The first 'level', or what I am going to consider for this, seeing as Outlast doesn't actively indicate segments as they come, is going to be the intro into the game, and first story 'task' we complete, which progresses the narrative (ie, the 'completion' of the first objective, which is to explore the Mount Massive asylum).
As in many games, this level introduces us to the mechanics and controls of the game, before throwing us straight into things.
We open up the game, driving up to Mount Massive. This is a short segment, with the player unable to do a lot more than look around, until the car is brought to a stop. Miles looks to his right, picking up a folder, containing the email that sent us here, introducing to us how a lot of our story and backstory segments are to be introduced - through confidential files and letters we will be able to find scattered throughout the game. We put the email away, and reach for the remaining two items. Batteries and a camera. The camera here is to be our main 'tool' in this game - we need to record and film as much of our trip as we can, in order to save it as proof, and this camera shall also be our main source of light. The night vision feature requires batteries to run, so our use of it is limited, but allows us to find our way in areas that are too dark, or to see things we normally might not notice in the lighting.
Putting our camera down, Miles exits the car - introducing our third gameplay mechanic - the notes system. Miles will scribble down his thoughts or plans on certain game segments, allowing us extra insight into his thoughts on the story, and pointers to guide us and remind us what the task at hand is.
The gates slam shut behind us, and we take control of Miles.
Wandering around, we see no one is here? The guard post is abandoned, and the grounds look untended. Military vehicles sit outside the locked front door.
Attempting to find a new way in leads us around til we come across a gate, with the bottom corner bent upwards, allowing us to learn that we are able to crouch to progress through small areas. The path here leads us to scale some scaffolding and scramble inside an open window, introducing jumping and climbing abilities. These abilities are restricted, meaning we're only able to jump and climb when the opportunity is available - meaning the player cannot 'bunnyhop' their way through the game, which forces the player to remain at least somewhat serious.
Once inside, the game pushes the player to try out the night vision mechanic.
As we progress further inside, we're introduced to more of the game mechanics. How to open and close doors, slowly or rapidly, how to squeeze through narrow gaps. We learn more about collecting documents, and filled in on the battery system for the camera. The game goes easy on you here - nothing much happens, bar some static noise that bursts from the tv in an attempt to scare you. We see glimpses of life - figures slamming doors, footprints, splatters of blood. The phones are all off the hook.
The game progressively builds the tension here, feeding the player with paranoia.
The snippets of story we uncover within the found documents tells us that something serious is happening here, and the ever progressing trail of blood and death keeps the player waiting, unsure when something is going to happen.
We crawl through a vent, hearing Miles shallow, panting breathing the entire time. Through the gaps we see a man run and lock himself in a room, crying out 'oh god!'. We squeeze out, breath a sigh of relief, and ease open the library door.
Wham! Down drops a corpse, dangling in front of us. Loud musical cues, in contrast to the quiet, vacant silence before, startle Miles and the player into reaction. The music continues - there's no way around.
We progress through. It's dark, but with the night vision we can see heads, lining shelves. Silhouetted in the one window, we see a body, impaled on a pole. Approaching, it jerks towards us, gargling out a dying warning.
"They killed us. They got out. The variants."
At this point, the player has no idea what this 'cutscene' means. I say 'cutscene', because this game offers two different forms of story nodes, when received from other non-player characters. The differences are slight, but during this scene, Miles still has the power to walk away. We can downplay this creepy message, twirling on the spot as he speaks, and even ignore him and outright walk away. Later on, we get more set cutscenes, where we cannot move, or add our input into the scene, and are forced to watch and accept whatever is about to happen to both us, and poor Miles.
"You can't fight them. You have to hide."
The guard warns us, teaching us our last, and most important game mechanic. You run, or you hide, or you run until you can hide. There is no way to fight back in this.
We learn that the way out is through the main doors, which we can unlock from security control. '
We leave the library through a door we did not enter through. The music is gone, and Miles breathing calms, slowly. No one is around.
Our only way forward is to squeeze through more shelves.
'Little pig', he breathes in our ear, grabbing Miles and throwing him back, through the banister and down to the floor below.
Miles flails in panic, and our vision goes black as he hits the ground.
This cutscene is what I mentioned before, where we have no control over Miles or what is happening to him.
A figure we will come to know as Father Martin kneels over Miles' prone body, proclaiming him to be an apostle. The screen blacks again, and when our vision clears again, the man is gone, and Miles shakily climbs to his feet.
Time for our new objective.
This first level takes about 20 minutes to complete, depending on the player, and how much time they spend looking around. Overall, this level is an introductory level, meaning not a lot happens either story or gameplay-wise. We are introduced to the controls and game mechanics, and discover a few, base pieces of the story, and some of the characters. At this point, bar the comments from the guard, all of our snippets of plot have been in the form of documents. We know why Miles is there. We know something is going on at this asylum, and we know something, or someone, wants us dead.
We learn about Miles in his jotted notes, and in his reactions to certain events. We can tell how Miles is feeling, based on his breathing, and how rapid and loud it currently is. The faster, and the louder, the more terrified he is.
From his notes we see more personality. 'Fuck the third world and bankroll another billion', he writes, clearly showing his dislike for the company.
After first meeting Chris Walker, the man who threw him from the balcony, Miles writes that it 'looks like someone tried to fuck-start his head with a cheese grater'. Father Martin is a 'doughy old man with a face like an alcoholic kiddy fiddler in a homemade priest outfit'.
Miles is highly opinionated, for a man with very little audible dialogue in the game - yet knowing all of this is entirely possible to be missed by the player, should they chose not to read Miles' notes.
For this matter, you could argue that Miles is less of a character, and more of an avatar - without his input, you could consider him little more than a vessel, for you, the player, to guide around this asylum. The game doesn't give the player choices to make, aside from where and how fast or slowly we explore places, and inevitably, are forced to go where ever the game makes us, or to complete the objectives it gives, in order to progress the story.
Personally, I would definitely see Miles as a character, however. As the player, our input here is limited to how and where we move, the items that we can pick up or interact with, and how we get around enemies. Past that, in the actual, story driven nodes and scripted events, it is Miles who gets to make these decisions. Miles makes the choice to enter the asylum and investigate, not the player. Miles is the one to fight back (in some sequences). Miles is the one who could've just given up and died, but doesn't (aside from when we mess up).
The level design of the game itself, is simple. We are offered a building, with rooms and doors that are either locked, unlockable, or open. The player can progress through these at a relatively casual pace, provided you're not spotted by an enemy, and search and explore as much, or as little as they like. Greater exploration rewards the player with more story rewards, in the form of documents, or gameplay rewards, such as batteries, that can be used to help the player out later. The game offers small snippets of interactivity with each new objective. 'Find a way out', leads to finding a door, then finding a key, then turning the power on, etc. We interact with a keycard, to pick it up, and then later to swipe it. We interact with a keyboard, and Miles does as he likes. Overall, Outlast's game system is based a lot more heavily on running, hiding, and avoiding enemies, shortly followed by plot, and less on opportunities for player interactivity.
A majority of the level design here has been focused on building the atmosphere. Creepy, but not constant splatters of fear and gore. Jumpscares and chase scenes, but not constantly, leaving the player wondering when the next one will be.
The atmosphere of Outlast, combined with a compelling story and interesting characters, is what drives the appeal behind this game.
The player takes a more passive role in the story, experiencing the narrative through the experience and emotions that the character, Miles, must be feeling himself, paired with the occasional reading segments and the scripted cutscenes. The terror and panic, combined with a deep curiosity, as to just what is going on in this facility, plays out in both Miles and the player themselves (this is assuming that the player is actively playing with the intent to get into the story, and not joking around and not taking it seriously, which, even though the game doesn't offer a lot of means to do so, is still possible).
However, even with a passive role in the story elements, Outlast keeps the player more involved in the story, as cutscenes are still from the perspective of the character, thus keeping the views the same as to not break immersion. On top of this, a lot of the time our inability to participate is given basis, such as being restrained, or recovering from being knocked out.
Outlast does its very best to keep the immersion and atmosphere of the game at all times.
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