The game is a DLC for the original version of Outlast. New content was developed and published by Red Barrels, creators of the original game. Outlast: Whistleblower is both a sequel and a prequel to Outlast as it starts before its action, continues as a parallel story and ends after the strange final of the original game. It’s a good idea to play Whistleblower so far as it reveals some secrets and finally answers the main question.
Our review for this DLC discovers every aspect of gameplay and plot. The second paragraph about a story of the game contains some spoilers so pass it if you want to explore the game on your own. Be sure to check our verdict as well.
Gameplay
Game mechanics are pretty similar to Outlast. You are playing as a regular human surrounded by mutated patients of Mount Massive Asylum. Almost every encountered NPC is hostile to you, especially near the end of the game. Battles and weapons are disabled. This feature is the same as in original game, but here it is not as scary as there.
So, you have to run or hide to avoid enemies and reach the exit. Use lockers, beds, dark corners, ventilation and all other inaccessible places. Here you also can use small places and slits as patients cannot squeeze through them. But certain episodes are linear and scripted. During such events, you have to press specific buttons or do something unusual to stay alive.
The gameplay of Outlast series and Whistleblower part as well features a small list of collectible or usable items. Near the beginning, you will grab a camera with recorder similar to a gadget from the previous game. To use it and built-in night vision goggles you should use batteries. Look for them during the game near devices, radios, and phones.
Also, you can collect special documents located in different areas. Folders with notes are easily recognizable as they are blue and marked with CONFIDENTIAL title. Documents provide interesting texts about locations and characters of the game. Be sure to find these folders if you want to dive into the story completely.
Story
The name of your hero is Waylon Park. He is one of the engineers in Mount Massive Asylum who have discovered some mysteries of Murkoff Corporation. Waylon decides to open secrets about crimes and tortures to the world. Engineer sends an e-mail to Miles Upshur who is the main protagonist of Outlast. You can see this e-mail at the beginning of the original game. Employer of Waylon Park notices an information leak and turns your hero into his guinea-pig.
When the Walrider starts to crush guards and doctors Waylon breaks free. You can control him and his camera from this moment. Make your way to the exit through hostile patients and workers. During this journey you will encounter a lot of foes including some bosses:
- Frank Manera. Evil cannibalistic butcher with a circular saw who just wants to kill everybody. One of the scripted events here is trapping you in a furnace. It’s interesting that Frank Manera leaves you near Chris Walker, a guard from the previous game.
- Eddie Gluskin. A strange maniac who tries to find a bride. He catches other patients and workers, tortures them, cuts off their genitals and hangs his victims. Eddie will catch you several times and even tries to kill you during scripted scenes.
- Jeremy Blaire. Your former employer. He will chase you during the entire game. Blaire destroys a radio leaving no chance to connect the outside world and tries to – surprise! – kill you. The Walrider will destroy him near the exit.
In the yard near gates, you can spot a car of Miles Upshur who is in the building. Timings of gates are pretty similar to the end of Outlast: Whistleblower takes action a few minutes after the end of Outlast. As you enter the desired car you can see the Walrider in the body of Miles exiting Mount Massive Asylum. He tries to stop you, but here a scripted scene starts and you quickly escape this terrible place breaking gates.
There is also an epilogue in which Waylon Park sits near his laptop and speaks with a mysterious man, the former member of Murkoff Corporation. A stranger asks you to upload videos from Mount Massive Asylum to reveal its dark story. He also warns you that guards of Murkoff are dangerous and they will try to kill everybody who knows about the incident. At the end of the game, Waylon uploads videos and closes his laptop.
Verdict
At all, Outlast: Whistleblower is an interesting DLC which continues and complements the story of Outlast. It is scary enough as well. We like visual and sound effects, that atmosphere of horror is cool too. 2 hours of gameplay are dynamical so the game isn’t boring.
But there are some cons. This DLC doesn’t offer any original experience or new features. Locations and enemies are similar to the original game which causes deja vu. Outlast: Whistleblower is also like a labyrinth without hints where you don’t know where to go.
Our verdict: 7/10. It’s still scary but uses old tricks with poor-designed quests.
Interesting facts
As a bonus we want to provide some trivia about the game:
- A whistleblower literally is a person who informs the world or specific organizations about illegal activity in his own organization.
- A song from the trailer is I Want a Girl by American Quartet. It can be heard in some episodes of the game and Eddie Gluskin also sings it.
- Waylon Park makes his way through Mount Massive Asylum through locations from Outlast. A mirror version of this route is followed by Miles Upshur in the original game.
