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- Updated June 25th, 2023, by Amy Cowley:
Released seven years ago, Outlast gave gamers the absolute chills with its haunting atmosphere, grotesque imagery, and the inability to fight back any of the enemies players encounter. This revolutionized the gameplay mechanic of running and hiding in horror games to a tee, having to rely on players' wits and sense of hearing to know how to survive at the hands of the Variants.
Each game in the Outlast series introduced a colorful cast of enemies who still haunt players to this day. Who are the scariest Outlast characters?
Updated November 11, 2021, by Mark Sammut: The Outlast Trials is currently in development and looks set to debut sometime in 2022. The game looks promising, and it will bring a multiplayer component to the series. This entry will not be replacing Outlast 3, so fans of the previous games can also look forward to a more traditional entry. If there is one thing The Outlast Trials needs to get right, it is its villains. Outlast produced some of the horror genre's most terrifying characters of the 2010s, and this article has been expanded to include a few more of them.
UPDATE: 2023/06/19 17:10 EST BY JAKE FILLERY
Updated June 25th, 2023, by Amy Cowley:
Now that The Outlast Trials is currently available on Steam, there are now a whole host of new and terrifying characters added to Outlast's already impressive roster.
Though all of the NPCs and Outlast characters are frightening, there are a few figures that stand out from the rest for traumatizing players the most with their actions on-screen, and their extremely unsettling character designs. With that said, this article has been given a much-needed update to shine a light on some of the horrors buried in the mysteries of the trials.
18 Leland Coyle
Leland is one of the Outlast Trials villains, corrupted and deluded from even a young age, leading him to become a truly twisted and deranged individual. Though he still dons his uniform, he is certainly not in the mindset of protecting or serving any of the hapless player characters he encounters in the trials.
With a background embroiled in abusive behavior and ties to racist organizations, he has always been a villainous man, and Outlast Trails shines a light on his horrendous behavior. He carries a stun baton that he is certainly prepared to use on his victims. Once he spots one of the Reagents, Cope will not stop unless they are lucky enough to lose him, or he downs them. If players see him in the Trials, they should run far and fast.
17 Pouncer
One of the Outlast monsters players can encounter, Pouncer is one of the most startling, and perhaps one of the most dangerous for unsuspecting Reagents. Tragically, she is an Ex-Pop who suffered extreme trauma which might explain her behavior.
The Pouncer will choose various hiding spots scattered throughout the trials, such as lockers, barrels, crates, or car trucks, and if a Reagent draws close enough, she will leap out and tackle them to the ground. Players will need to react quickly and mash the button prompt shown on the screen to throw her off, otherwise, she will beat the Reagent until they die. Though if a player has a brick or bottle equipped, they can use it to immediately through the Pouncer off, but she will return for another round.
16 Mother Gooseberry
One of the most underused types of horror is dental horror, but thankfully, Mother Gooseberry is here to help fill the void. Once a children's TV presenter, Mother Gooseberry fell into disgrace, most likely due to her split personality disorder which she expresses through a rather creepy hand-puppet that is a duck wearing a top hat, named Doctor Futterman.
Doctor Futterman is obsessed with oral hygiene, but it is doubtful that they have any experience in this field, as their patients end up being butchered through the use of dental instruments. Though Mother Gooseberry puts up a caring, maternal front, any Reagent who ends up in her sights should run, or they will find themselves at the non-existent mercy of her villainous alter-ego Doctor Futterman.
15 Night Hunter
Though the Night Hunter is one of the grunts, his status should not be taken into account when estimating this Outlast Trials villain. He is still highly dangerous, and highly terrifying to encounter. Whereas the darkness of the trials offers a safe harbor to Reagents from most of the Ex-Pops, there is no such luck with the Night Hunter, as his night-vision goggles allow him to easily spot and pursue Reagents who try to hide in the shadows.
He is the most confident in the dark, but his goggles also mean he has a weakness. In areas that are brightly lit, the Night Hunter grows visibly frustrated and tries to shield his eyes from the light. When players encounter one of these Ex-Pops, they better pray there is a lit area close by, otherwise they will find themselves the prey of the Night Hunter.
14 Skinner Man
Along with struggling to survive against the violent antagonists that stalk their trials, Reagents must also worry about their sanity, as suffering from psychosis can come with some very unwelcome side effects, the Skinner Man being the most major one. A skeletal head with piercing red eyes and tendrils swirling behind him, his appearance is certainly the stuff of nightmares.
Unlike other enemies, the Skinner Man is relentless in his pursuit and always knows the location of his prey. Rather than violently beating the Reagent, he slowly drains their vitality with an AOE aura that will affect anyone unlucky enough to be in that area. Players will need to stay on top of maintaining their sanity to avoid the bone-chilling Skinner Man from appearing.
13 Dennis
Dennis' design is not particularly terrifying as he just looks like a burly man; however, what makes this character stand out is his dissociative identity disorder. During his brief appearance in Outlast: Whistleblower, Dennis can be heard speaking to himself as four different personalities, and their dialogue is deeply unsettling as they discuss giving the "interloper" to "thing below" as a sacrifice.
Dennis serves as a testament to Outlast's strong character writing; even a minor character like this can leave a lasting and haunting impression.
12 Jeremy Blaire
Jeremy Blaire is not a traditional "horror" villain and, consequently, doesn't hold a candle to the franchise's more iconic antagonists. That said, Jeremy might just be the most disgustingly immoral person in the franchise, and that is saying something.
Murkoff's Vice President plays a key part in keeping the experiments running, going out of his way to ensure the company's secrets remain hidden. If someone threatens to expose Murkoff, Jeremy will not hesitate to hurt them. Jeremy is chilling in an unspectacular way: a businessman who treats humans like cattle.
11 Val
Val has a sympathetic backstory as she was forced to kill children by the Testament of the New Ezekiel. This psychologically breaks Val, and the character eventually forms their group – the Heretics – that strives to bring the Anti-Christ into the world.
Val doesn't appear too often in Outlast 2 but the antagonist's storyline produces some of the most uncomfortable moments in the game. Whenever Val speaks of their dreams, the character is likely to inspire a few nightmares.
10 Laird Byron
Mirroring the man he's devout to the most, Laird Byron, the leader of the Scalled, is angry, bitter, and abusive towards his followers. He is also small, diseased, and heavily deformed, which is why he is an outcast from the Testament of the New Ezekiel, despite remaining loyal to Sullivan Knoth.
To feel better about himself, he casually hunts down those in his group who ever so slightly disagree with his methods and kills them through his servant, Nick Tremblay. Don't let Laird's size fool the player, this is one character who will give provide those nearby with the shivers.
9 Corgan
Despite not having a huge role or even being named in Outlast 2, Corgan still manages to be creepy. He is first encountered at the beginning of the game, looming through the darkness as he watches and studies players, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Eventually, he will strike and he will stop at nothing to kill.
Corgan serves as just a taste of what players are about to endure for the rest of the game and, with that blood-soaked face and dead, white eyes, one can only imagine how much more terrifying it can get.
8 Chris Walker
With his large physique, sinister grin, and relentless need to twist people's heads off like a bottle cap, Chris Walker is a terrifying force to be reckoned with. The first few times players come toe-to-toe with this monstrous behemoth are pulse-pounding. Especially the first time Miles has to hide from Chris in the control room and the antagonist almost catches him by looking in the nearby locker.
As players progress through the game, Chris' presence starts to become more predictable and less shocking; however, he still manages to make hearts drop whenever he enters the scene. Those skull-like teeth and piercing eyes will haunt players, no matter where they go.
7 Frank Manera
Much like Chris Walker in Outlast, Frank Manera is the player's introduction to Outlast: Whistleblower. When first met, Frank can be heard in the kitchen, slicing open a Murkoff employee. Upon coming face-to-face, players learn that he wields a buzzsaw and enjoys eating his deceased victims. His file also explains that he has a history of drinking blood from the chests of his victims.
When Frank was cut off from his favorite meals, he refused to eat, groom, and even bathe, hinting that he craved human flesh so much that he refused every other meal. Despite not having a long role in the game, Frank leaves his mark on gamers early on in an already uncomfortable gaming experience.
6 Richard Trager
Dr. Richard Trager was a real turning point in Outlast. Until then, Miles was simply avoiding Chris Walker and any other variants that got in his way. But, when that friendly voice in a desperate time of need extended a helping hand, it felt reassuring...until Miles finds himself at the mercy of a crazed doctor who wants to use him as an "experiment."
After Richard straps Miles to the chair and cuts off two of his fingers, suddenly players realize just how brutal even the more charming inhabitants of Mount Massive Asylum can be. Now, hopelessly injured and lost, Miles has to make his way out of Richard's domain before the doctor slices him up with his shears. Players were hoping to have an ally in hell, but instead, they might just become another failed experiment on the hospital bed.
5 Sullivan Knoth
The end of days is here and Sullivan Knoth is the only prophet to lead a mass infanticide to kill the Anti-Christ... at least that's what he believes. He may not look it but Knoth has special leadership abilities that allow him to fiercely order his legion of followers to do whatever he wishes, no matter how brutal or gruesome. He leads the Testament of the New Ezekiel with an iron fist, constantly abusing his powers.
Sullivan forces the women of the cult to breed as frequently as possible and then kill their offspring to avoid the end of days. He truly believes what he is doing is best for the world and, what makes him more terrifying, is that he is constantly gaining more and more followers as the years go by.
4 Marta
Marta is one of the most unknown entities of Outlast 2. All that is known is that she has been a close friend of Sullivan Knoth's since childhood, going as far as being affectionately called his "best beloved." One of the most feared and dangerous members of the Testament of the New Ezekiel, when players first come across Marta's heavily-robed dark, and tall appearance wielding a large pickaxe, suddenly all courage is tossed out the window. She almost seems like something straight out of the deepest pits of hell.
Marta mercilessly pursues Blake, stopping at nothing to kill him and anyone else that stands against the cult's ultimate goal. If players hear her mumbling gospel in the distance, they should hide fast because if she catches them, it's most likely game over.
3 Father Loutermilch
He's not a variant, but he could've been a very different kind of monster. Set before the events of both Outlast and Outlast 2, Father Loutermilch was a music teacher at St. Sybil High School who might have done something twisted. During Outlast 2, protagonist Blake Langermann constantly has visions of his time in school, at first things seem almost normal but then the screams of a little girl start to take over.
As the hallucinations continue, Blake is constantly hounded by a long-tongued demon who represents the priest, trying to get him to remember something he repressed. Near the end of the game, it's heavily implied that Loutermilch raped and murdered Jessica Gray, another student and old friend of Blake's. He would later stage her death as a suicide by hanging, also implying that he got away with his terrible sin.
2 The Twins
These two are just plain creepy. Their piercing stares, their tall, nude bodies, and how they, ever so calmly discuss who will claim Miles' tongue and liver for who knows what. Granted, players don't have to deal with these two too often throughout Outlast, but when they do, they better pray to a higher power the Twins don't find them.
They don't talk while stalking players, making it almost impossible to track them when they're close by. They are also smarter than the variants, able to look under beds and in closets to find Miles. They wish to kill the player and, whether they like it or not, they will accomplish that goal.
1 Eddie Gluskin
Once someone sees that disturbing smile, they have entered into something that will shake them to their bitter core. Eddie Gluskin, better known as "The Groom," is a man who searching for love and will do anything to make Waylon his blushing bride, even if that means mutilating him into his perfect woman. Abused by his father and uncle, Eddie became a violent misogynist and serial killer who still believes in the sanctity of love and marriage.
Reject him though, and Eddie will hang the player, along with the other victims that have turned down his lovely proposals. He's charming, he's tall and, darling, players could be a beautiful couple, that is if they have the stomach for his terror.
The Outlast games are available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.