And here I was thinking that this demo couldn’t terrify me, especially after the first game, but lo and behold, Outlast 2’s demo pulled it off.
Opening with a single text box that introduces you to the main characters, but is then followed by an accident that then places the characters in their starting spots for the insanity that’s sure to happen.
As soon as you take control of the main character Blake, that heavy atmosphere and tension from the first Outlast finds itself front and center of the player and their camcorder, as the night vision once again serves as both a blessing and a curse. Sure, with the night vision, you’ll be able to see if anything is coming towards you, but do you WANT to see that? Outlast 2’s demo makes sure that there’s no right answer to that question.
Although there are certainly the usual rumbling doorknobs and random loud noises, those aren’t the true jump scares. Unfortunately for me, as I was playing, I underestimated how far away a particular noise was, and paid the price through the form of me physically jumping in my seat, and then proceeding to turn down the volume in case I messed up the same way again.
The demo was by no means a lengthy experience, but in the short 20 minute timespan it took me, the demo was able to fit in genuine scares, jump scares, mind bending sequences, and pure tension as you’re trying to hide (and failing, in my case) from hostiles that don’t come across as friendly.
There aren’t really any characters you interact with or meet, but the many portraits of religious nut and main antagonist Sullivan Knoth throughout the many abandoned houses indicate how prominent his character will be in the main storyline.
Overall, this demo was exactly what I’d like to see in a sequel to Outlast: raised stakes, variety of scares and beings that evoke a high level of fear, all within an immensely tense environment and interesting lead-in to a storyline that could prove to be both engaging AND terrifying. I can’t wait to see more (preferably during the daytime).
The demo for Outlast 2 is out right now for Xbox One, PS4, and PC players, with the full game expected to be released sometime in Q1 2017.
