- The Outlast Trials is a co-op psychological survival-horror game set in the Murkoff universe during the Cold War.
- You play as a Reagent, a test subject forced through brutal mind-control experiments called Trials.
- Play solo or with up to 4 players, completing objectives while evading enemies like Mother Gooseberry.
- The game launched in Version 1.0 on March 5, 2024 on Steam with Very Positive reviews.
- Progression is built on Rigs, Prescriptions, Amps, and seasonal events, not combat.
What Is The Outlast Trials About?
The Outlast Trials is a cooperative psychological survival-horror game developed by Red Barrels, the studio behind the original Outlast series. Unlike earlier Outlast games, which were single-player experiences, The Outlast Trials focuses on co-op gameplay for one to four players, supported on Steam.
The story is set during the Cold War era, where the Murkoff Corporation kidnaps vulnerable people and forces them into a brainwashing program. You play as a Reagent — a disposable test subject who must complete horrifying objectives called Trials inside simulated environments such as police stations, orphanages, and amusement parks. The program is designed to break your mind and rebuild it, and each completed Trial pushes you deeper into Murkoff's experimental machinery.
The game entered Early Access on May 18, 2023, and officially launched Version 1.0 on March 5, 2024, with over 43,000 English Steam user reviews rated Very Positive.
Video Highlights:
- Official Version 1.0 launch trailer from Red Barrels
- Showcases the Cold War Murkoff experiment setting
- Teases co-op Trials, Prime Assets, and the Reagent program
The Outlast Trials is an avoidance-based horror game, not a shooter. You cannot kill enemies — stealth, distraction, and escape are your only real weapons.
Core Gameplay Loop
Each Trial drops you into a hostile, maze-like environment with a set of objectives to complete before extraction becomes available. The fundamental loop looks like this:
| Phase | What Happens | Key Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Trial begins, team reads objectives and plans routes | Wasted time, unclear roles |
| Exploration | Search rooms for batteries, healing items, bottles, lockpicks | Noise attracts patrols |
| Objectives | Complete tasks: machinery, evidence, prisoner handling | Exposure during interactions |
| Escape | Navigate to extraction under increased pressure | Team split, exhausted stamina |
Success depends on noise management, route knowledge, and teamwork. Enemies — from Prime Assets like Leland Coyle and Franco Barbi to special Ex-Pops like the Pusher and Berserker — patrol the maps and react to sound and sight. The correct response is almost always to break line of sight, hide, and let the patrol move on rather than attempt an extended chase.
Stealth First
- Crouch to reduce noise
- Close doors behind you
- Use lockers and beds to hide
Resource Control
- Carry bottles and bricks for distractions
- Save lockpicks and batteries for clear advantages
- Keep an Antidote for gas attacks
Team Play
- One player interacts while another watches
- Communicate enemy positions
- Revive only when the area is secure
Never sprint through unfamiliar corridors without a plan. Berserkers and Big Grunts punish players who run out of stamina in open areas with no hiding spots nearby.
The Murkoff Story and Lore
The Outlast Trials is a prequel to the Outlast series, exploring the origins of the Murkoff Corporation's unethical research. Set against Cold War paranoia, the Murkoff Program uses drugs, psychological torture, and controlled environments — the Trials — to recondition human subjects into obedient assets.
| Lore Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Murkoff Corporation | The shadowy company running illegal mind-control experiments |
| Reagents | Brainwashed test subjects — the players — trapped in the program |
| Ex-Pops | Failed experimental subjects now patrolling Trial environments |
| Prime Assets | Named major antagonists: Mother Gooseberry, Sergeant Coyle, Franco Barbi |
| The Skinner Man | A hallucination-like psychological threat tied to the program's mental strain |
| Sleep Rooms | The hub area where Reagents recover, upgrade, and socialize between Trials |
Each Prime Asset reflects a piece of the experiment's themed "programming" — Mother Gooseberry's twisted children's show morality, Coyle's authoritarian police discipline, and Franco Barbi's criminal underworld scenarios. Collectible documents and environmental details scattered through the maps expand on what Murkoff is truly trying to achieve.
The Outlast Trials takes place decades before the events of Outlast and Outlast 2, revealing how Murkoff's experiments evolved into the horrors seen at Mount Massive Asylum.
Rigs, Prescriptions, and Progression
Instead of weapons, your power comes from Rigs (active tools), Amps (passive modifiers), and Prescriptions (skill-tree upgrades) purchased with progression currencies like Murkoff Dollars and Therapy Tokens.
| Rig | Role | Best For | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stun Rig | Crowd control, emergency escapes | Solo, duo, high-pressure objectives | S |
| Heal Rig | Team recovery, sustained survival | Duo and four-player teams | S |
| X-Ray Rig | Information gathering, route planning | Solo, new maps | A |
| Barricade Rig | Area denial, defensive positioning | Objective defense | A |
Progression is rewarded through Trial Ratings, which measure objective completion, optional tasks, evidence collected, damage taken, and deaths. A clean extraction with a solid rating earns more XP and currency than a risky perfect-score attempt that fails.
Invest Therapy Tokens in one dependable Rig and a small set of Amps that match your role first. A focused stealth, healing, or rescue build is easier to master than several half-upgraded builds.
Getting Started: Your First Sessions
Choose a Trial and Read the Objective
Identify the main objective and optional tasks before entering. Learn key rooms, locked doors, and possible escape routes so the team never commits to a dead-end hallway.
Search for Resources
Explore side areas for batteries, healing items, antidotes, bottles, and lockpicks. Inventory is limited, so prioritize items that support the current objective.
Move Quietly
Crouch, control your noise, and close doors behind you. Breaking line of sight and hiding is safer than outrunning an enemy through unknown territory.
Complete Objectives as a Team
Divide responsibilities: one player interacts while another watches entrances or prepares an escape route. Regroup after major objectives.
Manage the Final Escape
Save Rig charges and useful items for extraction — enemy pressure often increases near the end of a Trial. Keep moving in exposed areas.
Beginner Milestones:
- Complete your first Trial extraction alive
- Unlock and equip your first Rig
- Learn two hiding spots on every major map
- Earn a B rating or higher on a Trial
- Join the official community for team finding
Use the official Discord or r/OutlastTrials to find teammates for higher-difficulty Trials — coordination dramatically improves survival rates.
FAQ
Q: What is The Outlast Trials about?
It is a co-op psychological survival-horror game set during the Cold War, where the Murkoff Corporation forces kidnapped test subjects called Reagents through brutal mind-control experiments known as Trials. You complete objectives, avoid enemies, and escape — solo or with up to three friends.
Q: Is The Outlast Trials connected to the other Outlast games?
Yes. It is a prequel to Outlast and Outlast 2, exploring how the Murkoff Corporation's unethical experiments began decades before the events at Mount Massive Asylum.
Q: Can you fight or kill enemies?
No. The game is built around avoidance. You use stealth, distractions like bottles and bricks, hiding spots, and Rig abilities such as Stun to escape enemies rather than defeat them.
Q: Do I need friends to play?
No. The game supports full solo play as well as co-op with up to four players. Solo play rewards careful stealth builds, while teams benefit from Heal and crowd-control Rigs.
Related Content
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