The Outlast Trials: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Forget what you thought you knew about Red Barrels' Outlast; The Outlast Trials is an entirely different ballgame. It's heavily reliant on its co-op gameplay, for starters, which alone makes it a completely different experience from its two previous single-player campaigns. And it's because of this that, like other IPs that branch out to new territories, having to relearn all the basics is not only unavoidable, but crucial to keep your head above water when immersed in its tasks.

Fortunately, there are one or two tricks to help you get a few steps ahead of Murkoff Corporation in this cat-and-mouse survival-horror chapter. If you're interested in knowing what's what and who's who, then be sure to read on. The Outlast Trials: how can you survive it and live long enough to expose the corruption spat out by the practitioners of Murkoff? Let's dive right in.

5. Rigs Are Key

As you scrape through each trial either alone or with three other patients, you'll come to accrue XP, which gradually increases your Therapy Level. Once you've reached Level 2, you'll essentially have access to a new type of perk — which is a Rig. These specialized items, although rather limited in its current early access state, are an instrumental part of surviving the day-to-day against Murkoff Corporation and all its unethical practices. But, unless you get to know your home between challenges, it is possible that you'll miss it.

To get your hands on a Rig, you'll need to seek out Cornelius Noakes in the facility area. Once found, you'll have the choice of four different Rigs, each containing a valuable perk that you can consume during the trials. The four Rigs you can choose are as follows:

Stun

Equipping this allows you to throw a projectile at enemies and cause them to freeze for several seconds, giving you the time to make your escape. If you're one for running into trouble on a regular basis, then you'll definitely want to invest in this Rig.

Heal

Like its title suggests, the Heal Rig allows you to boost not only your own health, but those in proximity of your character at the time of activation. Again, a worthy investment, especially if you're one for playing close to the edge and ticking off a few monsters along the way.

X-Ray

Activating the X-Ray Rig grants you the temporary power to see through walls and other enemies' locations. This is definitely one of the better perks of the four, as it'll help you navigate the trials and complete objectives without accidentally running into any unwanted encounters.

Blind

The Blind Rig lets you place a movement-activated landmine that, once breached, emits a large burst of smoke and blinds its targets. When playing with others, this is a perfect tool to use when completing objectives in narrow areas — more so if the exits are scarce and likely to draw attention.

Once you've obtained a Rig, you'll be able to activate it during any of the available trials. It is worth noting, however, that Rig Rechargers are needed to be able to continue using your chosen ability. These can be found in metal lockers and the locked blue cabinets, which will need to be opened with a lockpick. Note that, if you fail the lockpicking mini-game, you will lose a smidgen of your sanity — so aim to avoid hammering the needle in the red section.

4. Fact Finding Is Essential

As tempting as it may be to stay hidden in a locker for extended periods of time, the truth is, without a little a exploration here and there, you'll never actually expose the corrupt world of Murkoff Corporation. What we propose here is, instead of darting from one objective to the next in a blind fit of paranoia, explore your surroundings. As you'll come to learn, each area houses valuable data, documents, and items — all of which pertain to the wrongdoings and unethical experiments conjured by Murkoff Corporation.

As well as providing a few extra pounds of lore to the world of Outlast, documents can also shed light on potential escape routes, blueprints, and hidden resources. So, if you happen to come across any sort of data, be sure to scoop it up and add it to your inventory. Chances are, that one dusty binder could just point you towards the nearest exit.

3. Be a Team Player

Unlike the other Outlast games in the saga, playing the lone wolf in The Outlast Trials really won't get you very far. On the contrary, it's all about being a team player, and above all, learning how to communicate with one another for the sake of completing your objectives. Without it, you'll find that achieving so much as a switching on a generator is far more hassle than it needs to be.

If you've the correct and most useful Rig on hand, then be sure to consider your teammates when carrying out tasks. Their survival, believe it or not, is just as important as yours — and they'll come to thank you for it in the long run, too. Bottom line is, be considerate of others, and work as a team to get the job done. In other words, don't immediately ditch the squad and make way for the hills the moment you hear the squeeze of the trigger.

2. Always Prioritize Stealth

As tempting as it may be to make use of your Rigs and turn the tide on your captors, the best and most efficient method of completing tasks is to do the exact opposite. Frankly, stunning or blinding your enemies won't result in the deaths, so there's honestly no use in bagging copious amounts of Rig Rechargers unless you absolutely have to. Instead, you should aim to prioritize stealthy maneuvers, and try to use the shadows to gravitate between objectives.

If getting the job done without any hiccups is what you're after, then consider onboarding the X-Ray Rig; that way you'll have an immediate advantage just as soon as the pursuers get a whiff of your whereabouts. In short, avoid confrontation, and unless you can't help it, spend less time gathering Rig Rechargers and more time working as a close-knit team to get the job brushed up before taking any casualties.

1. Just Go With It

This may seem like a copout tip, but the truth is, The Outlast Trials isn't supposed to be a quick romp through the motions. Instead, Red Barrels' goal is to provide its players with something a little more long haul — hence the advanced and, let's face it, unfair enemy AI. But if you can bear with it, then you'll come to find that there's a lot more in store behind the varied learning curves.

Of course, as with any game that employs an XP system, getting to learn your surroundings and adopt new abilities can be a rather daunting task. However, once you've climbed a couple of Therapy levels and gained your first Rig, tasks will become a lot easier. So, while you're learning the basics, be sure to get a feel of the facility and its blueprints. And above all, stick with it! Good luck!

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our best tips? Are there any valuable tips you'd like to submit for The Outlast Trials' newest patients? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.