The Outlast Trials is a first-person survival horror game focused on co-operative play. Players take on the role of Reagents subjected to experimental trials by the Murkoff Corporation, completing objectives while navigating dangerous environments filled with threats and hazards.
Gameplay
Core gameplay revolves around stealth, evasion, and careful resource management rather than direct confrontation. Reagents must work together or alone to finish objectives in trial environments, avoiding detection from enemies and environmental dangers such as noise traps or electrified surfaces. Night-vision goggles play a key role in low-light areas, though battery life limits their use. Secondary objectives offer bonuses to performance grades, which in turn provide experience points for character progression. Leveling unlocks new abilities and upgrades that enhance survival chances across runs. Variators introduce modifiers that alter enemy behavior, add hazards, or change trial conditions to increase replayability.
Progression systems reward consistent play through therapy levels and mastery tasks. Players customize loadouts with rigs and other tools, and recent updates introduced loadout presets for quicker preparation. The emphasis stays on teamwork for coordination during tense moments, though solo runs remain fully supported with adjusted difficulty options.
Game Modes
Standard Trials form the main experience, consisting of story-driven sessions on various maps where players complete primary and optional goals. MK-Challenges provide shorter, focused sessions in modified sections of existing maps. Escalation Therapy functions as a progressive challenge mode with escalating difficulty and leaderboard competition. Invasion adds a player-versus-player element where some participants act as imposters disrupting others completing trials. Custom trial options allow players to apply variators freely for tailored experiences.
Seasonal content regularly expands these modes with new trials, maps, and events. Recent updates reworked Escalation and Invasion for better pacing and balance, including skill-based matchmaking in the latter.
Current State and Updates
The game reached full release in 2024 after early access and continues to receive seasonal content. Season 7 introduced a new Prison Farm environment, additional MK-Challenges, a new enemy type, and quality-of-life features such as rig customization. Further updates include community events and preparations for Season 8. The title supports cross-platform play on PC and consoles, with regular additions keeping the experience fresh for returning players.
Is It Worth Playing?
Player feedback remains strongly positive, with the game holding a Very Positive rating on its primary platform based on over 115,000 reviews. Recent sales have driven record concurrent player numbers, highlighting sustained interest in its co-operative horror formula. Ongoing seasonal support adds new content without additional purchase requirements for core modes. The experience suits those who enjoy tense stealth-focused sessions with friends or solo, particularly fans of psychological horror that prioritizes evasion and teamwork over combat. Those seeking frequent updates and varied trial modifiers will find consistent value in the current version.
