a weapon away from the player, and many attribute the popularity of this genre to Amnesia: The Dark Descent. However, Outlast performs extremely well at making the player feel helpless. Chase sequences often feature hurdles and obstructions in the way, slowing the player down and cranking up the tension as their pursuer closes the distance. The game also features multiple sequences where Miles must actively sneak back and forth across enemy patrol routes to achieve an objective, forcing the player to go against their instincts to stay as far away as possible.

The feeling of helplessness is reinforced even more by the game's visual and audio design. The music is bleak and terrifying, a notable example being the overbearing choir track that plays when Miles enters the sewers. The startling noise that plays when then Miles is spotted will make players' hearts jump into their throats. In addition, every sound the player makes sounds too loud, from footsteps to opening doors, and players will constantly wonder if they were heard. The enemy designs are all horrifying in their own ways, making players second guess every corner they turn, every door they open, and every dark corridor they walk through in fear of seeing one of them on the other side. Every aspect of Mount Massive Asylum and its denizens is designed to instill fear, doubt, and anxiety in the player, and it very much succeeds.