I got a chance to play the Outlast 2 Demo yesterday and I found it to be a very pleasant surprise. Honestly, I wasn't too big a fan of the original Outlast, don't get me wrong the game was an effective horror game which managed to create a legitimately unnerving atmosphere but the game completely fell apart in its final act which spoiled the experience for me. Obviously, the demo for Outlast 2 didn't confirm whether or not the game will suffer from that same problem but it did manage to fully immerse me within its twisted world in just a few minutes.
The demo was not anything I was expecting due mainly to the increased focus on supernatural and psychological horror compared its predecessor. This new focus resulted in a much more solid and frightening experience than anything that you would find in the first game. A particularly creepy moment was very early into the demo as I stepped into a small house and noticed that the door ahead of me was slightly open. The further I got away from the door the further it opened and the closer I got the more it closed. I was expecting a jump scare as soon as I went near the door to open it but alternatively, the game took the path less traveled by in recent horror movies and games - it decided to go for subtlety. This resulted in a highly effective scare because the mere implication that someone had been standing behind that door combined with the gentle creak of the hinges as I slowly opened it managed to keep me on edge for the next few minutes. I was anxiously anticipating my demise yet the game made me feel safe as there was no stereotypical creepy music and nothing jumped out to startle me. This strange sense of security only made the sudden appearance what I can only assume was a large tongue all the more shocking and actually resulted in me frantically exclaiming 'What in the hell?'.
The demo did lack the difficulty that I had expected from Outlast as hiding/ escaping from my pursuers did not prove a challenge in the slightest. This was unfortunate and I hope that the full game will be much more difficult. But the brilliant atmosphere engaged me to the extent that I wanted to play the demo a second time. The derelict buildings and pitch-black exteriors combined with the occasional animal noise and the ever so faint sound of footsteps around you are enough to unease even the most experienced horror fanatic.
I very much enjoyed my time with Outlast 2 and I cannot wait to play the full game when it releases.
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