Don’t worry – plenty of cross-gen titles like Disco Elysium – The Final Cut, FAR: Changing Tides, Eldest Souls, Röki and The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes await on PS4 and PS5. PS4 titles include Alien: Isolation, Dead Island Definitive Edition, Outlast 2 and Elite Dangerous, all backwards compatible on PS5, further expanding the options for current-gen console players.

There’s also Gungrave G.O.R.E., perhaps one of the best bad games you’ll ever experience. For Premium subscribers, classics like Tekken 6, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny, IQ Final and Ape Escape Academy will be available. All are playable on PS4 and PS5, though you’ll need to download PS5 versions of each title. As for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers, check out this month’s free games here.

It’s a new month which means a new slate of titles for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. Microsoft already confirmed that Dragon Quest Builders 2 is out tomorrow for Xbox consoles and PC subscribers with content like the Aquarium Pack, Historic Headwear, Dragonlord’s Throne and more included. FIFA 21 also releases on May 6th via EA Play for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC subscribers.

However, on the same day, Red Barrels’ Outlast 2 will also be available for consoles, cloud and PC. Cloud and console subscribers will also have access to Ubisoft’s Steep, an open world winter sports title. May 13th is when Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster becomes available for consoles and PC alongside Just Cause 4: Reloaded.

The original Psychonauts is also making its way to the service on the same day for cloud, console and PC subscribers. If that weren’t enough, Red Dead Online is out on the same day for consoles and the cloud along with Remnant: From the Ashes for PC subscribers. From May 15th onwards, numerous titles will be leaving Xbox Game Pass. This includes:

• Alan Wake (Console and PC)
• Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 (PC)
• Dungeon of the Endless (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Final Fantasy 9 (Console and PC)
• Hotline Miami (PC)
• Plebby Quest: The Crusades (PC)

Play them now while you still have the chance. Stay tuned for more details on titles coming to Xbox Game Pass later this month.

A new month is upon us, which means that new games are available for free for all the subscription services that are in the midst of strangling any free time we’ll ever have again. One of those services is PlayStation Plus and for November we’ve got quite a duo of games with Nioh and Outlast 2.

Nioh will come on the heels of learning the sequel’s release date in March of next year. If you haven’t jumped in, you’ll get to try out the action RPG for yourself and take on heaps of yokai threats. Beside it will be Outlast 2, the sequel to the tense hide and seeker by Bloober Team, who just released Blair Witch earlier in the year, so you’ll get a chance to check out an earlier title from that crew.

Nioh and Outlast 2 will be available for free to all PlayStation Plus members on November 5th. You’ll be able to redeem them until December 3rd on PlayStation 4.

Red Barrels’ Outlast 2 sort of slipped under the radar last year when it released for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. It’s getting a second chance with the recent release on Nintendo Switch but to further attract new players, the developer has added a new Story Mode function. No, this isn’t a missing feature. Instead, it’s an easier way to play through the story with less challenges and fewer enemies.

Whatever enemies you do encounter have lower speed, damage output and perception. Other tweaks have been made to allow players to explore their surroundings more rather than constantly rushing through from being chased. If that weren’t enough, some content that was removed to ensure an M rating has been added back in.

The developer notes that they’re not drastic and don’t affect gameplay. Then again, if they were removed to prevent an Adult Only rating, why are they suddenly allowed? Anyway, if you haven’t tried Outlast 2, you can pick up the PC version on Steam for a 66 percent discount.

"While the first game impressed us with its atmosphere and sound design, Outlast 2 ups its production quality to an amazing degree."

Obviously, Outlast 2 has a lot to live up to. Instead of directly following the first game, it takes a completely a different route. You are Blake Langermann, an investigative journalist and cameraman, who works with Lynn, his wife. The two encountered a rather curious case – a woman identified as only Jane Doe found murdered in the Sonoran desert. Due to the high amount of mercury in her blood, Lynn deduces that she spent plenty of time near industrial equipment in the Supai region. Thus the couple hire a helicopter and set out to investigate.

Unfortunately, a strange flash sends the chopper careening down. Blake is separated from his wife and upon discovering the helicopter’s wreckage (not too far from the horribly maimed pilot), he sets out to save her. However, even before the crash, Blake was dreaming about Jessica, a childhood friend of the married couple from school. How is this related to everything? Honestly, it doesn’t take long before the past and present begin to steer Blake down a foreboding future.

Without spoiling too much, Blake travels to a seemingly closed off village society where the locals are anything but friendly. Heck, the very first “figure” you come across is a tall, slender woman named Marta with a giant pick-axe who makes no qualms about attacking Blake’s genitals. From there, it’s a hellacious trip but not one that immediately throws angry villagers your way, necessitating tense escapes through various structures (among other things).

Let’s talk about the graphics first. While the first game impressed us with its atmosphere and sound design, Outlast 2 ups its production quality to an amazing degree. The texture work is impeccable on PC with ridiculous amounts of detail. Granted, like Resident Evil 7, a lot of that comes via disemboweled bodies, entrails, charred corpses and the sheer slime inhabiting the environment. If a particular setting is too fly-infested, Blake will actually wave his hand back and forth, swiping away the insects.

"Some of the areas are semi-open world, allowing you to take different paths and approach areas in a non-linear fashion. It’s nothing revolutionary but it helps vary the gameplay and pacing…"

Animation-wise, the game is also very, very good – the gait of each villager is distinct, equal amounts foreboding and trance-like. The lighting is also impeccable, especially when you’re navigating a wheat-field while evading enemies, their flashlights peeking through the stalks. Darkness defines much of the gameplay as Blake has to rely on his camera’s night-vision to properly navigate the environment. A rather clever thing I enjoyed in Outlast 2 was how the real-time lighting was paced to allow progression even if you had no batteries. In a way, it added to the horror, especially when I found myself fumbling in the darkness with no night-vision to lean on.

Another minor but significant improvement from the original is how differently the camera works. Instead of simply toggling night-vision to see in the dark, the camera can be used to record specific incidents and scenery. These can then be played back with Blake providing small bits of commentary. Then there’s the new microphone which can amplify sounds coming from your surroundings.

In terms of implementation, you can use it to judge how far certain enemies are. This is especially useful when Marta is around, allowing you to plan your movement accordingly. The fact that it drains your battery like night-vision ensures it isn’t an easy way to avoid danger. If anything, it provides another way to navigate some of the more crowded environments where your vision is absent. The stellar sound design is also highlighted, ranging from the creepy background score to the deranged whispering of a nearby villager.

This also opens up some other great scenarios in Outlast 2. Some of the areas are semi-open world, allowing you to take different paths and approach areas in a non-linear fashion. It’s nothing revolutionary but it helps vary the gameplay and pacing – one minute you’re slinking through a wheat-field, listening with your microphone and observing the brief lights of your pursuers. The next you’re walking down a polished school from Blake’s past, switching between normal and night-vision to analyze the environment.

"The tone of the horror has definitely changed from the previous game. Red Barrels has gone in the opposite direction this time around, leaning on fear of the known to spin a chilling tale."

Then you go to a straight chase, dodging and weaving through houses, under them and over obstacles to escape. It’s tense and the stealth aspects of the game are opened up in a very enjoyable manner (though you may not be hiding in wardrobes and under beds as much as the previous game). The puzzles themselves weren’t anything especially difficult, which fits with the overall pacing and direction. They were mostly “collect this item” or “turn on this switch” to progress forward. One of the more interesting scenarios comes from pushing a cart and having to avoid Marta at the same time. The level design is pretty tight-knit throughout, ranging from dilapidated housing and caves to open fields and other-worldly schools. Each level boasts impressive detail (regardless of how disgusting, like Marta’s estate) while still funneling you along at a fast pace.

The tone of the horror has definitely changed from the previous game. Red Barrels has gone in the opposite direction this time around, leaning on fear of the known to spin a chilling tale. The religious tones in the game are very heavy-handed and you’ll come across immolation, torture, contorted bodies and other disturbing imagery. Though there doesn’t seem to be a direct connection to the previous game, it feels like Outlast 2 uses religion as a subtext to explore the extremes of man’s depraved nature. It’s not all that different from how Outlast relied on psychology and science to measure how far humanity would go. The impetus is insanity – how the human spirit is opened up and pushed to the extreme, all in the name of understanding something it was never meant to.

To say that Outlast 2 is most assuredly not for the faint of heart would be an understatement. Along with the disturbing gore and bloodshed, you’ll come across notes of villagers embracing the dogma around them. Sacrificing their children, their bodies and their dignity for their leader Sullivan Knoth, you’re get a look at how their very lives are torn apart. One note was from a child who knew death was close and didn’t want to leave the parents. At one point, you come across Jane Doe’s father, someone who’s lost everything and lie to him about his daughter being alive. Outlast 2 makes no qualms about its feel-bad status, driven by tout narration and pacing while bringing the horrors down-to-earth. It’s all the scarier when viewed through the lens of fanaticism and the effects it can have on average, good people.

"Even for the most seasoned horror buff, Outlast 2 is a tense yet somber experience that doesn’t pull any punches."

Though there’s plenty to like about the pacing, Outlast 2 isn’t a long game. Even with numerous deaths, it’s possible to finish the story in 7 hours or so. Honestly, this kind of length suits the experience well. There’s no padding or fluff – Outlast 2 is a thrill ride from start to finish. If I had to make any real complaints, it’s that it doesn’t reinvent the adventure horror FPS wheel. Back in 2013, Outlast stood out as a frenetic, horrific experience that never truly let up. Outlast 2 differentiates itself enough from the previous game without being completely unfamiliar, choosing to cook its tension for more extended periods of time before plunging you into despair. The tools of terror aren’t necessarily new but they’re wielded in a deft fashion. Those who enjoy the story should be warned though – all of your questions are most assuredly not answered with the ending. Your enjoyment of this will vary for sure.

However, Outlast 2 isn’t just about the trials and tribulations of Blake Langermann. It’s not even solely about the utter fanatic lengths that cults can go to. Outlast 2, like its predecessor, is about the human psyche and how even with the best possible intentions, our lives can tilt towards insanity with a few tweaks and tools. Even for the most seasoned horror buff, Outlast 2 is a tense yet somber experience that doesn’t pull any punches. If you’re an adventurous gamer who has the stomach for it, then Outlast 2 is a unique nightmare that you won’t soon forget.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Red Barrels’ Outlast 2 is nearly upon us and a new launch trailer has indicated exactly what horror fans can expect. That is to say, there’s plenty of cryptic horrors and the assurance that you’ll never sleep soundly again. Check it out below.

Outlast 2 tells a new story, one focused on journalist Blake Langermann as he and his wife Lynn. The duo look into the “impossible murder” of a Jane Doe before finding themselves threatened by a cult. If you played the recent demo, then that only somewhat defines the abject horror of the experience.

Releasing for PS4, PC and Xbox One, Outlast 2 is also bundled with Outlast Trinity. The physical edition will be sold at retail on Xbox One and PS4, and it includes Outlast, Outlast: Whistleblower DLC and Outlast 2. Both will be out on April 25th.

What are your thoughts on Outlast 2? Let us know in the comments below.

Long story short, it shouldn’t be too difficult to run it on your system. Minimum settings demand an Intel Core i3-530, 4 GB RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 or ATI Radeon HD 4870 with 1 GB VRAM. This will net you a 720p resolution at 30 FPS.

Recommended settings include an Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or ATI Radeon HD 7850 with 1.5 GB VRAM. This targets 1080p resolution with 60 FPS. Make sure you have 30 GB of installation space handy.

Outlast 2 follows Blake, a journalist as he and his wife suffer an air crash while investigating a woman’s murder. This leaves him trapped in a village full of crazies and something even more sinister. Outlast 2 arrives on April 25th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

MINIMUM:

• OS: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10, 64-bits
• Processor: Intel Core i3-530
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics: 1GB VRAM, NVIDIA Geforce GTX 260 / ATI Radeon HD 4870
• DirectX: Version 10
• Storage: 30 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
• Additional Notes: Targetting 720p @ 30 fps

RECOMMENDED:

• OS: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10, 64-bits
• Processor: Intel Core i5
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: 1.5GB VRAM, NVIDIA Geforce GTX 660 / ATI Radeon HD 7850
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 30 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
• Additional Notes: Targetting 1080p @ 60 fps

Red Barrels’ Outlast 2, a sequel to their immensely terrifying first person adventure, will be releasing on April 25th for PS4, Xbox One and PC. Not only will it be available digitally but a physical release has also been confirmed.

But that’s not all. Those who want to experience the entire saga with Outlast, Outlast: Whistleblower DLC and Outlast 2 can invest in the Outlast Trinity pack. It will be available physically on Xbox One and PS4.

The developer did release a demo for Outlast 2 and put us in the shoes of Blake Langermann, an investigative journalist seeking the truth about a pregnant woman’s “impossible murder”. Joined by his wife Lynn, the aircraft transporting the couple went down over a crazed village and suffice to say, the locals are anything but friendly.

Will you be picking up Outlast 2 or Outlast Trinity when they release in April? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for more information.

Red Barrels’ Outlast 2 is already a really scary game if you’re going by the short demo available on Xbox One, PS4 and Steam. Given the influx of first person horror titles tuned for VR, is there a chance that Outlast 2 could hop on the bandwagon, at least for PlayStation VR?

Currently, there are no plans for such according Red Barrels president Philippe Morin in an interview with PlayStation Lifestyle. When asked about Outlast 2 supporting PlayStation VR on PS4 in 2017, Morrin said, “No, it won’t be. I think that if you want to make a really effective and enjoyable VR game, it has to be built from the ground up for it.

“Since, we’re a small team of 20 people, we have to focus on one thing at a time. We’ll see once we ship Outlast 2 if we jump on the VR bandwagon.

It’s possible that post-launch support could happen but right now, Red Barrels is focused on Outlast 2’s gameplay. Expect to see it in early 2017 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Unexpectedly, Red Barrels has announced that a demo for Outlast 2 is now available for PS4 and PC users to try out. The Xbox One version isn’t available yet but a representative for the developer told GameSpot that it will be available soon.

Outlast 2 takes place in Arizona where you, Black Langermann, and your wife, Lynn, work as investigative journalists to solve the murder of a pregnant woman. The game promises a deeper level of horror than ever before and judging by how insane the first game was, we’re already spooked by the possibilities.

The free demo is a 7.4 GB download on Steam and will be available up till November 1st. Though you can still play it after that date, it’s likely that the demo won’t be downloadable.

Outlast 2 is out in early 2017 for current gen platforms though it was originally slated to release by Fall 2016. Are you playing the demo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.