So I Tried... Outlast 2 Demo

In each edition of So I Tried… a member of GameGrin will play a game they have never tried before. The only rule? Play half an hour, no more, no less. 

What I Thought It Was
Having seen snippets of gameplay and those spooky voice messages from Red Barrels on their YouTube channel, I had a feeling the game would be set in a barren, desolate landscape, with the idea of some kind of cult following being the main storyline. I also believed the game would have the same aesthetic eeriness which was such a success in the first instalment of the game.

What It Actually Was
Outlast 2 places you in the footsteps of Blake Langermann, a cameraman who is working with his wife, Lynn, who are out to decipher a crime that has taken place. But, in doing so, they could be plunging themselves into depths of fear beyond their worst nightmares. The demo starts with Blake falling down a cliff and looking for help in the Arizona wilderness. Immediately, you feel a sense of isolation as you are enveloped in a striking mountainous terrain and shrouded by darkness, with the spectral illumination of the moon in the backdrop. It all creates an ominous ambience which was not as omnipresent in Outlast or Outlast: Whistleblower.

The graphics appear to be an upgrade Outlast and Outlast: Whistleblower as well. I really liked the little changes to your camcorder, with different features showing up through the night vision lense. The main protagonist also speaks, unlike predecessors Miles Upshur and Waylon Park. In the demo, you hear little snippets of his anxious voice, as Blake asked for help when knocking on doors. Other than that, the gameplay was more or less similar to the first instalment. You must either run or hide from the terrors that await you, as once again, the protagonist cannot fight back.

Will I Continue Playing?
Probably not, but that is in no way down to the gameplay on offer. It’s just unfortunate that once you have completed the demo there isn’t much to revisit, but going off the gameplay that I experienced, I would say Outlast 2 will be frightful delight. This demo is definitely worth sampling a piece of, thanks in large part to its awesome gameplay and easy to pick up controls.