The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Choose Outlast 2 for a focused, solo story about an investigative journalist lost in the Arizona desert. Choose The Outlast Trials if you want repeatable Murkoff experiments and the option to play online with others. The key difference is format: one is a protagonist-led investigation; the other is a series of ordeals you can tackle alone or with a team.
At a glance: story versus experiments
| What you want | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A single protagonist-led investigation | Outlast 2 | Its story follows investigative journalist Blake Langermann as he searches for his wife, Lynn, in the Arizona desert. Red Barrels’ official game page describes the investigation. |
| Cooperative horror with friends | The Outlast Trials | Red Barrels describes experiments that can be attempted alone or in teams of up to four. The Xbox listing specifies online co-op for two to four players. Red Barrels’ Early Access announcement; Xbox Store listing. |
| A succession of challenges rather than one movie-like arc | The Outlast Trials | Red Barrels Co-Founder Philippe Morin described the design this way: “If the previous games could be compared to movies, The Outlast Trials is more like a TV Series.” PlayStation Blog interview, September 3, 2021. |
| A story option with fewer enemy encounters | Outlast 2, in Story Mode | Red Barrels says Story Mode reduces challenges and enemy encounters to give players more breathing room with Blake’s story. Red Barrels’ Story Mode announcement, March 27, 2018. |
This is a recommendation by format and access needs, not a claim that one game is objectively scarier. The cited sources do not establish a measured head-to-head scare comparison.
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What kind of story do you want?
Outlast 2: one investigation, one central protagonist
Blake Langermann is a cameraman working with his wife, Lynn; both are investigative journalists. Their inquiry into the apparent murder of a pregnant woman known as Jane Doe takes Blake into the Arizona desert. The official premise makes the game a direct fit if you want to follow one character through a specific mystery rather than move between repeatable assignments. Red Barrels’ official Outlast 2 page.
The Outlast Trials: Murkoff’s Cold War-era ordeals
The Outlast Trials places players in a Cold War-era Murkoff facility, where test subjects face physical and mental ordeals. The developer’s May 18, 2023 announcement described a narrative introduction and a program structure, rather than the movie-like shape of the earlier games. If you like returning to a premise through a succession of experiments, this is the more natural match. Red Barrels’ Early Access announcement.
#1 Best Overall
Will you play alone or online?
The Outlast Trials is not limited to groups: Red Barrels says its experiments can be attempted alone or in teams of up to four. Its Xbox Store listing identifies online co-op for two to four players, while the PlayStation Store listing states that online play is required and lists four online players. The available sources do not compare the solo experience with co-op, so do not assume they feel equally suited to every player.
Check the store listing for your platform and region before buying. On Xbox consoles, the listing says online multiplayer requires a separately sold Game Pass Essential, Premium, or Ultimate subscription. Requirements and availability can vary by platform and region. Xbox Store listing; PlayStation Store listing.
The cited official material establishes a protagonist-led story and a Story Mode for Outlast 2, but does not establish a multiplayer mode.
Is Outlast 2 too intense for you?
If you are interested in Blake’s story but want fewer interruptions from enemies, Outlast 2 has a Story Mode option. Red Barrels described it as having minimal challenges, fewer enemy encounters, and more breathing room to experience Blake’s struggle; it said the mode was available on all platforms when announced on March 27, 2018. That is the developer’s description, not a measured difficulty comparison. Red Barrels’ Story Mode announcement.
What platforms and access details should you check?
- The Outlast Trials on console: the reviewed PlayStation listing covers PS4 and PS5, and the reviewed Xbox listing covers Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Both list March 5, 2024 as the console release date. Confirm current platform availability on your regional storefront. PlayStation Store; Xbox Store.
- Outlast 2: Red Barrels announced digital availability for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on April 25, 2017. Its official page also records a limited physical Nintendo Switch edition made available in October 2018; that historical release does not confirm present retailer stock. Red Barrels’ release announcement; official game page.
- Mature-content descriptors: the reviewed PlayStation and Xbox listings identify violence and gore, and include sexual-content descriptors. Read the current rating and content details on your own storefront, since listings may vary by region. PlayStation Store; Xbox Store.
Which one should you choose?
- Pick Outlast 2 if you want to follow Blake’s investigation from a defined story premise, or if Story Mode’s fewer enemy encounters appeal to you.
- Pick The Outlast Trials if you want a repeatable experiment-based structure and the choice of online co-op, after checking the requirements for your platform.
- If both formats sound appealing, decide whether you would rather spend your time following one investigation or returning to a succession of ordeals. The games offer different structures, not a source-backed winner on scariness.
The Outlast Trials received post-launch additions in 2024, including a new story trial and other content described in Red Barrels’ Project Lupara update. That dated example illustrates the game’s update-based structure; it should not be treated as a complete account of what the game contains now. PlayStation Blog: Project Lupara, July 16, 2024.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
- BECOME A TEAM - Dungeons & Dragons: Trials of Tempus is a cooperative, team-based game for 2-8 players, where rival parties of Heroic adventurers battle to prove their worth and mettle in the ever-changing Battlerealms of Tempus, God of War!
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- GAME INCLUDES - 9 Map Tiles, 4 D20s, 25 Unpainted Miniatures, 1 Rule Book, 344 Cards, 333 Tokens
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