Okay, let us get the obvious stuff out of the way first. Yes, Outlast draws heavily in several ways from Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The only way to survive being seen by an enemy is to run or hide, and darkness is a constant enemy one can only combat with a limited-range mechanic that runs out quickly if used frivolously.
Outlast also departs noticeably from The Dark Descent in several important ways. For starters, the player is not on a quest for redemption of any sort. It becomes very quickly apparent to Mr. Upshur that he has made a grave error in entering Mount Massive Asylum, and from this early moment on his only quest is to get out alive.
Despite this simple-seeming task, circumstances and relentless enemies continually pull him deeper and deeper into the hellish world of the asylum, forcing him to explore and generally poke his nose into dark corners he (and most of us, honestly) would rather leave well enough alone.
Pacing
The story itself is simple enough. Most of it is told through documents found littering the asylum, as well as observations Upshur makes in textual form from time to time when he witnesses specific events or places on his camera.
The game eases players into the initial survival mechanics easily enough, with fairly sizable on-screen prompts the first time the player needs to hide to survive. The next enemy encountered, however, patrols through several areas, challenging the player to apply their learned skills in hiding as well as developing new stealth capabilities.
These two are not your friends.
Outlast does not let up. New challenges and obstacles are constantly finding their way between Upshur and his way out, with each being potentially lethal. The plot moves forward as the player does all the way up to the chilling conclusion.
Speaking of, the game feels just the right length. I was ready for the end when I got to it, but was not impatient for it. If it had been much shorter, I would have felt there was more to see, and much longer would have simply begun to become overwhelming, given the constant fear.
Scares
Honestly, this is the part everyone worries about the most with horror games. With Outlast the worry is not needed. Outlast is scary. Outlast is very scary. It is one of the most artfully crafted lengths of horror I have ever seen. It works for several reasons, on several levels.
The sound is top-notch. Music is dramatic where appropriate, but doesn’t interfere with normal navigation where you will hear enemies about as often as not. Agonized screams and angry howls from other inmates both add atmosphere and warn of attacks. Pushing metal shelves makes for a cringingly-accurate metallic scrape, making the experience more visceral.
Meet the Doctor. He is also not your friend.
The visuals are also generally good. The inmates are very carefully detailed with all of their horribly disfiguring scars readily visible at any time, from any angle. This is especially good given how often you will see them. The inmates only seem to have a few character models to choose from, so you will see the same two or three inmates a few dozen times before you finish Outlast.
What really makes the terror work, however, is how intelligent it is. The game has jump scares, but not many of them. Some inmates will attack you, but not many of them. Some might only attack you after you pass by them a second time, or open a certain door. You will open door after door after door in Outlast and almost none of them will have an enemy waiting on the other side.
Almost none of them.
This uncertainty is what makes the game so scary. There are doors you cannot pass that may or may not later be opened by enemies entering the area. There are tight squeezes you will have to inch through that an enemy might pull you out of, and many others that are perfectly safe. At no point in the game can the player actually know they have everything figured out.
Not Perfect
The game does have flaws. As mentioned earlier, the inmate character models repeat a great many times. As closely as you get to see the inmate faces, it is inevitable to recognize the duplication rather quickly.
There are also a few areas where the AI gets predictable. One can find specific areas the enemies will not chase past, allowing the player to find safe havens well within sight of where the foe patrols. Those patrol routes are also very predictable if the player is willing to spend time learning them.
These issues are minor when placed next to the overall experience of the game. Outlast does draw on much of what made The Dark Descent successful, but it also does not attempt to copy it in theme or atmosphere, allowing it to craft a unique experience. I will be playing through the game again, and likely more than once.
