Outlast

This is another one of my favorite survival horror games, it's a first-person perspective game but it's not an actioner, here you really have no weapons (which makes sense since you character is a reporter so he probably had no combat training not that it would do any good against what you face) of any kind at all your only weapon is your wits and evasion from the mutants.

I really like the plotline which is intriguing and sort of like the 80's horror film "The Dead Pit" as it's about an asylum that harbors a deadly secret of evil experimentation. And as you get further in the game you begin to uncover a lot more as we see things get stranger and deadlier.

The graphical detail from the character animation of the experimented mutants whom are just menacing, ugly, and creepy with those glowing eyes you see, well okay I know that just the night vision light reflection but all the same it really ads to how creepy they are. And there not totally stupid they have sharp hearing and sight, if you make too much noise they'll hear and if you're not far enough away or hidden well enough then they come toward you. There are some gore effects as well, though the game isn't too bloody nor does it really on it more on atmosphere and suspense which to me is where the game truly excels.

The asylum looks great it's one of the best arenas for survival horror games, the grit and grime which remind me of some of the scenery from the horror film "Session 9". I've always found asylum creepy as their not always the friendliest environments as their really confining, oppressive combined with the psychological sickness going around just spells unfriendliness all around. Though it's those ones that are shut down that really give me the creeps as you see the amount of decay and grime, it sorts of makes me wonder how the heck this asylum in the game passed the health inspections. But the dark dank gritty environment around you just reeks of oppression, evil, and death everywhere you turn.

The gameplay is great it's a little similar toward "Alien Isolation" (which that's a different story and one I already reviewed) along with "Clock Tower" where in those games you have the rely on your wits to win.

You are just constantly tense and on your toes from beginning to end, it's literally a deadly game of cat and mouse. As I was walking I was afraid that in the next corner I'd see another mutant along the way or maybe in the next dark corridor. You just never truly know when those mutants will pop out or are stationed, which caused me to think of the best places to hide as well as the best route in case I needed to run. There were even moments I jumped, and I like that I don't get that feeling often.

There are plenty of places to hide, the best one no doubt is the locker which effectively works so long as they don't hear or see you enter. It's one of the best places to hide as you keep hidden till you don't see and hear it anymore. However, it's the not the most reliable, if you hide in the same place too long the mutants will find you, so make sure alternatives are available.

I like that you have a camera that has a night vision light which is very useful for lighting up the dark places. However, the batteries on that light drain quickly, and once their out your pretty much fraked so make sure you find plenty of batteries and use the night vision sparingly.

The chase sequences are thrilling and really exciting almost reminds me a little of the chases from the game "Mirror's Edge" as I am getting chased either by one big mutant or even a group of them I'm just hoping I can get far enough away from them on time. And with obstacles in the way be able to think and react quick enough on my feet.

So, check into this asylum if you dare.

Rating: 3 and a half stars