Outlast is a survival horror video game series that has immersed players in terror for over ten years. With over 37 million players around the globe, Red Barrels, an indie studio from Montreal, is determined to leave a lasting impact on those daring enough to dive into their games. The original Outlast has been dubbed “the holy grail of horror games” by its players, and the subsequent titles in the Outlast series have also received high ratings on platforms like Steam, IMDb, and IGN.
The latest title, The Outlast Trials, was released in 2023 across multiple platforms and continues to receive new content, events, and meaner enemies. Unlike the other Outlast games, the nightmares of The Outlast Trials can be tackled in co-op with up to three other players. Blending elements of stealth, resource management, and intense storytelling, the game brings players into a world set during the Cold War, where escape seems futile.
As someone who really enjoys horror games and has invested 179 hours into The Outlast Trials, I wanted to get an inside view on what creative process and insights that contribute to the development of these games. First Comics News wrote with Jonathan Morrell (SR Narrative Designer, Red Barrels) and Dan Didus (SR Level Designer, Red Barrels) to delve deeper behind the character inspiration, level design, and immersion of The Outlast Trials.
Characters Of Real Life Events & Lore
During the interview, Jonathan Morrell explained the close tie between being inspired by real-life occurrences and blending them into the Outlast world.
“JT Petty, who has been the narrative mastermind for the entirety of the Outlast franchise, has tied real-life events into the very DNA of Outlast, and especially Outlast Trials, so it’s hard to pinpoint just one inspiration, as even the minutest of details have ties to some sort of political, scientific, historic correlation, even if it’s just a passing mention of some occult conspiracist conclusion. The Outlast Trials is soaked in lore cribbed from real-life events. Even narratively speaking, you have some of our characters interacting directly with people from history, making them a part of the Outlast world. This has been the case since the very first game.” – Jonathan Morrell
Throughout the trials, players are hunted down by enemies called prime assets and ex-pops. Their designs and stories are the definition of horror. Morrell discussed that it is a “case-by-case scenario” when striking a balance between realism and exaggerated fiction/horror when creating the characters.
“In speaking, let’s say, about our latest Prime Asset, we needed to validate that it COULD be possible. Once that’s out of the way, it’s developing a backstory that makes them engaging and based in our world. There are atrocities in our real world that some people couldn’t even imagine, so it’s only a small walk to stretch that a bit. There’s a term I’ve seen thrown around, and it’s “Extreme Reality” or something like that… And essentially, it means that everything in our franchise needs to be “possible”. If you go back all the way to the first Outlast, the game leads you to believe one thing when it comes to the Walrider, but eventually, you come to find out, it’s not that at all.
When it comes to the universe itself, like I mentioned before, so much of what we do is steeped in real life, or at the very least, in semi-verifiable conspiracy theories. We take the events that we can latch onto, and then we build our own version of the facts. Murkoff, having deep ties with the American government, and with such deep pockets, makes it easy to bury any undesirable headlines, IE.: The lead from the Whistleblower.” – Morrell
Of course, through the early stages of game development, some characters underwent major changes, while others were kept on the sidelines for a (possible) later date. Morrell sheds some light on the factors that go into character modifications. Who gets the axe and who gets to have a run with the Reagents (player characters)?
“There are some sketches and concepts floating around online of Ex-Pop that (so far) have not made the cut. This was either due to technical constraints or because the thing that made them special was used on a different person. Early on in our early access, we even had a completely different Prime Asset. Prescott Whitehorn still exists within our narrative bible, but who knows if he’ll ever make a return to the Sinyala facility… Maybe he’s already back?“ – Morrell
The Outlast Trials is a game about cooperation and surviving another trial.
Red Barrels has created a uniqueness to the Reagents compared to typical horror protagonists.
“There is a theme that resonates across all Reagents, and that is a sense of hopelessness. The Sinyala Facility actively recruits people who have hit rock bottom. Convicts, drug addicts, vagrants, and people who won’t be missed. The ones who volunteered did so on the false pretense of starting over with a new lease on life, only to wake up in an underground corner of fresh hell. And that is reflected in most of our character assets. There are no smiles or quirky one-liners. Across the six different player voices to choose from, they all communicate a sense of urgency, fear, and need. These are people that HAVE to work together, otherwise they’ll be hacked to bits or worse.
I guess that’s partially what puts us apart from other horror protagonists, in a way. It’s all very dour, and other than an exception here or there, a happy ending never comes. And it’s true, Outlast fashion, of course, the players don’t have weapons, so you’re not blowing Gooseberry’s head off with a shotgun, or bludgeoning Coyle to death with a lead pipe. The best you can do is throw a bottle and hope it buys you enough time to get the fuck out of dodge. Run, hide, and don’t die. That’s the best you can do… Though we want to torture people enough that the third point is doubted heavily.“ – Morrell
Within the Trials lies another story
Dan Didus delved into the map design by stating that there is no one-size-fits-all formula. Key points that the team sticks to include good synchronization and that the map blends well within the gameplay and narrative landscapes early on.
“A key driver behind each map’s theme is how well it supports the story of its Prime Asset; the central antagonist or “boss” who exerts influence across the entire level(s). The environment must reflect their background, motivations or twisted purpose. For example, if the Prime Asset is a doctor, the map might take shape as a hospital, laboratory or psychiatric ward. Finding a theme that feels fresh and hasn’t been done to death in other games is always a challenge. We strive to pick locations that are both original and fertile ground for our unique brand of “Outlastishness.
To break it down further, we design two types of levels: Main Trials are our larger-scale maps, and MK-Challenges, which offer more compact, intense experiences. We always begin with the Main Trial, establishing the core environment and narrative. MK-Challenges are then crafted using sections of that Main Trial map, often expanded with adjacent areas, additional floors above or below, or unexpected twists to keep returning players on edge. Each Main Trial also always introduces new mechanics or ingredients, which MK-Challenges revisit and recontextualize in even more creative and often more challenging ways. And to top it all off, every Main Trial (and some MK-Challenges) features a signature final kill: A grotesque, disturbing climax that forces players to cross a line they’ll wish they hadn’t.“ – Didus
Because Red Barrels sticks closely to real-world history and landscape, Didus explains that after a theme is set, the next step is having the team dive into research.
“Many of our trials are loosely inspired by real people or unsettling events from the 1950s-1960s; moments in time marked by tragedy, trauma, or moral ambiguity. Several of our maps even begin with authentic floor plans from buildings of that era, grounding the environments in a believable foundation. Every detail is deliberate, and we work hard to ensure it all serves the overarching creative vision.
But as grounded as our environments may seem, they are never truly real. We subtly remind players that they are trapped within a massive experimental facility. An illusion staged within a hangar. You’ll see this in the towering metal beams, industrial structures, and the ever-watchful guards and scientists, strategically placed to observe key areas of the map. The world may feel lived-in, but it’s carefully staged to portray another layer of the manipulation. And since we’re based in Montreal, we like to slip in subtle nods to our hometown; little atmospheric touches that reflect where we come from. It’s our way of grounding the horror in something personal. After all, it’s no coincidence that the CIA’s infamous MKUltra experiments took place right here in Montreal.” – Didus
For players who have survived a few trials, they might have noticed that the world around them also tells a story. These bread crumbs have been carefully placed, and player interpretation is strongly encouraged by the team.
“One thing players will encounter frequently in any level is dead bodies. Sometimes, these are the remains of failed Reagents who didn’t survive the trial. Other times, they’ve been deliberately staged by Murkoff to provoke fear and unease. Eventually, players start to grow numb to the gore, at which point we like to say, “The therapy is working!”
At times, we also use blood as visual language to guide the player: trails might indicate possible navigation paths, co-op moves, vault points, or crawlspaces. It might also indicate, from a narrative standpoint, that a reagent from a past trial had been injured and took that path to escape a threat. Moreover, environmental clues like burn marks on mannequins’ private parts or shotgun holes on corpses often hint at a Prime Asset’s behavior before the player ever entered the trial. A good portrayal of the show-don’t-tell technique. Our storytelling also comes from the extreme lengths Murkoff goes to make the environment feel authentic. They manufacture fake assets with branded items, fake signage, and even fictional packaging. All this to sell the illusion that the player is somewhere real, when in fact, everything is part of a controlled simulation.
For those interested in digging deeper into the lore, we highly recommend paying close attention to Prime Asset dialogue across different maps. These lines often reveal key insights into their twisted pasts and how they connect to the horrors unfolding in the present.“– Didus
The Red Barrels team has a ritual of playtesting the game bi-weekly to help maintain alignment among departments and highlight the creative challenges. Originally, the maps for The Outlast Trials leaned more towards a “sandbox-style,” but Didus explains a change that became a staple.
“Instead of making every level completely randomized, we moved toward a narrative-first approach. From that point onwards, we build maps with strong, curated story structures and layer-controlled randomness on top. Things like enemy placements and patrols, item locations, traps, hide spots, and jump scares would become the shining elements of randomization. This shift allowed us to tighten pacing, build stronger emotional beats, and give players a more guided (but still unpredictable) experience. And even with that change, we never let go of one of our core pillars: no two play sessions should ever feel the same. Replayability is still a top priority; we’ve just gotten smarter about how we deliver it.” – Didus
Naturally, I had to ask which of the maps was a team favorite among the developers. I can’t say I’m surprised by the answer I got. But it does show that there is so much love and passion within the inner makings of the game.
“Without a doubt, the team’s favorite map is the first one we created after pivoting, which came out during our Early Access release: Police Station. It was a turning point. From that moment on, every map had to meet or exceed the same standards in pacing, flow, and narrative structure. What made Police Station so successful was its tight, clear objective design paired with immersive narrative elements. The core mechanic of finding keys hidden inside corpses was both disturbing and memorable. The twisted dynamic between Officer Coyle and the Snitch added an unsettling, darkly comedic undertone that stuck with players. The pacing was near-perfect, especially with the mid-trial twist where the power cuts out, forcing players to fix generators while under pressure.
What really set it apart was the division of labor: some players could focus on pushing the Snitch forward while others searched for keys and unlocked gates. It was intuitive, cooperative gameplay at its best. Carefully tuned AI behavior kept the tension high without ever feeling unfair, and the overall simplicity of the objectives made it approachable without sacrificing depth. Police Station set the gold standard, and it’s still a blast for us as developers to revisit, even years later.” – Didus
Let’s Conclude With Parting Emotions
Finishing a trial comes with a mixed bag of emotions for players. Success, a scream, or continued panic as you watch a straggler companion beyond saving within the hands of a prime asset. But what do the devs hope players feel after surviving a trial?
“What the f**k did we just do!?” That’s the reaction we aim for after any first playthrough from a new map or new player. Ideally, hearts are pounding well into the 100 BPM range. More than that, we want players to feel conflicted; emotionally shaken by what they’ve just done. The goal for us as developers on this project is to blur the finish line between shock, anxiety, disgust… and, for one fleeting moment, the illusion of safety!“– Didus
The introduction of the Kress Twins alongside the Shopping Mall map clearly shows that the team prioritizes their players and appreciates the feedback and support they receive. The fanbase is deeply engaged with the story and characters, creating detailed theory videos, cosplays, fan art, and marathon streams that showcase their passion. Didus gave us some parting insight on what themes and inspirations they look towards when creating new levels and maps.
“As I mentioned earlier, map themes work in direct unison with the Prime Assets. So, how do we choose them? Well, the honest (and maybe boring) answer is: It Depends! We tend to lean toward themes that haven’t been overdone in the genre and ones that genuinely excite the team. As long as the concept fits within the twisted world of Outlast, almost anything is possible. I’ll probably get in trouble if I say too much, but here’s what I can tell you: we’ve got some new map themes in the pipeline that we’re just as hyped about as the ones that came before. We’re always listening to fan feedback and suggestions play a big role in shaping what’s next, whenever and wherever we can make it work, especially for maps.
And hey, maybe you’ll catch a few nods to Outlast 1 or Outlast 2 in the future… who’s to say? Get your buns and your biscuits into The Outlast Trials, and let the therapy help you find out!” – Didus
That about wraps this interview up! I hope you are just as floored with inspiration and knowledge as I am. But, as Didus said, it’s time to jump back into the trials. Be sure to follow Red Barrels for future updates and new content on Instagram, Discord, and YouTube!
A big thank you to Jonathan Morrell and Dan Didus for your time to answer my questions!
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