Boo! Outlast 2 Announced For 2016
Spooking new ground
Outlast was one of the first shiny-polished horror games to rise from the growing trend for first-person unarmed spooky walkers in 2013. It was pretty good, Ben said when we gave him a pair of extra-strong pants and sent him into a spooky asylum.
Developers Red Barrels today announced a second round of spookings for autumn 2016, though it looks like Outlast 2 [official site] will be headed somewhere quite different. Judging from the short teaser trailer and a few bits of artwork, I'm going to guess... a reclusive religious community in the American South, and perhaps a little The Hills Have Eyes-y? See what you make of it:
Here's what Red Barrels have to say:
"No conflict is ever black and white. But once the dust has settled, the victors get to decide who was right and who was wrong. Who is good and who is evil. Human nature pushes us to extremes of violence and depravity, which we then justify by divine inspiration and a promise of paradise to come. Horror rises from desperation and blind faith. Outlast 2 will test your faith, pushing players to a place where going mad is the only sane thing to do."
Ooh, mysterious! It's not much to go on but hey, a horror game can hardly skip International Spooky Week. I wonder if can do that theme justice. Faith is a mighty strong thing but video games often handle it poorly, boiling away the power and conviction and hope to leave quotes from the sexy, dangerous, fire-and-brimstone bits of the Bible. Seems a waste, really. Not that themes of mental health and asylums fare any better, mind.
2016 is when Outlast 2's due on Windows and Mac. Red Barrels confirmed a sequel a year ago, but didn't have much to say, and are only now formally announcing it.