The Outlast Trials will have a closed beta over Halloween

Live or die, make your choice

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard about The Outlast Trials, but Red Barrels brought a grisly new trailer to Gamescom Opening Night Live. The developers also announced a closed beta test for The Outlast Trials running from October 28 through November 1. As host Geoff Keighley put it, “That’s right, some people will get to play something this year.”

If you’re generally on board with Outlast (or would be down for a Saw-puzzle-trap-filled take on the series with optional multiplayer antics), you’ll want to keep tabs.

The Cold War-era premise is that Murkoff Corporation is testing new “methods of brainwashing and mind control.” Rest assured, they’ll be taking things to their most unhinged extreme. Today’s trailer was all gore and grime. I need a shower!

Viewed in slow-mo, I liked the look of traps and gadgets that players can use to turn the tide during these so-called experiments. How the format works alone and with partners, and what happens when some of you perish, remains to be seen. I get the impression that Red Barrels got out of its comfort zone, and that could lead to a fresh new type of survival-horror experience, or potential alienation. I’ve always wanted a gnarly Saw-like game experience, and being able to share that with like-minded horror fans sounds novel.

More details on the Outlast Trials beta will be announced soon, so for now, just pencil in the October 28 start date, if anything. I’ll certainly be in the right mood for this game.