One of the distinctive features of the series is the camera through which the main character “sees” the world around him. This is a great game design move, which, on the one hand, creates a very cool mocumentari ("found entry") feeling, and, on the other hand, supplements the "stride-and-run" part with various shooting modes.
However, this does not mean that the camera must be used constantly. It has two significant drawbacks, the first of which is a decrease in the viewing angle.

It seems insignificant, since there is only 5-7 degrees, but in fact, even this can lead to failure: you can accidentally lose sight of a hidden enemy or a passage. The latter is especially bad, because paving the way during the chase is perhaps the most difficult part of the game.

The second drawback of the camera, as the name implies, is related to its influence on the character's running speed. When Blake looks at the world through the lens, he not only slows down the maximum speed of his movement, but also the acceleration with which he gains it during a long run. And he will have to run often in Outlast 2, because local opponents have good eyesight and hearing. Of course, sometimes long and tedious dash for cover can save the protagonist from cardio loads, but a beginner, as a rule, is not very good at playing hide and seek.

Therefore, if it is possible to remove the camera (by clicking the right mouse button by default), then it is worth doing, especially when there are enemies nearby. But sometimes the darkness is much more terrifying than anyone, and therefore some chases in dark areas still have to be carried out with a camera on your shoulder.

The locations in Outlast 2 have become larger, and now, instead of the cramped corridors of the mental hospital, the main character wanders through a settlement lost in the mountains of Arizona. In this regard, the game has thoroughly added to the ability to explore the world around us. At the same time, one cannot but remember the expansion of the inventory: now you need to collect not only batteries, but also bandages. With this, the developers wanted to spur the enthusiasm of research, but often it will be a much more terrible trap than another fanatic around the corner.

Almost every location has several optional zones. Some of them hide chaotic recordings of local and religious sermons, but often in the "nooks" you can find a battery or bandages.

I mentioned above that Outlast 2's bandages are less useful than batteries, and now it's time to explain why. And the reason is really simple: when a character uses a bandage, he stops for a few seconds.

This, of course, is realistic, but in the conditions of the game it makes the bandages practically useless during the active stages, because when a horde of madmen is chasing the main character, the slightest delay means death. And the 3 seconds it takes to wind the white cloth around the wounded hand (and the same one) is completely tantamount to rolling back to the previous checkpoint.

Thus, in order to remove the "bloody" effects from the screen and replenish Blake's health, you should only do a bandage when no one sees the character.

In Outlast 2, the character has a night vision camera in his arsenal. Thanks to it, you can dispel darkness by looking at the surrounding space through the ubiquitous green filter, so popular among horror movies and games. But the time for using night vision is strictly limited by the energy reserve of the battery. If the battery runs out, the picture starts to get very blurry. This is something like a power saving mode, and using night vision in this form is very inconvenient, since the focus is triggered only on objects that are literally in front of the protagonist's nose.

In order not to be left without night vision at the most crucial moment, you can go in two ways. Firstly, carefully explore the locations, collecting consumables scattered in secluded places. This can be fraught with risk and end up spending more energy as a result of the search than actually found. Secondly, you can limit energy consumption using night vision only in the most extreme cases, when the main character is surrounded by absolutely impenetrable darkness.

You can also use another trick that can reduce battery consumption by an order of magnitude: turn on night vision for a split second to allow the photographic memory to pave the way in the dark.

In addition to the obvious ability to walk and run, the game also provides two more modes of movement: squatting and crawling. Despite the apparent similarities, there is a difference between them.

When a character crouches in bushes or tall grass, he becomes almost invisible. However, if the enemy passes very close (closer than half a meter) or accidentally points the flashlight at the hiding Blake, he will sooner reveal his location.

Moving crawling when pressing the "C" key is even slower, while the character does not receive much benefit, except the ability to crawl under the bed. In the grass, it can even be noticed while lying down, so in most cases it is more convenient to use a squat.

The chase is always a lot of stress, especially when there are several pursuers. There are many chases in Outlast 2, and therefore the game often requires improvisation on the go: taking a shortcut, letting opponents on the wrong track, or hiding like a real master.

If the first and second are pure logistics, then the third requires care and very delicate calculation. The main character can hide in various places: barrels, hollow stumps, closets, under water, under beds, in the grass.

The most convenient, of course. beds and wardrobes, as they allow you to view the surrounding area. In the case of the bed, it is enough just to twist the camera with the mouse to look around, and if Blake is hiding in the closet, then he can slightly open either of the two doors to make sure that the threat has passed.

Of course, "hide and seek" is not always successful. Opponents in Outlast 2 may be completely "repulsed" fanatics, but they know how to notice the obvious. If the pursuer saw Blake climb into a secluded place, then he will immediately begin to capture. A similar ending threatens with careless peeping out of the cabinet: enemies notice the movement of the doors and hear their creaks, after which, as a rule, they come to check what caused this.

Moreover, even masterfully hiding, the character always runs the risk of being found, because the inhabitants of the Gates of the Temple do not just wander around, having lost sight of the troublemaker. They are searching. And sometimes they do.

Visual data is only a small part of the information that the player receives when playing Outlast 2 and, by the way, many other games. But it is in the game from Red Barrels that sound can be both your best friend and your worst enemy.
On the one hand, the sound of the environment can tell a lot to an attentive player: the number of opponents, their approximate location, the characteristics of the environment. For example, the noise of a fire is clearly not good, because it is difficult to hide in the light if found.
It is especially great if you have a 5.1 or 7.1 stereo system at hand, since with the help of technical advances you can very accurately determine the placement of opponents.

On the other hand, not only opponents and the environment make a sound, but also the main character himself. And then he already takes the position of "victim", because careless actions can lead to sad consequences. Even if Blake is hidden from prying eyes in the grass or "bedside" darkness, he can still make noise and thereby attract the attention of opponents.