The ‘Outlast 2’ Demo Is Brutal and Terrifying

The Outlast 2 demo is finally here, and it doesn’t disappoint!

Horror enthusiasts and gamers alike have been graced, yet again, with an experience perfectly designed to kick this Halloween season off just right. Developer Red Barrels, who dragged us kicking and screaming through the depravity of the Mount Massive Asylum in Outlast, have released a free demo for their upcoming sequel Outlast 2, but only for the month of October. As twisted and nightmarish as its predecessor, the Outlast 2 demo proves that sequels can kick just as hard as original chapters.

Providing us with a similar gameplay schematic as the first, the sequel’s free demo has players taking on the role of Blake Lagermann; a cameraman who, along with his wife, has set out to investigate the story of the ‘seemingly impossible murder of a pregnant woman.’ Following the blackout opening of a helicopter crash, you find yourself wandering through the Arizona desert in search of your wife and an escape from what will prove to be as hellish an experience as we’ve come to expect from the series.

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Armed with only a camera, players must navigate through a variety of beautifully detailed backdrops whilst suffering the same perfectly timed jump-scares that had us considering sleeping with the lights on after playing the original. Although the cat-and-mouse elements, which really pushed the fear levels in Outlast through the Asylum’s roof, aren’t present in the demo, you do get to experience the absolute terror that comes with being stuck in a town filled with people who truly are all out to get you. Despite being only a short teaser for the upcoming 2017 epic, the demo for Outlast 2 is truly an impressive feat.

Combining the same first-person perspective, eerie atmosphere, and supernatural elements that are bound to frighten even some of the hardiest horror fans, Red Barrels has managed to create a dynamic, engaging look into what we can expect next year when the full game is released.