Red Barrels took the Outlast formula into co-op with The Outlast Trials, which left Early Access on March 5, 2024. You play a Reagent, a Cold War era test subject processed by the Murkoff Corporation inside the Sinyala Facility and pushed through therapy sessions that are really survival gauntlets. You never get a gun: your entire kit is one Rig, a few throwables, and night vision goggles that eat batteries.
The Outlast Trials features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Police Station | Introductory to Psychosurgery | Kill the Snitch completion, 2 release tokens | X-Ray scout |
| 2 | Orphanage | Standard and above | Cleanse the Orphans completion, Gooseberry counterplay practice | X-Ray scout |
| 3 | Fun Park | Standard to Intensive | Grind the Bad Apples completion, 2 release tokens | Stun controller |
| 4 | Courthouse | Intensive and above | Multiple trial completions, lockpick route knowledge | Stun controller |
| 5 | Toy Factory | Intensive to Psychosurgery | Endgame token farming, late Prescription funding | Stun controller |
Police Station: Starting Area
Home of Kill the Snitch, the opening trial of Program 1: Rule of Law, and Sergeant Leland Coyle's hunting ground. Tight cell blocks and a heavy electrified theme punish anyone who sprints blindly.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Introductory to Psychosurgery |
| Key Rewards | Kill the Snitch completion, 2 release tokens |
| Recommended Build | X-Ray scout |
| Key Equipment | Bottle |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Rig abilities. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Orphanage.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Orphanage: Early Game
Program 3: Tough Love opens with Cleanse the Orphans, where you turn children away from Mother Gooseberry's teachings. Long sight lines upstairs, cramped dorms below.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Standard and above |
| Key Rewards | Cleanse the Orphans completion, Gooseberry counterplay practice |
| Recommended Build | X-Ray scout |
| Key Equipment | Bottle |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Sanity and psychosis. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Bottle if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Fun Park.
Fun Park: Mid Game
Program 2: Murder Rides begins with Grind the Bad Apples, routing you through the park to the Root Canal. Open midway sections leave you exposed between rides.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Standard to Intensive |
| Key Rewards | Grind the Bad Apples completion, 2 release tokens |
| Recommended Build | Stun controller |
| Key Equipment | Bottle |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Brick becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Night vision battery drain for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Courthouse: Late Game
A vertical map stacked with locked chambers. Its trial list runs from Vindicate the Guilty through Destroy the Evidence, and lockpicks pay for themselves here more than anywhere else.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intensive and above |
| Key Rewards | Multiple trial completions, lockpick route knowledge |
| Recommended Build | Stun controller |
| Key Equipment | Brick |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Brick should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Release tokens mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Toy Factory.
Toy Factory: Endgame
Added with the 1.0 launch in March 2024. Machinery noise masks footsteps in both directions, which cuts against audio tracking harder than any other Genesis map.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intensive to Psychosurgery |
| Key Rewards | Endgame token farming, late Prescription funding |
| Recommended Build | Stun controller |
| Key Equipment | Brick |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Solo objective runner for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Police Station → Orphanage → Fun Park → Courthouse → Toy Factory. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More The Outlast Trials Guides
- The Outlast Trials The Outlast Trials Overview
- The Outlast Trials Best Builds
- The Outlast Trials Tier List
- The Outlast Trials Walkthrough
- The Outlast Trials Beginner's Guide
- The Outlast Trials Tips & Tricks
- The Outlast Trials Weapons Guide
- The Outlast Trials Combat Guide
- The Outlast Trials Boss Guide
- The Outlast Trials Crafting Guide
- The Outlast Trials Classes & Characters
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