A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Project Lupara – PlayStation.Blog

The Red Barrels team is super excited to dive deeper into our first seasonal update, Project Lupara. For anyone new, The Outlast Trials is a cooperative PvE experience where up to four players, known in-game as Reagents, take part in experiments that push their psyches to their absolute limits. Our upcoming (and free) update, Project Lupara’ packs a big punch, including a brand new story trial (which is disgusting), a brand new map (which is even more disgusting), and a brand new Rig.

To top it all off, we proudly present what all of our Reagents have been waiting for in dread: the snorting, whining, bloodthirsty Franco ‘Il Bambino’ Barbi. The first of his kind, Franco hunts players with his beloved Lupara, a sawed-off shotgun that gives him greater range than any Outlast villain to date.

The twisted son of New Orleans mafia boss Salvatore Barbi, Franco is driven by greed, cowardice, and sexual violence fueled by his own insecurities and insecurities, a monstrous “big kid” obsessed with his Pacifier, the boom stick he sucks on when he’s not using it to blow some poor unsuspecting Reagent to pieces (including all the gory gore and visceral delights you’ve come to expect from us). With a face that even his own mother couldn’t love, players will be introduced to Franco in the new story Trial, Poison the Medicine, which transports the Reagent to The Docks, a brand new map and Barbi’s home turf.

Can’t get enough Barbi? In the four weeks since the update’s release, the good folks at Murkoff have taken it upon themselves to take Franco around to the other courts in the Bambino special event. Mother Gooseberry and Sergeant Coyle have promised to play nice, although I’d continue to keep my distance if I were you.

Escalation Therapy, a new game mode introduced with this update, will allow hardcore Reagents to engage in a seemingly never-ending experience, taking them through a series of randomized Challenges, with random variations and random upgrades. No two playthroughs are the same, but each one will have you gouging out your eyes until you beg for mercy. And just when you think it’s all over, the cycle begins again. Start from zero, survive as long as you can, and reap your rewards.

If that wasn’t enough, Easterman has signed on to add another entertainment to the Bedroom. In addition to arm wrestling and chess, Reagents will be able to challenge each other to the Stroop Test. The Stroop Test is a classic challenge that involves hastily choosing between mismatched colored words. It sounds easy, but this mind-melting test quickly became an Outlast classic. Who says Murkoff never did anything nice for his Reagents?

We’ve been hearing the pained groans of Reagents from behind triple-glazed glass, so we’ve taken the time to refresh all of our menus. Browse the new Categories for all sorts of player rewards and nauseating cosmetics. Expect the Trials Board to refresh regularly, making it easy for Reagents to revisit their favorite Trials every week… with a change or two. Speaking of Trials, this update will also include more difficulty settings, from Intro all the way up to Psychosurgery. What’s more, the new Quest system will allow Murkoff to give particularly meticulous Reagents objectives to tackle as they progress through their Trials. Alone or together, the opportunities to reap more rewards have never been more plentiful.

Last but not least, Reagents have access to the new Barricade Rig. Use it to block the path behind you or troll your friends. Pursuers will have to clear the path or take a detour to catch up. Like other Rigs, the Barricade comes with its own set of upgrades that can be unlocked to make Reagents even more powerful when they really need it. Nothing can stop you.

For those looking for an instant homecoming, the Exotica Pack will include exclusive outfits and Cell cosmetics that are sure to warm up even the most tired and worn-out Reagent. The Exotica Pack will retail for $19.99 and offers a treasure trove of new cosmetics.

We can’t wait for you to discover what Murkoff has cooked up for you with Project Lupara. This is just the beginning of the Sinyala Facility expansion. There will be more surprises in store for our loyal Reagents in the not-too-distant future. So what are you waiting for? Start regenerating today, but in the meantime, enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at how we make this filth.