Outlast 2
A survival horror sequel set in a cult-infested Arizona village.
Outlast 2 is a 2017 first-person psychological survival horror video game developed and published by Red Barrels. It is the sequel to Outlast (2013) and follows cameraman Blake Langermann as he investigates the murder of a pregnant woman in northern Arizona with his journalist wife, Lynn. After a helicopter crash separates them, Blake must navigate a village inhabited by a deranged cult that believes Judgement Day is imminent. The game is notable for its found-footage style, emphasis on running and hiding rather than combat, and its disturbing themes inspired by real-world events.
- Developer
- Red Barrels
- Publisher
- Red Barrels
- Release date
- April 25, 2017
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Nintendo switch release
- March 27, 2018
- Protagonist
- Blake Langermann
- Antagonist
- Sullivan Knoth
Lore & Background
Outlast 2 was announced in October 2014 following the critical success of Outlast. A gameplay demonstration was shown at PAX East and E3 2016 on April 22 and June 15, respectively. Originally scheduled for autumn 2016, it was delayed several times before releasing on April 25, 2017 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. A Nintendo Switch version followed on March 27, 2018. The game takes influence from horror films like The Hills Have Eyes (1977), Race with the Devil (1975), and The Blair Witch Project (1999). A comic book series, The Murkoff Account, was released from July 2016 to November 2017, set between Outlast and Outlast 2. A prequel game, The Outlast Trials, was released on March 5, 2024.
Reader's Guide
Outlast 2 received generally positive reviews upon release, with praise for its graphics, sound design, and atmosphere. Criticisms were directed at the amount of gore, themes, and difficulty. The game continues the found-footage characteristics of its predecessor, with the player unable to fight except in scripted scenes, forcing them to run and hide from enemies. The player has a limited stamina meter and must manage the camcorder's battery usage for night vision. The game's plot involves Blake Langermann investigating the murder of a pregnant teenager, leading him to a cult led by Sullivan Knoth, who believes Lynn is pregnant with the Antichrist. The story is interwoven with Blake's hallucinations of a childhood trauma involving a friend's suicide. The Murkoff Corporation is revealed to be responsible for the region's insanity through an experimental mind control station. The game's legacy includes its expansion of the Outlast universe through comics and a prequel, and its influence on the survival horror genre with its emphasis on vulnerability and psychological terror.
Did You Know?
- Outlast 2 was stylised as OU⸸LASTII.
- The game was delayed several times from its original autumn 2016 release window.
- The player character Blake Langermann carries a more advanced camera than in the first game, with zoom and a sensitive microphone.
- The game's plot was largely based on the 1978 Jonestown mass murder-suicide.
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