Outlast 2 gets first screen, ditches the asylum & might have a lady... uh, bad guy

Having previously teased Outlast 2 with a trailer (at the bottom) developer Red Barrels has teased out a new screen, with a few little hints in it.

The original game saw you play as a reporter investigating an asylum with a found footage camera mechanic as you hid from insane, near monstrous patients. It was... stressful - a brilliantly executed horror game, even if it did get a bit 'huh?' towards the end.

We don't know that much about the new one yet, only that it will involve "a twisted new journey into the depths of the human mind and its dark secrets". This is the new image the studio tweeted out, which I've lightened ever so slightly to highlight some of the details:

That's quite the pickaxe - lights, dials, ornamentation. It looks like it has a story to tell. As does that slender arm and leg clearly indicating a female... enemy? Character? The tattered fabric and enormous spiky weapon do suggest a slight case of evil. The previous Outlast led its much of its early trailers and screens with glimpses of Chris Walker (the 'little pig' guy), a monstrous ex-marine that followed you, Terminator-style, through the asylum.

This time there no asylum according to Red Barrels:

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The trailer has a deep south hint to it and if you look at the back of the screen you can see what looks like a cornfield pressed against the side of a mountain, and the roof of a distant building. That would suggest a potentially more open area to play in, although hiding will still apparently be a big deal:

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The only other bit of info Red Barrels has mentioned is that it takes place "somewhat" after the events of the first game. That suggests the two could be connected in some way.

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Leon Hurley
Managing editor for guides

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for guides, which means I run GamesRadar's guides and tips content. I also write reviews, previews and features, largely about horror, action adventure, FPS and open world games. I previously worked on Kotaku, and the Official PlayStation Magazine and website.