“Outlast” by Red Barrels is a survival horror game for the PC that is scary, fun, fresh and flawed.

The game puts the player in the shoes of journalist Miles Upshur who has a nose for a scoop. Following a tip from a source, Upshur breaks into Mount Massive Asylum which is home to the mentally ill. Upshur and his handheld camera are ill prepared for the horrors that lay within.

The overall feel of Outlast is fresh and new. It is simply something that hasn’t been done like this before. Where some games arm you with a flashlight and tool to defend yourself, Outlast arms you only with a handy cam that has night vision.

The fact that the game features pitch black sections where your only chance to get through it is to use the battery draining night vision mode on the handy cam is a cool mechanic that is exciting and simply works although batteries for the camera are abundant so you never are stuck in the dark.

Most horror games always market themselves as scary or the most frightening experience ever, but “Outlast” is truly terrifying at times. While navigating the dark rusty interior of the insane asylum you feel almost as if there is always someone watching. That phenomenon is hard to explain, but when you hear footsteps behind you that are not yours or when a door opens and closes with no else in the room, you feel a sense of not only fear but paranoia as well.

When you do become detected by one of many psychos wandering the halls you only have one choice, run.

One can run and hide in a supply closet or close the room door and crawl under a cot for shelter. The game is good about clearly having locations where you can hide, but where it is not as good is at changing up the explore, run and hide formula that encapsulates the game.

Through most of the game I felt like I was always running away from my impending doom while searching for a key card. Finding the card is almost like finding a needle in a haystack at times when everything is either barely lit or pitch black.

I had an easier time finding batteries for the camera than finding a key card to work a door or elevator.

The key problem I have with game is its story. Don’t get me wrong, I love how the game feeds me notes and journal entries that immerse the player further into the game. The stories turn to the creepy and paranormal is intriguing, but there is nothing that truly makes me want to keep going and keep playing the game.

When it comes down to it, “Outlast” is a really fun and scary experience, but it is not one that you will pick up and play for hours straight. It is more of a pick up and play here and there type of game that is best experienced when you play it with a room full of people getting scared along with you.

3.5/5