History YMMV / Outlast

** [[https://youtu.be/wLLH1MRi3ZY?si=JZr8i2kzKDzVy7-Y Marta's Theme]] in ''Outlast 22'' is considered one of the best tracks of the game.

** ''Outlast 2.'' Some consider it an improvement on the first game in every way, providing an even better horror atmosphere, more frantic challenges, and the bleakest ending of all the games. Others were disappointed by the disconnect from the first game, and criticized the sequel's reliance on running and chasing as opposed to the (occasionally equally repetitive) stealth-based strategy of ''Outlast.''

* ScrappyMechanic: ''Outlast 2'' has a departure in mechanics from the first two installments, forcing the player to use bandages instead of ''Outlast'''s automatic rapid healing, introducing a stamina mechanic (and hamstringing player stamina when they are bleeding), and forcing the player to check their pocket for batteries instead of having their amount available whenever the camera is running. Furthermore, filmed events require Blake to keep the camera in place for a set amount of time and they, like paper documents, no longer have notes that can be viewed automatically or pause the game. Some praised the changes for adding a more complicated and realistic atmosphere to the game, unlike the unlimited stamina of the seemingly superhuman Miles and Waylon, while others criticized the changes for adding bloat and tedium, and making some challenges needlessly more complicated than they already are.

* ScrappyMechanic: ''Outlast 2'' has a departure in mechanics from the first two installments, forcing the player to use bandages instead of ''Outlast'''s automatic rapid healing, introducing a stamina mechanic (and hamstringing player stamina when they are bleeding), and forcing the player to check their pocket for batteries instead of having their amount available whenever the camera is running. Furthermore, filmed events require Blake to keep the camera in place for a set amount of time and they, like paper documents, no longer have notes that can be viewed automatically. Some praised the changes for adding a more complicated and realistic atmosphere to the game, unlike the unlimited stamina of the seemingly superhuman Miles and Waylon, while others criticized the changes for adding bloat and tedium, and making some challenges needlessly more complicated than they already are.

** In the base game, Miles notes that [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Richard Trager]] "probably has a set of golf clubs in the trunk of his Audi." Though meant as a sarcastic jab at [[FauxAffablyEvil manner of speaking]], the fact that Waylon can find a documented email from Jeremy Blair to Trager mentioning the two of them "hitting the greens" in ''Whistleblower'' shows he was right on the money.

* HilariousInHindsight: In WebVideo/{{Markiplier}}'s Let's Play of the game, a running joke is that the reason for Chris Walker's rampage is that he's just looking for his teddy bear. [[spoiler:The tie-in comics revealed that Chris Walker actually did still have a stuffed toy from his childhood, and he brought it with him when he was committed to Mount Massive Asylum. The toy in question? A little pig.]]

* {{Narm}}: Some feel that the highly detailed FacialHorror and {{Gorn}} are so over the top that it ruins the realism of the setting and makes some of the inmates almost cartoony.

** [[http://outlast.wikia.com/wiki/Frank_Manera/Dialogues Frank Manera's dialogue]] has creepy, suggestive connotations ("Gorgeous. Just the smell!") Waylon even describes Manera as looking at him with a hint of "desire"

** A minor case with Chris Walker. Even on [[Website/TVTropes This Very Wiki]], there are those who will, a bit too readily, see a point in Walker's enacting of a FinalSolution at Mount Massive. While understanding that the Walrider needs a host and thus a lack of one would pose it a problem, ''murdering every last person in the area'' is neither reasonable nor justifiable, and is nearly guaranteed to only delay the problem.

* BreatherLevel: The Courtyard. Preceded by the Male Ward, a non-stop adrenaline stress test where Trager poses a serious threat, and followed by the Female Ward, a very long level with multiple pitfalls and several hostiles and difficult traversal challenges, the Courtyard sticks out as being a very short, easy level with no hostiles at all up until (and except) Walker, who's very easy to avoid the one time he shows up near the end.

* ThatOneBoss: Trager. After immediately establishing himself as one of the sickest (but most memorable) bosses in the game, he proves himself a very difficult boss even on easy difficulties, as he's very fast, difficult to hide from, and is almost guaranteed to kill you once he's gotten too close. Coupled with a layout full of obstructions that make it easy to get caught, barricades that the player can only push away slowly, and patients that will scream when you're nearby and give away your position, it's

* CriticalDissonance: Whilst critics have been giving ''Outlast'' good to average reviews, it is received more favorably by players.

* HesJustHiding: [[spoiler:Most refused to believe that Miles died after all he'd been through after the end of the first game. The DLC proved that he was indeed alive (whether in a resurrected body, or if the Walrider had simply regenerated his body and healed him from the gunshot wounds) and with at least partial, if not full control of the Walrider's powers. The ensuing comics posit that Miles's physical form has been destroyed and his mind and soul are now part of the Walrider collective (albeit still active and capable of assuming contorl), but the amount of unreliable narrators and ambiguity involved has dissuaded few fans from the firm belief that Miles will return in a future installment in one way or another.]]

* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: ''Whistleblower'' has been accused by critics as being too similar to the original game and not adding anything new. While partly right, this is a major case of CriticalDissonance as fans love it.

* CrackPairing: [[spoiler:There's a wealth of fanart for Miles and Walrider, given Walrider's preference for Miles as a host to the point of saving his life and Miles's ability at least somewhat control Walrider, portraying them as something of a well-functioning OddCouple to humorous effect.]]

* HesJustHiding: [[spoiler:Most refused to believe that Miles died after all he'd been through after the end of the first game. The DLC proved that he was indeed alive (whether in a resurrected body, or if Walrider had simply regenerated his body and healed him from the gunshot wounds) and with at least partial, if not full control of Walrider's powers. The ensuing comics posit that Miles's physical form has been destroyed and his mind and soul are now part of the Walrider collective (albeit still active and capable of assuming contorl), but the amount of unreliable narrators and ambiguity involved has dissuaded few fans from the firm belief that Miles will return in a future installment in one way or another.]]

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Is Billy murdering everyone in the Asylum, variant and Murkoff, because he's an OmnicidalManiac... or is he aware that without people there will be no more hosts and eventually he will die when the systems fail due to no-one monitoring them and that the Walrider will then have no host and die and murdering everyone inside Mount Massive is the only way of keeping the world safe from the Walrider?

* HilariousInHindsight: In LetsPlay/{{Markiplier}}'s Let's Play of the game, a running joke is that the reason for Chris Walker's rampage is that he's just looking for his teddy bear. [[spoiler: The tie-in comics revealed that Chris Walker actually did still have a stuffed toy from his childhood, and he brought it with him when he was committed to Mount Massive Asylum. The toy in question? A little pig]].

** Waylon Park. The man has been having suicidal thoughts throughout the DLC and has a wife and two kids, which makes Gluskin chasing him to force Waylon to be his "bride" a whole lot worse. [[spoiler: And for his whistleblowing at the end, Waylon and those that are close to him will likely suffer the consequences.]] Make worse by the fact that while Miles expresses his angst and frustration through snark and anger, Waylon's journal entry is filled with how he was terrified and miss his family.

* DuelingGames: ''VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent'''s [[VideoGame/AmnesiaAMachineForPigs sequel]] was released the same month as this game.

** That lovely ''squelch'' when you step into some gore, which will be often.
*** Hell, the gore itself is ''creative''. Pots in kitchens boiling with blood and limbs stewing inside, fountains in the Courtyard filled with bodies, inmates committing necrophilia with headless corpses that might've been decomposing for who knows how long...

** Disturbingly enough, Gluskin is rather popular. It's easy to forget that him and Trager only appear about two third after the game started.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: The ending to ''Whistleblower'' is this for fans who disliked the ending of the original game.

* ThatOneAchievement: Beating the game on [[HarderThanHard Insane mode]] without ever reloading the batteries needed for your night vision. Normal mode is difficult enough without needing to reload your camcorder, since 90% of the game is in pitch black darkness. Insane mode, however, not only makes enemies more perceptive, but also [[CheckpointStarvation completely disables checkpoints]]. So if you die, ''you'll have to start all over.''
** The achievement is not present in PS4 however, so players of that video game console can at least spare themselves the trouble of trying to achieve it.