Outlast II Reviews
The greatest horror game to date.
Outlast 2 has some great design elements, and the night-vision handy-cam mechanic is still scary. But the jump scares and gore don't mix right with the elements of psychological horror, and the story retreads horror tropes that didn't need retreading.
The squeamish and the easily offended need not apply.
Controversially written and unflinchingly scary, Outlast 2 is a remarkable game that solidifies itself and its franchise as one of the greats in the genre. Although it gets slowed down by infrequent issues with AI and sequences that will feel familiar to series veterans, the end result is an atmospheric, dread-inducing, and contentiously biting narrative horror. Even more, above all of those attributes it needed to be terrifying, and holy hell is it terrifying.
Despite a sluggish start, Outlast 2 from Red Barrels is a solid horror gaming experience with shocking imagery, a compelling story, and scares galore.
Outlast II excels on all fronts when it comes to terrifying players thanks to its convincing scares and setting, and while its copious amounts of gore will get under your skin, its bigger, grander ideas are sure to get inside a far more sinister place: your head.
Outlast II is a marked improvement over the original Outlast in almost every way. It's still scary, yet utilises smarter designed scares to keep the tension high from beginning to end. The story is bound to be controversial, given the themes it tackles, but will easily demand and keep your attention from beginning to end. First person indie horror as a genre has lost its vision over the years, but Outlast II firmly stands tall as one of the best examples. It's absolutely terrifying and a staunch improvement over the original.
One of the scariest video games ever made, or at least it is for the first few hours – before it succumbs to wearying repetition and frustratingly unfair set pieces.
As fun as it was to play this game, it didn’t come without a few annoying elements here and there. Darkness in the game acts as its own entity and often times will frustrate the hell out of you, but the urge to dredge on will captivate you.
"...I had to decide if I wanted to continue on for this review or come out with a DNF and go watch some cartoons to soothe my tortured soul. Seriously, Outlast 2 has some of the scariest moments you’ll find in a video game."
I've never played a game that made me cringe and squirm as much as Outlast 2. Outlast 2 builds the type of tension and fear that I haven't experienced in a game for a very long time. If you enjoy horror, Outlast 2 will definitely leave an impression on you. Outlast 2 doesn't necessarily change the formula established in the first game but improves on the formula as best it can.
Outlast 2 takes its original idea and builds on it very well to create a sequel that's straight up terrifying. A must for those who love nothing more than feeling the fear.
A gripping horror game that loses effect over time after a great start and therefore remains behind the first Outlast.
Review in German | Read full review
Outlast 2 is what I hoped it would be. It’s horrifying, dark, gritty and disturbing. I was left wondering how the concepts that are implemented into this game were even conceived. After the team at Red Barrels gets a chance to relax from launch I think they should all check into a mental health wellness retreat just to clear their heads of the horror they created for our enjoyment. I also particularly enjoyed how Outlast 2 pays homage to other games in the industry such as DOOM and Mortal Kombat, this adds a rather quirky element of humor to these moments in the game. The new mechanics introduced are a major plus, the added layers to the storyline bring a new element to the franchise, and the sense of fear and dread are almost overwhelming at times. Well done Red Barrels, you smashed it out of the park and I will be sure to forward an invoice to you for the many ours of lost sleep I can look forward to from ANY noise I hear in the dark for many weeks to come.
Horrific in completely the wrong way, Outlast 2 is a night-vision journey into frustration. An intriguing story just can't save the infuriating misery that awaits.
Shock tactics so persistently silly that they become the equivalent of a flaming bag of poo on a doorstep. I will always defend the right of horror fiction to be horrible, but never excuse it for being so dull in its depravity.
No game is better than Outlast 2 at making you feel helpless, alone and terrified.
If you liked Outlast, you will definitely love this sequel, which, though not perfect, is one of the most terrifying experiences ever.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Familiar yet terrifying, Outlast 2 mixes excellent production values with genuinely disturbing imagery and subject matter. It's a long way down to the abyss but it's worth every minute of the fall.
Outlast 2 brings many remarkable improvements concerning graphics and gameplay and keeps the horror, which made the first installment known worldwide. The addition of the inventory menu and the new camera features fit perfectly in the game. Red Barrels repeated the amount of horror, thrilling and scary moments along with an interesting and well developed story, turning Outlast 2 into one of the best horror games of the year.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review